Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-02-08

I
ly ooks after them to see that they
save. The parole officer has in charge
an average of 50 or 20 per day. There
have only been 10 returned during the
year as failures, but often they are
later paroled and make success the
second time. The work Of the REFORM
| atory, said the speaker. is greatly
| hampered through the fact that fully
one-third Of the inmates are feeble
! minded.
| Mrs. Richards first spoke Of the adj
visibility of the various societies
composing the Philanthropic Union
| having the same day for their own
| meetings. This is done in many
places. In Augusta. for example, all
the church and other benevolent So
cieties meet on Monday, so that they
never conflict.
She also urged enrolment in one of
the two political parties as an imme-
date and pressing duty. Our repre-
sentative in congress is n most i'm
portant person; it is imperative for
us all to decide who the best man is.
and then to go and vote for him at the
Primary on Feb. IS. Nothing but
absolute sickness should be allowed
to prevent this.
She then spoke in part as follows:
Twas reading the other day. not for
the first time or the tenth. Kipling's
terrible indictment of our national
character; his description of the
American as he, the foremost of Iiv-
ing English poets. secs him. There
are two lines which seem to me like
two black marks drawn straight
across the bright shield of our below
ed country. He spcal-s of "the cynic
de-il in his blood
lSWhich bids him hout the Law he
makes,
Which bids him make the Law he
fiouts.'
Terrible words: can we deny theli
truth? ! do not know Which is done
more lightheartedly, the making OF
the breaking l do not, for example
know lust how much fought and care
was devoted 20 framing the Law from
which | am about to read you and e.l-
tract; but know that it was fran
cd and enacted. and became the Law
of the State.
every lottery, policy lottery, pol
icy shop, scheme or device OF change,
OF. whatever name or description,
whether at fairs or public gatherings.
or elsewhere. and whether in the in =
tercsts of churches, benevolent OBJ
jects, or otherwise, is prohibitcd: and
whoever is concerned therein, d.
rectly or indirectly, by making, writ
ing, printing, advertising. purchas-
ing. receiving, selling, offering for
sale. giving away, disposing of. or
having in possession with intent to
sell or dispose of, any ticket. c~rtfl-
cate, share or interest therein, slip,
bill token or other device purporting
or designed to assure to any person
or to entitle any person to chance
of drawing or obtaining any prize or
thing of value to be drawn i'll any
lottery, policy - scheme or de-
vice of chance of whatever name or
descriptions; by printing. publishing
or circulating the same, or any hand
J bill: advertisement or notice thereof,
or by knowingly suffering the same
|
periodical under his charge or on any
cover or paper attached thereto; or
who in any manner aids therein. or is
connected herewith. shall be pun
ished by fine of not less than ten, or
, more than one thousand dollars"
MANY years ago, the conditions
which brought about the enactment
of this law was prevalent in the
State, where in Gardiner as else
where, raffles, games Of chance, sea
son ticket prizes. and (scarcely less
undesirable. though not against the
letter of the law, voting conteses,-
these things We're found al all large
fairs. carnivals etc This Union OF
Gardiner women. meeting in this
place, expressed its disapproval OF
such methods of raising money. and
its unWillingness to countenance
them. The protest made an imNres-
sion, and for some years the objec-
tionable features disappeared.
Now, however, q younger genera
ton, not realizing, it may well be-
the danger of these things: not
knowing. it may we'll be. of the cx-
istence of the law above quoted, has
revived the old ways. Once more our
young people are learning the old
old game of getting something for
nothing, or next to nothing; arc
testing the unwholesOme excitement
of the gambling spirit, one Of the
deepcst-rooted temptations Of our
nature. as it is surely one of the most
insidious. Once more our citizens are
besiegcd with eager requests to "talle
a chance" in this. to vote for that
'Only ten cents" someone says
Absurd, to make fuss about ten
cents" How if it were ten dollars.
, or ten thousand dollars" The nrin-
| cipIe is the same; the law. enacted
, by the people of Maine.H makes no
mention of small sums or great.
was not born in this dear place,
but more than half my life has been
happily spent here, and the honor OF
Gardiner is as dear to me as my own.
Ii seems to me, dear friends, that this
is matter of our civic honor. Shall
we too, flout the law we make, and
make the law we flout? l hope not.
pray not. If we think this law un-
just or unreasonable, We may take
steps to have it repealed; hut while it
is one Of the laws under whose care
and protection We live, shall we rot
obey it?
Look not mournfully into the
past" says wise man, 1T comes
not again"