Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-08
nth LEGISLATURE.
Continued From Page Seven)
and condemning upon good and SUI
ficient grounds.

and condemning upon good and suf-
dcient grounds.
It is. Of course, understood and ex-
pected that political adventures will
attack points which form no real bas-
is for calamitous opposition, in the
hope Of creating a sentiment against
any administration, and, no doubt,
partisan newspapers will add and ex-
tend their support: but it Is evident
that the great majority Of the peo-
pie are familiar with these old-time
and antiquated methods Of creating
prejudice and are not SO susceptible to
such influence as formerly.
RECOMMENDINGN NEW MEASURES
In recommending new measures, they
must, Of necessity, be in the nature
Of experiment, or, at least, it Is sell
dom that one has the ability to en-
compass in recommendation the. en-
tire solution Of a given problem. A
condition may be apparent. and num-
erous theories advanced, but remedial
legislation is difficult.
Experimentation is essential to ma
terial progress, for without it we can
not know the extent Of ingenuity: but
in legislation by new laws it is often
dangerous, because they may be Of
but temporary relief and lack quail
ties OF an enduring character suitable
for all time under ever-chanking con-
ditions. For instances, the new pri-
mary law is more or less experiment
tai, and, even at this early date, much
dissatisfaction with it is expressed.
These remarks simply indicate that
we should be as free in repeating use
less and obsolete laws now in the
statutes as in filling them with new
ones Of more or less doubtful value.
Too often laws are enacted which have
originated from a narrow viewpoint
contemplated by a vision OF some
specific incident or occasion which may
have brought relief in some remote
cases but caused great hardships in
other directions, not having been con-
sidered, as they should have been in
a broad-guaged survey Of general well
fare.
There are laws now in the statutes
which were passed through the Leg
islature for private reasons to remedy
isolated cases of little or no public
wide confusion and great expense.
There are other cases where laws
have been enacted through the infiu-
ence Of party politicians. affecting ad-
yersely the interests Of municipalities,
and have become mandatory without
the consent OF the citizens or even the
municipal officers. Care should be TAX
en- that such mandatory laws shall
not become effective until accepted
by the municipal officers at least, thus
supporting the principles Of home
rule when practicable.
PRIVATE AND SPECIAL BILLS.
Private and special bills should,
therefore, be scrutinized carefully and
general laws affecting the whole State
should not be easily enacted. The
old idea, often expressed in these halls,
that every legislator is entitled to at
least one bill, Is as unreasonable as
| it is unsafe.
These are suggestions only. as the
| Governor has no authority to INSTRUCT
! the Legislature. The fact that Its
members are duly elected and nave
| given their oaths is evidence or the
| peoples confidence in their ability,
| honesty and integrity. and should
guarantee safe and sane legislation
| In all questions Of needful and prop
or LEGISLATION for the welfare OF the
| State, it will be my. aim to most heaTt-
| lily cooperate with you.
It does not appear necessary to take
ourselves too seriously in diagnosing
| the needs Of legislation In all Its
phases. Discretion should be used IN
| all cases. but a sense Of humor may
not ne amiss occasionally in aiding us
| tn arrive at sane conclusions on many
serious matters. Our minds will un-
doubtedly be more clear. and better
nrogress will be made, if we can Gull
| tiyate a good, wholesome mixture.
Otherwise, the tendency will be toward
intemperance or sprejudiced and this
should be avoided as not being con-
duciye to sound legislation.
| It NAV be the irony OF tate that
public officials have not the wisdom
| of Solomon, although at times 1t seems
almost expected. Unfortunately, OF
| otherwise, we are but ordinarily hu-
man, and can but exercise the talents
with which we are endowed anu as
| sumo tho consequences OF their OPP
! Grafton for good or evil according u
| the mandates of the people.
1t may sometimes occur to US IN the
exercise of our official duties that II
| will be we'll to avoid the consideration
of one subject to accomplish a more
fair and Just consideration OF another;
fer the consideration of one may De
detrimental to the interests Of another
1 ty reason Of confiction, or, in other
words, the consideration Of both might
| cause the failure Of each, and mus
check the progress which might nave
| been made by the consideration OF
| each at different times. For instance
| the consideration Of the prohloltlon
question might be hampered by the
contemplation Of the temperance aues-
ton at the same time, and thus injury
| be caused to both.
COMBATING SOCIAL EVILS.
We cannot expect to rectify all the
| social evils of the State at one sitting,
| but should endeavor to select the more
salient and important subjects, and
as many Of them as we can conven-
iently handle systematically and con-
seryatively without their conflicting
with each other; thus leaving some
thing for future administrations to un-
rayel, for they will continue to be in
augurated long after we have complet-