Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-18

Thorp's Island to the main land in
Boo,hbay
House 11n. Resolve appropriatiIs
money to aid the plantation Of New
Canada 10 construc, bridge across
Perley Brook
Senate So. Resolve providing for
the completion Of the book Of plans Of
Knox county and appropriating money
therefor
Senate so. An Act to incorporate
the Aopang Dam and improvement:
Company.
Orders Of the Day.
On motion by ir. Murphy Of Cum
berland the vote was reconsidered
whereby Senate Document 81. Resolve
increasing the retiring pay OF Thomas
Clark. was passed to be engrossed.
and on further motion by the same
Senator the resolve was tabled pend
ing its passage 10 be engrossed.
The PRESIDENT: The Chair lays
before the Senate the majority and
minority reports of the committee on
legal affairs on Resolve proposing an
amendment 10 the constitution OF the
State of Maine providing for the cleo
ton on the Tuesday next after the
first Monday II November. biennialiy,
OF Governors, Senators. Representa-
tives. and other officers now required
TO he elected on the second Monday
OF September, biennia,ly. The ma
jority report. ought TO pass. is signed
ny Messrs. G-eenleaf. Earcelon. Lewis.
Hill. Perkins and Clifford. The minor
ity report, ought not to pass, is
signed by NesSrs. Walker. Bartlett.
Hanson and Thombs.
The pending question is upon the
acceptance of either report.
MI WALKER OF Somerset: Mr..
President: The resolve providing an
amendment 10 tire Constitution OF the
State OF Maine. providing for the
election on the Tuesday next after
the first Monday in November. bien-
nially. OF governors. senators. repre-
sentatiTes and other officers now re-
quired to be elected on the secon !
Monday OF September tiennislly, was
introduced in the Senate. January
18th. by Senator Eoynton Of Lincoln
and referred TO the Committee or
Legal Affairs.
I. On this resolve hearing was or
dered by the committee soon after.
II was held February 10Th. having
been advertised in the leading papers
OF the State. At this hearing. Sena.
tor Boynton was the only person who
appeared for the resolve. No petit
tions asking fer this change had \een
received by any member Of this
Legislature and referred TO our COM
mittee. No resolves of any organiza
ton had been received by Us. no let
ters favoring repeal were on file.
Senator Boynton was the whole push.
The reasons which he gave for chang
ing the date OF our State election from
September 10 November were: that
Maine was the only state that had
its election in September. that it was
q very busy time OF year for the
farmers: and that it would save ex-
perse to the State. The Senator was
very gentlemanly in every way, as he
always is, and made q nice iittl ;
speech, yet when he was through. I
hardly thought he had made cut a
prima facie case. for he was support
ed by nobody not a scrap Of paper
was put in supporting his conten-
lions. II the people Of Maine wanted
the date OF our State elections
changed for the reasons given, or any.
other reasons. we had no way Of
knowing 1t. Much as I respect Sena
tor Boynton, l hardly thought myself
justified in subscribing to the faith
which was in him on this proposition.
!, therefore, signed the report. ought
not to pass. 1 would not fee! justified
in voting in this Legislature y
change our State Constitution on any
subject matter, unless l had some
reason to believe that there was de-
mand Of our people for this change.
That there is no demand, in the
present instance, the lack Of inter-
est at the hearing demonstrated. The
fact is the people OF Maine are salts
fled with the date of holding Stat.
elections. 1t has stood the test Of
time. Ever since Maine became a
State in 1920 and years before that
date, the men of Maine have been
voting in September. While the
work Of the farmer is never COM
ple,ed, yet submit to you, Mr.. Presi-
Gent. that from the farmers view
point, the latter part Of August ami
the first part Of september Is the best
time to conduct a political campaign
and the farmer desires to vote at the
most psychological moment. Expert
ence has proved that the vote thrown
In our elections held in September is
larger by many thousands than in
those held in November. The matter
of extra expense would come only
once in four years and the increased
vote in September or over the vote in