Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-01

gerous channel. We are here this year
We do not know who will be here two
years hence. We do not know how many
contested elections we may have for the
different offices throughout the State
And here is a precedent established by
this Legislature saying that we ought
to pay a man four hundred and more
dollars that he paid out for contestins
whether he was elected or not, and IL
nally obtaining the Office. l don't think
there is any difference in principle be-
tween such a man and the man who
honestly thought he was elected coming
in here and asking that he be reimbursed,
And so, therefore, l am in full accord,
Mr.. President and senators, with thc
idea that we ought not TO establish this
precedent, and that the majority report
ought to have way.
Mr.. WOOD of Hancock: Mr.. Presi-
dent, there seems to have been false
impression created here in the start,
at least in my mind, that these stickers
were officially placed wrong. Now |
realize that we don't want to be mar
row about these things, and that we
should. if the State is to blame in any
way-I think we should pay our debts
and get this man out of his trouble, al
though l believe with the honorable
senator from Penobscot, it is q very
dangerous precedent to establish. But
if I understand it correctly, it is not
an error Of the State as it appeared in
the first speeches. The ballots left the
State in proper form and proper slips
were sent to the town clerks: that the
error. while official, was that of the va
rious town clerks throughout the coun-
ty, if I am correct. 1t seems to me
technically the State is not to blame
in any way. Mr.. President.
Mr.. MERRILL of Somerset It
seems to me. Mr.. President, and fell
low senator's. that this presents just
ore simple question, that is, where a
man who runs for an office gets into Il
position where he has to fight or back
down. And 7 understand that every
senator and every officer that goes he
fore the neopla takes upon himself the
burden of looking after his own inter
ests as far as his election goes IF he
thinks that he is being defrauded of
his election. he can put up a fight. If
the other fellow thinks he is, he puts
up his fight. But when one Of them
puts up a fight, the other has got to.
Now. I think it is just Ike any other
business proposition We enter into. We
take it. We assume the responsibilities
that go with assuming the position of
being a candidate. Now if we don't
want to do that, then keep out of the
nominations. keep out of the ranks
where the fight is going to be held.
don't believe in coming to the LegiSla-
ture and saying, well this one man has
paid out $3.50 and it is q burden to him.
it is a hardShip-I don't believe in
opening that gate to the treasury OF
the State of Maine, and because some
body has suffered little hardship to
let the whole people pay it. All of these
Titles make a Zig amount when added
together. and I say, shut the door the
first time it is attempted to he opened
and let future contestants understand
fully that if they fight they must pay
either play or not play. but pay | am
in favor of the majority report.
Mr.. RARTLETT: Mr.. President. if
you will pardon me for speaking once
more. There seems to be great confus-
ion in the minds of many of the sena-
tors as to the nature of this contest
Now. I will Just read another word
from the report of the court which
think will clear up this matter: "The
printing of new ballots being, as ad-
mitted. impracticable, slips containing
the new nomination were printed, un-
der the direction of the secretary CT
State and by him distributed to the
clerks Of the cities, towns and planta-
lions of Kennebec county with instruc-
tons, addressed to the presiding cleo
ton officers of the several voting
places therein. directing them to place
on the official ballots the printed slips
containing the new nomination afore-
said over the name of the above-men-
toned Arthur w. Leonard, such slips
to be placed upon every ballot before
the same has been given into the hands
of the voter
1t seems to me that that makes It very
clear that the occasion of this contest.
the occasion of this expenditure on the
part Of Mr.. Libby, was on account of
the fact that the State of Maine-and |
don't think that you can go as far as
to go to the officers of towns where they
are doing things under direction of the
secretary of state-the State of Maine
gave to the voters before they went into
the booths an imperfect and defective
ballot. Now the election officers evidently
counted these, and understood that they
were to be counted for Mr. Libby;
that gave him the certificate of election
and he was put to this expense to defend
himself In that Office. Suit was brought
against him and he either had to fight or
give 1t up. Now it was done entirely
on account of official ballots being wrong
before they were given to the voters. j..
Mr.. WOOD: l would like to ask the
senator from Kennebec if he has q case
IN court and he gets beaten, if he asks
anybody to pay his costs. The court
costs go with his case and that Is all
there is to it. He don't go to the Legis-
lature and ask for his costs
Mr.. BURLEIGH Of Aroostook: Mr..
President as I understand it, there are
precedents for paying all the contests
that ever come to this Legislature, either
of the senators or representatives 1t
has been the universal practice to pay
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