Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-02-16
Democracy and Suffrage"

Maine an amendment TO the Constitution
comforting upon women the right 10
vote IN order for the people TO vote
on This question two-thirds Of the
members Of both branches Of the Legs.
iature must approve the resolve. ~
there In any force or sincerity IN party
platform declarations the vote shouid De
unanimous
The Republican party in both state
and national conventions has maze equai
suffrage part OF Its creed. the DEM
ocrauc party at It's last national conven.
tion adopted strong equal Suffrage
plank Further than that the Demo-
cratic party is hound TO the principle OF
tho referendum wherever II can be ap-
piled with propriety. II Is good DEM ll
ocratio doctrine 20 submit any prop
oritlon to popular vote provided three
conditions are complied with: name
~. that there is substantial popu-
lar demand for "A vote on the puestioli'
that the proposed legislation IL not III.
her.ntly vicious and that the subject OF
iha referendum II one that has beeh
generally discussed, so that the people
are reasonably well Informed upon II.
The suffrage resolve meets all OF these
conditions. A.
strong EFFORT is being made at Au-
Rustn 10 defeat this resolve. Most R re,
pubAcans will vote for II. fe" VIII
vote against H. Those few nope 10 any
with them "A sufficient number Of Demo
Gratis To defeat the resolve ana thro" tie
onus oAthe defeat on the Deinocrdts
Fifty-one votes In the House VIII prins
about the desired result II every member
Of the House votes. which is unlikely. IN
fact n II probable that II votes would 40
the trick. Some seven or eight hepuplic
cans will vote No on the question.
IA nuroxiuntelv ~ of the 4S Democratic
members Join them II will be sufhclent
The Republican party viii then be SUI,
able 10 pose as the friend OF suffrage ana
AZ the same time will have accomplished
It's defeat. -
p.mocrsts who lend themselves to the
carving out of this scheme are not eSer-
ciaing much wisdom. The game Is 50
Easy 90 see through that u is wonder
,hat anyone IN fooled by II. The scrip
,ure says that. In vain is the net spread
in the sight Of any bird. And really an
owl or even hat, In broad daylight
ought 20 be able 20 see That net anu anu sec
inF II. ought 10 avoid it-Waterville sen
tinsl
AZ usual we hasten 10 agree with
and approve any utterance OF our up
river noighbor when II is on the right
side Of an important public question
unless. as il sometimes tho case. we are
suspicious that small cullud gemman
il lingering IN the wood pile. In this
case VIC are convinced that the Sen
final IL sincere and honestly believes
that the Democratic party OF Maine,
with n few exceptions, Is being Kid
tapucd Wv Edgar +. Rounds of Port
hand
We cannot say that our neighbor is
not right. but IL occurs to us that
few Republicans. or at least one Re
publican f. being triumphantly borne
away into slavery by a designing DEM
ocracy We even have strong reasons
for taking that ground
( First. tho Republican party is
" pledged, In nation and State. to equal
( outrage They preached It in last
4 Years campairn-and Edgar Rounds
has been heard 10 whisper that he is a
party man
second no party man ever went back
on the pledges OF his party unless he
q had been hypnotlzed by evil influences.
Third. the Republican party is
pledged 60 the referendum and to ac-
ccpt the verdict Of the people on ques-
lions ~ constitutional Importance.
he he bigot or political manipulate
or. 20 allow the voters to say whether
: ar not the Constitution shall be amend
sd-Glways providing. of course, that
. said gentleman has a mind of his own
4 aud cannot be misled by designing pol
I. iticians 81 another party into betray-
: ing his own
To our mind the rankings of the
soft voiced gentleman from Portland
ON Wednesday indicated that he was
being made thu tool of the minority.
for he talked OF the need of this thing
being thrashed out INTELLIGENT
y Lf'-Lord save the word, He said he
Z wants 10 know what he is voting on.
( Gle ought 10 have been horn two cen
iur1es ago To give him timeD He did
. NJ wish to see this thing "railroadcd
through wants time in which IA
decide whether he shall lot the voters
have their own way on a question that
~" can't understand). He said il has
been before the people for years. (Rut
he hasn't found out how he wants "a
vote, not on woman suffrage, but on
the question Of referring the question
TO the Judgment OF the voters WIN
elected him on party ticket pIedoed
TO suHragel. He said he would like "a
: refer the question TO the women OF
Maine. QHe dares not trust the sense
81 fairness and justice OF the men OF
Maine. but will try by delay and other
party help TO postpone their vote on
the question for another two years
With some others he seems TO think
the women Of Maine could be over.
awed and bullied into remaining away
from the polls on such a referendum
sas he proposes
Does not "A fair consideration of the
facts indicate that Mr.. Rounds is be-
ing misled by a majority of the minor
iitye He wants more time to learn OF
the voters rights on questions of inn
portance.