Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-22

ton to go before the people. l do no.
see how we can do otherwise, Mr.. Speak
er, than be conscientious and stand upon
our platform. The Democratic national
platform has declared III the most en-
phatic terms for equal suffrage. and 50
has the Republican platform. This IL
not party measure. If we all believe
in equal suffrage we would not hav,
these eloquent speakers on the other sid
and the nice roses Gentsmen, this is 4
great issue that is before US today. II il
too large an issue to Jest about and make
fun of. Some of us remember when the
dam burst in Pennsylvania and cause
the Johnstown food When that dam
burst there was no power on earth ooul
stop that flood. Ten thousand people
were drowned. Now l do not say that
there is a dam going to burst in Maine.
but these waters cannot be held back
much longer. Just as true as you live.
gentlemen, the women of this State ars
going to exercise the right OF suffrage.
and l am going to serve notice on you
now that you cannot stop il. Who op-
poses equal suffrage as a rule? The sa-
loonists of the United States are very
much in evidence in this opposition The.
are afraid equal suffrage is going to pass
wish l could show you letters that
receive along this line: MFR. Longley.
do not let suffrage get by" Now wha.
class do these people represent? They
represent the saloon interests of the
United States. Now should not your wife.
and mother have right to vote on the
question of whether or not saloon shall
be established on the next corner? | tell
YOU they should. Bless your soul. whei
YOU talk about bringing woman down,
: it IS lifting her up. and l think a wo-
man should have a chance to say wheth-
er a saloon shall be established near hec
home or not. Why shouldn't she?
l presume, Mr. Speaker, we are all
aware that the women of this country
own one-third of its real estate-that
81 ID per cent. is owned by the wome..
! Now why shouldn't they have somethin:
to say about the matter of taxation? 1
say they should. There arc many points
Mr.. Speaker, which we might mention
if there We're time. but | told YOU whe
l started that / would not speak long.
attention. (Applause)
Speaker. l suggest that we take a vote.
we nave heard lot of oratory and I
suggest that vote now be taken.
Mr.. BuSSABARGER of Lubec: Mr..
Speaker, 1 supposed. as the minister OF
the House, it would fall to my duty To
pronounce the benediction and say tho
last word on this momentous question.
When ] came into this House the first
OF January the honorable congressman-
elect from Aroostook county, Ira G..
Hersey an ardent ana loyal supporter or
equal suffrage, said to me: IT'S a goo
th1ny have got minister In the House
because he can pray for the backsliders
| have found in the discussion and ia
the opposition to this question three
classes of opponents to woman's sui
frage that l want to notice briefly before
| say amen. There is, first the clasS
Whlch may be styled bipartisan crow
IN legislative halls. They are ncitne.
Democratic or Republican. They are 70.
whatever they think will better their own
private personal needs and interests For
six years in Maine l have followed tho
ms and outs of this question, and four
years ago l said to the leader of the Re
I ty Of Washington: why is it. every
time you people are in power, the people
who profess to stand for the home an
for womanhood, when women's suffrage
comes up 1t is defeated either in the
House or the Senate?' He dropped his
head and said: We'll, sir. that is where
the wet element in my party and in your
party put one over on US by a combina-
ton. So, friends, when l came to thii
Legislature, knowing that this great
question would come up, ! decided that
l would not be a member of this BIZ
partisan element this combination which
is undoubtedly present in this Legislature.
so when the first Skirmlsn came. Il
week ago last Wednesday, and we were
called upon to stand on one side o.
the other. there was no doubt in my
mind where I should stand. and the
gentleman from Waterville tMr. Berry,
Il member of the party ! have honored
with a lifelong national allegiance, has
alluded to the despicable, mean, cheap
politics that have been introduced here
into the discussion to secure the pass
aGe of this resolution. ] thank the gen
tleman for introducing that subject 70"
F.! when stood faithful to my p'cdge
( mad" nine years ago 10 the women o.
western Washington for equal suffrage
! to be submitted to the State, If elected
to the Legislature. faithful to my pledg'
made last spring that, If elected to this
Legislature. | would also submit that
question of equal suffrage in refercn-
dunn to the people of Maine, faithful
also to that oath I took with uplifted
hand under this dome 10 discharge my
/ Obligations as Il representative of the
people conscientiously, and uphold the
( Constitution, faithful to those vows
/ which - years ago this coming June
while kneelng at the altar rail. with
the trembling hand of the aged profess
SoF and elder of the church on my head.
/ set me apart as leader of men. to
lead upward and rightly-when ! stood,
friends, faithful to those vows and vot-
/ ed according to my pledges. what was
{ the result? ] state is gently state
it without any comment-a friend of the
minority floor leader the next morning
came to me right here on the floor and
informed me that because of my stand
| had made the boys mad and they
would get revenge by killing my bill.