Oxford Democrat., 1914-09-01
Mr.. Wheeler Makes Reply.
ANSWERS REFERENCES TO HIS RECORD
BY Mr.. HERsEY.

A Progressive rally at Norway Oper'
House Thursday evening was addressed
by Alton c. Wheeler of South Paris, can
didate for representative to congress
and Rev. H. <. Dunnack of Augusta
Mr.. Wheeler devoted his time largely t.
answering the charges as to his legisla
tive record made at South Paris Tuesda!
night by hon. Ira G. Hersey of Houlton
There was an audience present which
filled both floor and gallery, and fre
quently broke out into applause.
| Preceding the meeting there was ,
flag raising near the head of Mair
Street, when flag bearing the names o.
Gardner and Wheeler was raised ove
the street, and brief remarks were made
BY E. C. Frost of Mexico, Progressiv,
candidate for sheriff. The South Pari.
Band played both for the flag raising ant
the meeting in the hall.
DIR. L. Fl. Trufant, chairman Of the
Progressive town committee. called the
assembly to order, and prayer was offer
cd by Rev. q. L. Nichols. DR.. Trufani
then introduced as chairman Judge A
e. Stearns of Rumford, who spoke
briefly, affirming the necessity and the
permanency of the Progressive move
ment. He then introduced Mr.. Wheeler
who was received with prolonged ap
plause.
Mr.. Wheeler spoke for short time il
q general way of the Progressive party
as founded on the principle that human
rights are first, and property rights sec
ond, saying that the conflict Is one ol
the people against organized politics.
Hs appealed especially to the independ.
ent voter, saying, "We ask you to forget
your party lines, and We agree to do the
same, in the construction of the legisla-
ture." He then passed to considera.
ton OF the charges made by Senator Ira
G. Hersey at South Paris Tuesday even
ing. He said in part:
Mr.. Hersey says that voted with the
Democrats. Iplead guilty. l did vote
with the Democrats twice. Once when
it was proposed to abolish a court in
Hancock County to give job to ma
chine Republican, and again when it was
proposed to move the title of state paper
from the Augusta paper holding 1t,
which was Ex-Governor Plaisted's pa
per, to that most partisan Of partisan Re-
publican sheets, the Portland Press.
Mr.. Hersey lauds me to the skies az
the author of the public utilities bill,
and says am now opposing it on the
stump. He tells only part of the history
of the bill. The bill was introduced by
Mr.. Psttangall in the Democratic legis-
lature of 1911. II went into committee
and was not reported out until the very
last of the session. During the interval
a committee of the Republican caucus
was chosen to investigate the bill and
report on it. This committee finally
made divided report. On the majority
report against the bill you will find the
name of John A. Peters. On the minor
ity report in favor of the bill you will
find the name Of Alton C. Wheeler. On
the vote on the bill Senator Hersey voted
against it, as is recorded in the legisla-
tive record for 1911, page $40. What
object to in Mr.. Hersey is his omission
of any reference to 1911.
The bill was finally referred to the
next legislature. In that legislature l
was chairman of the legal affairs COM
init tee, before whom the bill would nat
ually come. But at a meeting in Bangor
1t had been decided that Wheeler was a
dangerous man to have charge Of that
bill, so there was long haggie over the
reference. Thank the Lord / am dan
gerous man on any question between
the people and the corporations.
Finally after the reference Of the bill
had been settled, l drafted copy of the
Wisconsin law, the most tried and the
most successful. Mr.. Hersey drafted
copy of the law of experimentation
Rhode Island. The Wisconsin law was
accepted as the basis of the bill. Mr..
Hersey credits me with having made
good speech for the bill. So did he.
Now be says that am opposing 1t on
the stump. The next morning after he
spoke at South Paris, in personal in
terview, he admitted that he had been
misinformed. ask him now to pro-
duce any newspaper correctly reporting
me as having spoken in opposition to the
bill. The trouble with the bill is that
Governor Haines named as members OF
the commission three lawyers, three of
the ablest lawyers who do work for the
CORPORATIONS which under the bill they
would regulate.
The machine killed the 56-hour bill,
itself compromise, because they said,
we're going to pass the employers liza.
bility act, and it isn't best to 60 too fast
10 this labor legislation. / believe 10
the employers liability act, and have al
ways voted for legislation in favor of Ia
Dor interests. The employers liability
act was defeated at the last of the ses-
sion, when the attendance had dwindled
away. Mr.. Hersey says the record shows
that voted against the bill. 1t does.
To aid my seatmate, Henry Descoteau of
Biddeford, who was vitality interested In
the bill, after the vote had been taken
and it was evident that the bill was de-
feated, | asked to have the record of my
vote changed, so that might be In pO-
sition to move reconsideration. Ii
Mr.. Hersey had completed the record,
he would have read that Immediately
made motion to adjourn, so that the
matter could be taken up another day.
Mr.. Wheeler then read signed state
meut rom Mr.. Descoteau, recitipg the
facts as stated, and further stating that
Mr.. Wheeler had worked actively in be-
half of the bill.
Following Mr.. Wheeler, Mr. Dunnack
spoke for nearly an hour and a half.
His talk was too long, but very earnest
and withal entertaining. He based bis
remarks upon the needs Of Maine, and
enumerated the following:
The people need the recall of elective
public officials; the right to initiate
changes in the constitution.
The farmer needs some system OF
agricultural banks, that he may borrow
at reasonable rates; some method OF
eaualiziug the valuation of his property
and other kinds Of property.
The working people need the working
mems compensation act; the 54-hour
bill; law that will take the boys and
girls out of the factories.
The business man needs the public
utilities bill; the uncrowing OF King Al
cohol; equal suffrage; wise and careful
adjustment Of tariff schedules on rea.
sonable basis.
Twenty Fifth Anniversary.
x-l NJ, Thou,oo Rarnaa ra-