Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-19

a fdper 1OT eOPle VuO want III
from democracy and get misrepresen-
| tative, instead Of representative gov
eminent.
The adding of this great group to
the electorate of Maine. not merely
doubles but multiplies the difficulties
| of obtaining an honest, impartial ex-
preston of public opinion.
But there remains a great mass of
the womanhood Of Maine-the girl
who is graphing with the stern real
tiles of business and industrial life
and the quiet. silent army of home
governors embraced in that dearest
Of descriptives the home bodies
this group in my judgment over
| whelming in it's numerical superior
ity to the combined suffrage and anti
suffrage partisans have not that in
terest which impels them to either
oppose or ask this legislation. To
force upon the unwilling and the un-
asking the duties of citizenship at
the behest of a small, but vociferous.
minority. is unwise. unnecessary and
unjust. Until there is that substan-
tial unanimity among women essen
tial to harmony and efficiency. the
formula of self determination should
| forbid the forsaking of old ways for
new. Novelty is not prime requisite
of LEGISLATION and change is not al
ways progress.
! Another argument is Immediately
suggested that forces the conclusion
/ that this would be a step away from.
and not in harmony with, representa-
tive government. Any law for it's
| force or salutary working must be
adapted not only to the natural needs,
j but the natural convenience of the
people affected. In other words the
geographical conditions of any state
play a very important and very fire.
quently a determining part in the
policies of legislation.
Maine is, and will for all time be.
an essentially agricultural state.
Maine must, from the very nature Of
things, be for decades state Of
magnificent distances. 1t is of vital
and not theoretical Importance that
this great backbone of life in our
state be adequately voiced and ac
curately heard. Any measure if
manifestly calculated to give dis
proportionate power to the cities as
against the rural communities of
| Maine l apprehend if rightly under
| stood. would get scanty support in
this legislature. And this would
rightly be so because. in this state
beloved of the pine tree, its granite
heart is our glory and it's rural life
our wealth,
But | earnest. sinously urge up
on your thoughtful attention as seri-
| Gus men, this proposition that this
measure, if adopted, will give in its
practical and actural operation a
vastly disporoportionate power to the
cities and populous communities as
against the smaller towns and tn"
country sections of Maine. Let US
not theorize-let us not speculate
let US not guess-Pray give heed to
cold. hard facts The latest CEN
sus report has illuminating and elo-
oquent testimony upon this all i'm
portant-I might even with propriety
say-vital phase of this question.
Maine has 429 towns. 3As town
ships and 81 plantations and Maine
has go cities. Now the 20 cities and
So larger towns. representing the
urban, or city population of Maine
had a total population in 1890 of 29S.-
604 as against rural population of
3624S2. In other words there were
$4,000 more people on the farms In
1890 than there were in the cities.
In 1900. ten years later. there were
337,390 people in the cities as against
351 .076 on the farms. still "0.01o
more in the country than in the
! city.
| Significant and in way alarming
does the last census show the. shift
ing of balance-360.s2s in the coun-
try-381443 in the cit ieS-2o, Onr
more i'm those same cities than in the
country.
In 90 years balance of population
of $4,000 more in the country than in
the cities of Maine is shifted until
there are 10000 more in the cities
| than on the farms.
| How do We find the division of the
sexes?
There are 377.0Jo males in Maine
to 365.3l9 females-a ratio of 1882
men to women.
In the cities we find 1S9.16S men
to 1927 women-98.4 men to wo-
men.
In the country ls7Sss men to 1.::.-
042 women-10S6 men to women
Are YOU men of rural Maine going.
by your vote son this measure. 20
stif1e further expression ." YOUR
! communicates you Walt 10 make
it harder for the natural sentiment
of your state to express and obtain
it's natural rights
Further and as a practical argu-
ment which no man can deny. il IS
| easier by far because of obvious
| accessibility-easiiy trouscd inter-
est and quick working organization
to get out and poll the city vote as
against the country vote.
Manfestly and indisputably easier
to get out and poll the women voters
Of the cities and industrial centers--
| than in the country with distance
| difficulties and natural Indifference
Gentlemen. not in theory, but in cold.
| calm consideration OF facts let us
deal. ! say and challenge successful
refutation that Maine from natural
| conditions. geography and environ
| ment should never vote this measure
| until there comes a clear. calm call
from the women of rural Maine and
not from the conservatory so-called
| society and Salon-faddiSt Of the
passing moment.
We are further gentlemen of -he