Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-01-15
When the Law Is in the Way, Why

A short time ago Hon. w. ]. Bryan
discovered a flask sticking out Of the
hip pocket of the Democratic party.
He was duly shocked, despite the
fact that he had been told, years ago,
that it was there. He was aggrieved
because Democracy had not called his
attention to it, He had not believed the
Republican press.
Some day law-respecting Democrats
like Mr.. Bryan will awaken to another
fact, that whenever statutes conflict
with. Democratic desires the laws are
recklessly swept aside. Maine has just
witnessed another demonstration of
this well known characteristic.
Maine law provides for secret bal
lot. 1t goes so far that voter may
not display his ballot for information
purposes. The purpose of the law Is
obvious and the law is respected by
the public at large. But in the Maine
Legislature for party purpose the law
was "thully SCI dSIuC Ny SAiS ANiAA
ocrats in secret caucus, because the
law threatened to overthrow their
plans for securing Office. A distinctive
Democratic" ballot was introduced,
SO that those watching the voting
could check the ballots of every DEM
ocratic member of the joint convention
and thus prevent one of them from
voting the Republican ticket as he
has been doing from the first day.
When the caucus agreement was
over ruled by the chair an attempt
was made to discount the ruling.
1t was an incident typical of the
party in the past, it is true today
when the law is in the way of the at
tainmert of Democratic desires, cir
cumvent the law. 1t was so in the
count cut, generation ago; it will
remain a party earmark until such
as Mr.. Bryan are listened to, in re-
gard to the dangers of identifying the
party by evil associates and reprehen-
sible means.
Here is an indsputable fact, deny
IT if you can:
From the hour the joint convention
was called to order illegal means have
been resorted to, to secure and main
tain the Democratic vote necessary
for choice of the officers elected.
If the methods adopted were as close
" scrutinized and passed upon by
the courts, as the Legislature itself
has scrutinized an passed upon close
~ contested elections of it's own men,
bershp, the law making body itself
would be disqualified.
A few of the incidents upon which
we base this claim were VIGOROUSLY
plain to membership, officers, press
and visitors, and are fresh in the
minds OF all. The voting of one member
when it was necessary to select his
ballot and place it in the box fer him,
was illegal. The caucus-instructed es-
pionage of the balloting was Illegal
and in brazen defiance of letter and
spirit of Names secret ballot. The
holding up of ballots, for inspection
by the man with the check list, was
illegal. The Introduction of a distinct
i've Democratic ballot was illegal.
The law making body should govern
itself by the laws it has made for the
people, To act otherwise arouses con-
tempt for one of the triune powers
Of our form of government.
Closely allied to illegality is the
right Of might as manifested in the
unseating of a member through the
court rulings Of another state when
excuse could not be found in the
legal decisions of our own. Unseating
member of the Maine Legislature
by authority from Wisconsin seems
rather far-fetched, at least, but when
the act is justified by its promoters
by open contempt of court interpre-
tations of Maine law, then it typifies
Democratic procedure.