The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1916-09-07

Democratic State Committee today
issued the following open letter to
Hon. Carl f. Milliken of Island Falls.
the Republican candidate for Govern
or asking him. among other ques-
tions, how he proposes to enforce the
prohibitory law, if elected Governor,
and what his attitude would be upon
the reappointment of Democratic
judges of the supreme and superior
courts.
Augusta, Me. Aug q. 1916
Hon. Carl E. Milliken,
Island Falls, Me.
Dear Sir
As candidate for Governor of the
State of Maine and asking the people
of this State to elect you To the posi-
ton now occupied by Hon Oakley c.
Curtis. who is a candidate for rec
lection, ii would seem reasonable and
proper that you should give the peo-
pie of Maine some concrete reasons
for the change in administration
which you advocate.
You are quoted in the Kennebec
Journal of Aug. 81 as having stated
at Island Park that if you were elect
ed governor you would enforce the
prohibitory law This statement car
ries an intimation that Governor Cur
It's has not done his full duty in this
respect and that the distinction be-
tween his policy and yours concern
ing enforcement is sufficiently broad
as to Justify the people in supplant-
ing him with you. Will you tell the
people of Maine just how and by what
means you intend to enforce the pro-
hihitnrHr In if a1oatoA
In a letter to Professor Chase of
the University of Maine last spring
you stated that you would advocate
constitutional amendment giving the
governor power to remove officers
charged with enforcement who were
delinquent in their official work and
appoint Others in their stead.
Assuming that a legislature by the
necessary two-thirds vote would
agree to n constitutional amendment
on these lines, and assuming that the
people accepted the amendment. you
would. if elected governor. neceSsari-
ly hold office many months before
this program could be carried out
What, in the meantime. could or
would you do as governor toward en-
forcing prohibition? Or if the leg
islature declined to submit such an
amendment. or if such an amendment
were submitted to the people and re-
/ jected by them, what would you or
could you do as governor TO bring
about enforcement?
In tho letter above referred to, you
stated that the governor with the as
sistanca of the Legislature could re-
move delinquent officers from office.
If Legislature were to assist you in
removing such officials as you deemed
it wise to remove, you are of course
aware that our Maine legislature
usually adjourns on April LIST of the
first year of the governors term If
you learned that officials charged
with the enforcement of our laws
were delinquent in their duty at some
period after the adjournment of the
legislature, would you summon the
legislature in special session for the
purpose of acting upon sucr cases
as came to your notice. II so, how
long would you continue the process
Would YOU call special session Of
The legislature every time il came to
your attention that the prohibitory
law was being violated i'll such a way
as to lead you to believe that local
officials We're delinquent in their
work.
Aside from these two suggestions
already discussed; namely. coDsti-
Iutonal amendment and calling up
on the Legislature for Impeachment
proceedin gs. can you state any means
that the governor of Maine has to
compel local officials to bring about
any greater degree Of enforcement
than appeals to them? Would you
advocate another Sturgis law? Can
you and will you, as a matter Of
fairness and frankness to the people
of Maine. definitely state just what
your program of enforcement is?
You have criticised Governor Cur
It's for not reappointing Hon. A. NJ.
Spear associate justice of the su-
preme court of Maine. If you should
be elected governor. Mr.. Justice Ia
ley a1d Mr.. Justice Hanson of the
supreme court will come up for re
appointment during your term. Are
you willing to state to the people Of
Maine that you will not reappoini
them Judge Fred Emery Beane of
the Kennebec superior court and
Judge Joseph E. f. Connolly of the
Cumberland superior court will come
up for reappointmcnt during your
term as governor. Are you willing
TO state that YOU viii reappOint
these gentlemen, if you have an op-
portunity to do so? Unless you are
willing to say that you will reappolm
Judge Haley. Judge Hanson, Judge
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