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

that the votes were properly signed
and delivered to the election officers.
meaning great expense to those
towns. This law closely follows
the Massachusetts, law and we
have had in our town sew
eral OF those applicants voting
under the absentee voting law and it
requires that one Of the election Of
fcers shall be there to determine
whether the voter can vote or not,
and also q justice of the peace or
notary public to sign the statement
before 1t can be made; and we have
had to send an election ONCE and a
justice of the peace In sciae Of our
towns to take those who did not
want to spend the time to go to the
polls and deliver those votes. say
it would be some cxjense. and there
fore. hope that the amendment will
not be adopted.
Mr.. BUELL. of Belfast: Mr..
Speaker. too wish to rise to sort of
testify to the beautiful feeling in our
Judiciary committee. We get along
beautifully There in our dciibera-
tions. We sometimes have different
minds. but generally thresh things
out to a conclusion. i Feel that there
has been q public demand for this
law for some time; especially the
commercial travellers need It. was
reluctant at the start to make the
departure that this law called for
1t is worth something to go and vote.
1t is worth something, It is worth
some effort; but upon the whole
became convinced that we should
have alaw of this kind, and this bill
that We have before us without the
amendment is what we have consid-
cred and finally approved, and you
have the report here in this House,
"Ouguh to pass" Now we have an
amendment offered, and l wish to
read what that amendment provides
for in the first place. That is the
zrst amendment as proposed. I did
not get to the second one, and for
fear that the second one does not
make any better provision than the
first, l shall have to be against the
amendment. I will commence and
read from Section 133 Definition
voter is hereby defined to be any
person who il duly qualified regis
tered voter. and in respect to any pri-
mary election duly enrolled as a
member of the political party in
the primary of which he proposes to
vote, but who through absence from
the city or town in which he is en-
titled to vote IL unable to cast his
ballot at the polling place." A con-
dition might be produced that I
should be afraid of. I am afraid
that In the stress of political battle
that you would see physicians on the
one side passing thus and so for
those. of the same political complex
ion. and then there would be ply
sicians on the other side who would
really think that some of their party
was incapacitated. I am afraid we
would be getting into too deep water
II We adopted this amendment, and
that was the decision of the commit
tee as I understand it. Therefore 1
wish to register myself as against
this amendment.
The SPEAKER: Is the House
ready for the question?
Mr.. MAHER of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, If the Chair and House will
pardon me, it would certainly not be
meet to allow the trenchant argu-
ment that has been adduced to pass
without the right of the speaker to a
few minutes reply; and can assure
the gentlemen that what few words
/ have to say in reply are due rather
to the menace of the situation than
to the force of the arguments, be-
cause. as I understand it, the argu-
ments may be crystalized into con-
fusion and trepidation and danger.
First there is apt to be confusion in
practice, taking, the last argument
first. The House will bear with me if
I read this: "An absentee is hereby
defined to be any person who is a
duly qualified registered voter, and
in respect to any primary election
duly enrolled as a. member of the
political party in the primary of
which, he is entitled to vote, is un-
able to cast his ballot at the polling
place" That is perfectly plain. Now
this confusing amendment simply
puts right after that word vote" "or
physical incapacity," SO that it
reads: who through absence from
the city or town in which he is en-
titled to vote, or physically incapa-
citated, is unable to cast his ballot
at the polling place." Is there any
one who is confused by that or who
does not understand what it means J.?
1t does not seem to me there can be.
Is there anyone alarmed by the ar
guments of the gentleman from
Presque Isle (Mr. WILSON, that this
is going to put excessive cost upon
the town? If SO, 1 commend to their
patient consideration the simple
reading of the bill because it contains
therein the complete answer to the
argument thereto adduced. There is
nothing in this bill, whatever the
provision may be in Massachusetts,,
about any election clerk or anybody
on behalf Of the town attending at
the bedside Of the absentee voter, nor
anything in the bill about sending
anybody up to the Tsuraine or to the
lumber camps to hold converse with
the absentee voter. The burden is
on the voter who seeks the privilege.
He must adduce the proof. first, that
he Is lawfully absent, and in case of
my amendment, that he is physical
ly incapacitated. Now there is not
any proposition of any warning be-
fore the boards by rival doctors rep
resenting rival camps because !
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