Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-04-01

OF drawing a. jury anu OF putting the
names in the box is prescribed by
statute, and l think if you are going
to draw them by lot they should be
drawn in a manner similar to the way
the Jury is drawn and for the purpose
of amendment, If the friends of the
measure care to do so, ! will move
that the bill be laid upon the table.
A viva voce vote being taken,
The motion was lost.
Mr.. BREWSTER of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, the committee which had
this matter under consideration had
certain figures presented to it which
have a very decided bearing upon the
question under consideration, and III
the matter is to be considered by the
House, these figures should certainly
be presented before the House. Be-
fore the direct primary law went into
effect for a period OF five sessions the
alphabet was consulted as to all the
members of this House and Senatei
and it was found that during that
period of five sessions there were 4sSI
men whose names began after the
first letter of the alphabet and down
to the letter 81" and that 442 names
began with letters in the latter hall
of the alphabet. In the five session.
since the direct primary law went
into effect, from 1913 down to 1921,
was found that the names of all tn.
legislators beginning with the letter
in the first half of the alphabet
amounted to SCI, and that the names
of legislators beginning with the let
tiers in the latter half of the alphabs
amounted to 379. Thus you have BE-
fore that period 468 and 442, and
since that time you have 531 and 81
Now gentlemen, If that is not AZ
lottery by reason of birth, I do MOI
know what else you can term it.
happened to profit by the proposi. r
ton myself, but 1 do think it is fair.
err to substitute by lot, and l presum,
that no one would seriously imagn.
that the Secretary of State when MI
decided it by lot was going to DE-.
eide it other than by proper, judicial
and impartial means. The committe,k
felt so-and l do not know that MI
Ball, the present Secretary of Stat
INDUCES in any other game of chancs
and it accordingly seemed fair to IN,
| committee that this step at least i,
advance be taken. There was fun.
Their proposition before the commit.
| tee of inverting the names on N.
first half of the ballots, a propositor
| which would create some expenu
but which would give every ind.
vidual approximately an equal on.
portunity on the ballot. And ther
Cfn
which two or three states bav
adopted, where the names are ar
ranged absolutely without prelude
TO anyone by each mans name al H.
| pearing the same number of times
the top of the ballots, but that system
is cumbersome and is somewhat ev.
| pensive, and it was not considered
that the Secretary of State Comb
wisely be asked to incur that expens
or trouble for the State Now as I,
what the gentleman from Perham E
Mr.. Bragdon, has said as to the occ,, III
slonal instances where a man on IN, 81
| latter end of the ballot being success.
| 1ul' we can all, of course. think u,Is
.such instances during our exper. HI
| ence, but when you come down M
| ngures over a period of five yean I
this seems to be an absolutely CON. #
elusive answer III
Mr.. MuRCHIE of Calais: Mr.. Speak,
er' am sure the whole State of Main
should be proud of the fact that vi
are so much opposed to gambling AMI
think the fact that all the gentl.F
men who are opposed to gambling
/ n nhS. Is
early in the alphabet is a mere coin
cldence. 1t would seem possible a.
arrange this so that they might have
their tender feelings towards gam
ping fully protected, and still giw
the gentlemen who now think ths n
are under DISADVANTAGE absolutet; <
no advantage. 1 want to make this
suggestion. and I want the House
pear In mind the fact that the first
letter OF my name comes in the middaf
:. OF the alphabet, and / don't care d.
hang which way it goes. For this rsa ~
son, l now move that this bill be u
pled FOR the purpose of making :hh
amendment. that we may have tho
names placed on the ballot in alpha
betical order, beginning with the last
! letter of the alphabet. (Laughter) De
! The ques ton being on the motlcr
to lay the bill upon the table,
| The motion was lost
| Mr.. BRAGDON: Mr.. Speaker, l an
| glad that the gentleman from Port
iand' Mr.. Brewster has made it cleat
TO the members of the House that M
| and L happen to be members of thb E
Legislature on account of an accidens
OF birth. / feel that the members ds5|
the House now understand somethns&
that they never could appreciate be
fore. l wish to call the attention ~
the House to one more thing, that
there is any advantage in a place d
this ticket that it is a very expensive
thing for a candidate for Office fron
down here and attend that public hear
ing. In conversation with the secrsu
ry of State yesterday, 1 learned Of
case where there was a tie vote thai
had to be decided by lot recently and
where man who came in to attena
this hearing was delayed by reason q
an accident happening to his train y
that he did not get in until after M
drawing took place. and as it happens
the other man won out; and this maj
who was delayed felt that his right
had not been looked after. Now, w
do not believe that such things II
that happen, but we do realize that thf