Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-19


and we do not want it heralded all
ever the country that she has taken q
backward step in legislation such as
the repeal of this law would indicate.
Keep the good old State Of Maine i'll
the vanguard of progress and i've up
to its motto "DIRIGO."
Mr.. HASTINGS OF Androscoggin:
Mr.. President and ADMINISTRATORS:
The bill before the Senate for con-
sideration is Senate Document No. 81.
It calls for a referendum of the So
called Primary Law to the people and
was introduced by me to fulfill
promise made to my constituents in
Androscoggin county. after the prim-
airy election in June but previous 20
the September election. The history
of the enactment of the Primary Law
dates back to the 18th Legislature, in
which Honorable Body 1 was mem
Der of the House, and am frank to
admit that l voted for the Primary
Law with one hand. and would have
done so with both had it been legal so
| to Go.
In the Legislature of 1911 and 1912
there were introduced two bills to en-
! at Law. OIlS StSlSu ZIG kAus
ministration Bill and the other. the
Davies Bill. The Davies Bill was re-
| ferred to the people and ratified by
them at the following election, and i
Is this bill that a proposition is made
to refer back to the people: and the
question is on the referendum to the
people. and not on the repeal of thu
| bill that We are to discuss and vols
on this day.
1t has been stated. and may be
a gain. that the law has not had suf-
ficient trial to demonstrate whether
the people want i or not, that the
people have not become acquainted Of
have not faniliarized themselves
enough with the law to know whether
ii is for the best interest to continue
1t or not. l am frank to say that in
the county of Androscoggin they have
become thoroughly familiar with the
law and convinced that, as it has
worked out at the polls, it is very bad
for the rural sections of the State OF
Maine, completely cutting them off
! from all chances for representation in
! the county ticket. This is class legis-
latlon. and good only for the thickl,
settled portions, particularly such as
cities and large towns. as was very
veil said by Senator Durgin from
Piscataquis county in discussing the
proposed change of the Septembe~
election TO November yesterday. We
: must not do anything 10 disfranchise
the rural vote of the State of Maine in
favor Of the cities and towns" and
that is Just exactly what We claim
the Primary election does. especially
so IN the minor county offices. To IL
, luStrate: In AnGroscoggin County this
day we have T. K. Belleau Clerk Of
Courts, residence, Lewiston: George D.
Pottle. County Commissioner, resi-
dence, Lewiston; Frank Coffin. County
Commissioner, residence. Lewiston.
Lewis Z. Davis, Sheriff, residence
lewiston: George Murphy. Register u
Deeds residence Lewiston: Lewis
Chabct. County Treasurer, residence
Lewiston: Sill Fahey. Superintendent.
e Buildings, residence. Lewiston;
James Murphy. Register of Probate.
residence, Lewiston. My honorable
COLLEAGUE. DR.. Gaslin. Senator. resi-
cence, Lewiston. In fact, al! the out
side towns have representatives on the
county ticket. is one County Commits
>!oner from Lisbon Falls and one Sen
ator from Auburn. who had no opposi-
ton in the primaries
submit. fellow senators. that a wurs,
distribution could not possibly have been
made by the Tammany Tigers OF New
York, or, TO quote from the Lewiston
Journal, the Penrose Usurpers Of Penn
sylvania."
Again, on the primary ballot where
more than one candidate is voted for,
such as representatives, for towns or
cities that send two or more to the Leg
islature. the names to be voted for-and
| submit there may be dozen names
as they appear on the ballot from which
you are supposed TO select, the number
specified in the square at the head of the
list are arranged alphabetically. and al
most invariably tire voter begins at the
top Of the list and marks his cross oppo-
site the first two, three. four or more
names. as the case may be, so that the
fellow whose name begins with A, or
the nearest to the top of the alphabet
zeal list, is the man who receives the
vote. although he may be the very man
that is least fitted to represent his con-
stituents.
1t may be we'll said that the caucus
plan was not ar ideal one. that mistakes
did happen, which, if granted, must be
tempered with the thought that dele
gates from all towns in the county par
ticipated In these mistakes instead of the
few from the cities and centers of popu-
latiOn, as Is the case in the primary cleo
ton.
Since the introduction Of this bill /
have had letters OF endorsement from
every town of any size in Oxford county
and from all three political parties. and
all claim that as it worked out, the pri-
mary law was not as good as the caucus
law. From Franklin County comes the
same expressions of opinion, and, strange
as it may seem, the greatest uncertainty
| regarding the referendum on this bill
| that 1 have become acquainted with
comes from the cities like Portland, Au-
gusta, Bangor, Thomaston, in fact, from
counties that have either the Democrat
| ic delegation or mixed. but not from the
| rural districts OF the State.
You will notice in Section of this
bill call for an election to be held the
third Monday in June, 1915 This date
was inserted so that if adopted the result
might be incorporated in the new revision