Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-17

town. this bill ats them. II they are
as far away from Lewiston as Au-
burn this bin Ats them whether they
are well and strong or not. There is
no limit as to place; and Il you hap
pened to be only one foot out Of the
town where you vote, you are with
in the purview OF the act. Now
say. IL they live right In the city.
right where the Board of Registration
has the amplest opportunity to ind
out whether or not they are physi-
cally incapacitated by proper reput-
able physicians certificate or aliidavit
submitted to that board passing upon
every case, that you are not opening
any door for fraud. that you are doing
a little something for the people right
in your own State. Who would 1t
reach7 It would reach people, say,
such as inmates of charitable instt-
tutions or eleemosynary institutions.
and we can see where 1t might reach
the boys out here a little later At
Togus, boys who have been gassed.
boys who have been shell shot, boys
who do not feel able to stand the
stress Of being hauled to Augusta. to
Gardiner, to Waterville, to Portland,
70 lewiston. They are among those
boys who would come under this
clause of course, here: II they were
absentee voters, they would come un-
der this clause: but II they happened
to be right In this particular town.
they could not vote unless they went
to the polls. Now is that fair and
reasonable? 1t does not seem to me
that there is any particular danger
in it. We have opened the door here,
and have taken in a great body or
new voters and there has been a
great awakening of interest upon the
part of those new voters. They are
keen in their desire for the exercise
of the ballot. and the exercise of that
ballot intelligently. Now ! can con-
ceive of time when there may
be some measure pending which
will affect the interests OF the State
of Maine. the security Of the State OF
Maine, the property Of the State OF
Maine. the authority of the State OF
Maine-some constitutional amend
ment which will be addressed to the
common judgment of the electorate OF
the State Of Maine, as has been the
case in times past. when we will need
theI vote of the last. living. intelligent
informed voter. Now ! can conceive
that, in the natural course of events,
as the natural physical sequence Of
the marriage state. that there must
be a large number of women who will
the stress and Inconvenience and pub-
licity of the polling place. Now. gen.
tlemen. you have given the ballot to
women. and you are by this measure
giving the ballot to all absentee vot-
ers, absent by cause or, as said,
caprice. Pray tell me what intelli-
gent argument can you adduce against
giving that ballot to the person who
is absent from the polls because it
was by the hand of God?
Mr. GARDINER of Gardiner: Mr..
Speaker, hesitate to speak after the
gentleman from Augusta (Mr. Maher) /;
butI would inquire If the House is
aware that this law can. become effec-
tive only if the Constitution is
changed? In this direction legislation
can take three steps. The first step
is that proposed by the law under
consideration to extend the privilege
of voting to those who are absent
from their town. The second step pos
sible is that indicated in the proposed
amendment under discussion which
would extend the privilege further to
those who are confined to their homes
by sickness. The third step possible in
this direction would be to abolish en-
tirely the requirement of personal
presence at the polls. That is but one
further step in the same line. 1t
seems to me that the law without the
amendment puts us into new field
field of experiment. If that expert
ment works. it might be advisable at a
later time to coonsider such an amend
ment as that now proposed; but to
take the two steps at first, to start
and make a beginning of the two steps
instead of one step. seems to me I'M
necessary. and uncalled for.
Mr.. WING of Auburn: Mr. Speak
err I hesitate somewhat to obtrude
myself on the House in this discuss
sion, but wish to state my position
and my idea about this very important
matter. This bill. as understand 1t,
originated in that class of men who
are known as commercial travellers,
and who are very often engaged upon
their business hither and yon in va
rious parts of the State on the day Of
election. The petition which was re-
ferred to the committee, of which I
am member. bore the names of the
men whom I knew were engaged in
that occupation, and was afterwards
told that the commercial travellers of
the State, through some kind of an
organization, were very much interest
ed in this bill. Now you will see that
this is bill which provides for alb
sentee voting. 1t is radical depart
ure even in it's present form. AS has
been intimated. 1t requires an amend
ment to the Constitution. Now in or
der that the House may have clearly
before it the question, I win ask the
Chair to read the amendment offered
by the distinguished gentleman from
Augusta (Mr. Maher).
amendment read by the Clerk).
Mr.. WING resuming: Now, gentle
men of the House. you will see that
the amendment is most radical
change in the fundamental law of our
State; that it really should be the
subject of a separate bill upon which
people may appear before such COM
mittee as had the matter in charge
for hearing, and where the matter
should be discussed. / think the gem
tleman from Augusta (Mr. Maher) is
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