The Republican journal., 1915-01-21
Do Not 0rlpe
We have pleasant iaxst;ve ~. ~,
do just what you want il % do. -.
ReHaQ2 0tdetQieo
We sell thousands Of chem ANA s.
have never seen q better remedy for ths
bowels. Sold only by us, 10 cents.
City Drug Store.
Democratic Doings at Augusta

democratic longs at Augusta
Especial Correspondence of The Journa,1
AUGUSTA, MAINE, January Is. 1915.
The history of the first two weeks of
the Maine Legislature has indeed been
interesting, and as far as the Democrats
are concerned, in some individual in
stances, it has been disgraceful. The
Republicans, have, at all times. conduct
ed themselves with absolute decorum
and fairness. On the other hand, the
Democrats, not being able to trust each
other, established spy system about
the ballot box 80 that it was impossible
for any representative to vote without
being seen by them. The big stick was
shaken over the head of every Demo-
cratic member. The fact that a secret
ballot has been emphatically endorsed
by all parties was ignored by them. 1t
was evident from the first that the
secret ballot was only approved by Dem
ocrats when its approval would serve
their purposes. During the first week
the balloting for State officers was with
out result.
At the opening of the session of the
second week, the Republicans moved to
suspend voting for Secretary of State and
to proceed to the election of councillors.
The Republicans believed that should be
done, because without council the bus
mess of the State could not proceed. The
deadlock which had prevailed was bro
ken on the first ballot, Seth 7. Camp
bell, Progressive, asked to be excused
from voting but was ordered to vote.
Angus inc Libbey, Progressive, was not
in the Convention when his name was
called. 1t was at once understood that
he was purposely absent, thus throwing
the election of the Council into the
hands of the Democrats. The vote stood
81 Democrats, 81 Republicans and
8 Progressives. Governor Curtis,
therefore, has Council presum-
eddy in accord with his views and
the State policies of the Democrats will
be carried out during the next two years.
After the election of the Council, ballot
ing was resumed for Secretary of State.
This deadlock was broken by the action
of two Progressive representatives, Lib
by and Perham. These gentlemen were
in the Convention when balloting was
begun, but left the hall before their
names had been called.
The Convention next proceeded to vote
for Treasurer of State. One Democrat,
who had occasionally voted with the Re-
publicans, managed to slip in Republic
can ballot without detection and there |
was no election. The Democrats were
in panic. The Convention was ad-
journed until the next day. The Demo-
Gratis resorted to their old tricks. The
election committee of the House was
hastily called together, and measures
taken to unseat Republicans. The at
tempt to unseat Representative Clement
of Montville was too rascally for even
the Democrats to endorse, and Mr..
Clement was allowed to retain his seat.
In the case of Representative Thibo-
deau of Van Buren,, there was a major
ity report in favor of unseating Mr..
Thibodeau. This report was signed by
four Democrats and one Progressive.
There was minority report against |
such action signed by the only two Re-
ublicals on the committee. In the de-
bate in the House before the vote to I'M
seat was taken, the Democrats did not |
deny that the law of the State of Maine
provided that certain votes in dispute
were defective. They did not deny that
the Supreme court of the State had de-
cided against the counting of such votes. |
Instead of following the law of this
State, they quoted the laws and decisions
of New York and of Wisconsin as a
justification for unseating Mr.. Thibo-
deau. When the vote was taken Mr.. |
Thibodeau was unseated, as everybody
expected he would be. Several Demo
Gratis have said to the writer that they
voted to unseat Mr.. Thibodeau because /
it was party measure. After this I'M
warranted and partisan action the Demo-
Gratis had things their own way and elect
ed the Treasurer of the State, the At
torney General and Commissioner of Ag-
riculture. On Thursday noon, the Legis-
lature adjourned until Tuesday of the
third week of its session.