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

nor "a ,hA much-mooted matter that mas
been brought up here that we are '.1
only state that - practicing 1t q. tne
nresen. time The conditions In MAINE
ara different from almost any otnef stAte
in The Union. II IL a State Of small pop
.,,,,an and immense distances, STATE
NJ towns and plantations instead OF iafss
cities
don't intend to take but just mo
man, ar TWO of your time. but there are
some conditions which would arse unoe.
the provisions Of this bill thai ~o..
aseuredly disfranchfse as large nulno
Of voters In this State as any Ia" 'nA'
you could pass. In these snaa owns
sparxely settled. there is a large clAss
that are only able 70 exercise tneaf Hsh'
Of outrage at the September election.
There are two classes. They are tne GU
soldiers and other persons and oecfepi'
persons of other ages. who are enS Cap
able OF voting BY reason OF the sooo
condition Of the roads at that time o.
rear, and the climate. the concition .oi
their health no, allowing them to e1er-
else their right to suffrage at any other
time. as
submit to you that il this becomes
law YOU VIII disfraAch!se most honor
able portion of our voters Inc oio SOL
Sie-s Of Maine think more Of their votes
than they do OF almost anything else II
this world They have passed through
scenes years ago which have brought the
va!ue Of their vote home TO them very
strongly, and it is fac: that the oidef
voters of the state mink more OF their
votes, and are taking q more vivid IN
teres, in the affairs Of the state OF
Maine than the younger men-be it said
to their shame
There are other conditions, which ey-
eryone know.-and perhaps a moment in
passing would not De lost I will take my
own town. for instance, which is far
sample Of hundreds in the State. We
have lumber mills there. and granite
works now those stonecutters DO but
little in the winter time. and q very
large percentage go up river. All OF
the men from the mills go up as early
as October. think our vote in our town
doesn't average as much as rwo-thiris
in November OF what il is in September.
and ! have been In position for a good
many years 10 know about the vote.
having helped count il great many
times: ard l know that in almost all the
towns in our county, and many others
o: which I have personal knowledge
that the same condition Of affairs ex-
ista
Everyone that knows the condition In
Maine generally knows that that Is the
fact, and not to be denied l submit TO
you that il this bill receives a passage
il vii! d:sfranchise some OF our mos:
valuable voters. and viii be hardship
to all the small towns and plantations
! OF the state. which form TO inconsid-
cradle part of our population.
Nj BARTLETT OF Kennebec: AZ a
member OF the committee watch consid-
cred this bill, mare felt TO sign the nj
nority report. feeling there wasn't any
seeming call. any evidences from the
people Of a demand for this law l
might agree with the senator from LIN
coin in submitting the matter 10 the
people, II there was any call for il, as
there seemed to be last week on the
question q suffrage for women; but in
s matter wt.sre II has been advertised 50
! widely. as the senator from So:,e-.e.
has said. It seems to me that, nobody ex-
cept the senator who put in the resolve
appearing for il. there Is nothing to
show that there is any cali from the
people; il seems 10 ne under those con-
d.,ir-ls there Is no reason for siltrn.,,!-g
the matter te tire people
As the senator from Hancock has said.
, 1t seems TO me that in our rural COM
uIaities-and large part OF our voters
, are OUTSIDE OF the cities and t9xns-.:
would work great Inconvenience to a
grea: number OF voters in going to the
polls II the early part of November
the roads Of Maine are very likely 10 be
deep mud or frozen ground, and with SO
many voters having to traye, from three
10 six miles TO voteor double tia. dis
, .ance before they ge, home-i, would
make IL very hard for many Of them to
get there.
On the question OF following other
states, il seems TO he there can be M
merit IN that argument. We don, al
ways follow or nesshoors in every &C,
, they do. We would get into a great deal
o. trouble Ii we tried TO do it great
| many times
| 1t seems 10 me the arguments are al,
azaias, amp change o. election. The
date was hxeG by the wisdom OF those
VINO drew our Constitution. At tina.
tine the date OF the Presidential e,ec-
! tien Tss tie same as now: and ,he-a
! don't seem 20 be any reason why x.
should pass this vote Or sabrn;, the MAJ.
ter 10 the people, as don't seer, to call
. for IT,
Mr. COLE o. York: Mr.. President, 7
aE not going to take but a moments
time. I took occasion his morning 70
so into the Secretary Of States on-s
AMI draw of the vo,e of three wears az,
| and Of last election
When this matter came befora tha
committee TWO years ago. presented by
the same Senator who presented j. this
TINE, | was member Of thai Commit.
tee think We gave the matter all the
consideration that any bii, could have
got before any Committee TIE Senator
rom Lincoln appeared before the Com
mf.te- as he d.d this year; tire Master
or the State Grange appeared before thu
COMMITTEE. and l think that was about
Ire representation that the bill had-I
don't understand that the Master o. the
state Grange came wholly in his of.ieia,
capacity. The matter came to a vote a,a
was defeated. and K there had been A
81 =