Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-09
MINORITY REPORT
(Continued from Paao 0nel

Representative B4rwlSo OF Bangor
who said that tho amendment had
been drawn with great care and that
every word which It contained had
ance In like controversies in other
states. It has been drawn with the
idea to make subtefuge impossible.
Unless this were done. he pointed
out, 1t might be possible for some
future executive-he did not think
there was any fear Of 1t from the
present Governor-diverting the re-
sources Of the contingent fund to
these prohibited purposes.
This amendment. said Representa-
tive Barwise, was drawn with the
express purpose Of conforming to the
great fundamental principle Of the
country that there should be alb
solute separation between State and
church.
+. This bill is not aimed at religion
as such or at any particular kind OF
religion; It Is designed to increase
religious liberty and not to restrict
.it," said Representative Barwise. He
replied to the argument that the ap-
preparations for sectarian institu-
'fions had been small. "They may be
small, but the principle Is great. and
'the same great principle that was in
.volved in the window tax and the
tea tax"
Replying to Representative Bar
wise, Representative Maher Of Au-
:custa said that 1t devolved upon him
,as member of the majority Of the
Judiciary committee which had made
report adverse to the position of the
gentleman from Bangor, to answer.
1t might appeal to some members as
a coincidence that he was MEM
her of the religious belief which it
had been intimated would be most at
,fected by this measure.
Representative Maher called atten-
.tion to the abandoning of the pro-
position to limit State Aid so as to
include the charitable as we'll as reli-
.gious institutions in the prohibition.
II do not think that proposition
will be seriously considered again
whether it comes from the House or
1.-THE Senate or any coordinate branch
.of the government. based upon
spacious representations made by
the Chief Executive" said he.
He insisted that the new draft OF
the Barwise resolve was worse than
the original resolve because it re-
.stricts the provisions to a religious
.sect and is more deserving of de-
feat.
1T is absolutely unnecessary from
"a legal standpoint. absolutely unwlse
from a business standpoint and alb
.solutely unfair and unjust from
religious standpoint" said Repre-
tentative Maher.
Representative Wing Of Auburn
.said that the issue involved was not
.that of the religionist but of law.
He cited the protection which had
.been given by the trainers of the
CONSTITUTION to the people of differ
ling religious views and dsclaimed
This desire to deny any of the Citi-
.zens of Maine the provisions of the
;original article.
We arrive at the -cruX of the
problem" he said. "Shall we restrict
the power of the State to grant a
:bounty to private institution, con-
,ducted by a religious denomination?
Let us give no man or group of
linen a grant, the result of a tax
llaid upon all-the Jew and the Cen
title. the Greek and the barbarian.
This is a sound principle and its en-
.dorsement will rebound to the good
of ALL"
Rep. Nichols of Portland. speak
ing briefly, called attention to Mr..
.Maher's statement that there are
.1fO.WW Catholics and 100000 non
Catholics in Maine, and he said that
II the population had grown from
7GSOOO in 1920 to more than 9OO. 600
at the present time, then we had no
fear of race suicide. Mr.. Nichols
also denied that Bates College. re-
ferred to in the debate as a sectarian
institution, was such.
Representative Cummings of
Portland, stated that the greatest
question today involved in the mat
ter is that of the separation of our
public schools and keeping them
where they were intended to be. 1T
is also true that there is an increas-
ing demand for a division of the
public school fund and it is wise on
the part of the State to consider
that question and to set that ques-
ton at rest SO that there can never
be division of that fund.
DO YOU want to see our citizen
ship divided"" he asked. do you
want to see not only Roman Cath
Ollie schools. but Jewish schools and
schools of other denominations?
He said that until recently there
had been no attempt to divide the
funds created for the purpose of
maintaining the public schools. 1.-The
great thing is forever to maintain
intact the public schools and never
see them divided
ftgpse Sustains Governors Veto on
:. Marketing Resolve
aWhen the governors message asking
for a return of the veto of the resolve
appropriating $4,000 for each of the
next two years for the inspection of
ptpducts and investigation of market
ing conditions by the commission of
agriculture was taken from the table.
Tsep. Wing Of Auburn moved that 1t
be placed on file.
~Barwise of Bangor asked for a rul-
Ing of the Chair on such a request from
The executive. and Speaker HOlley rul-
cd that a veto message cannot be re-
called after it has been sent to the
legislature.
MIR. Wing then moved that the veto
message and the resolve take their
Constitutional course.
. hamilton of.Caribou explained that
Two years an act was passed appropri-
Gting $4,000 annually for the purposes
mentioned in the resolve, and he said
Chat in order to remove any technical
objection that might arise since the
veto. be had prepared an amendment
To the present law. increasing the
9nount to $4,000 yearly. The bill was
How before the Legislature. and hence
he felt that the veto should be sus-
Gained.
:. Rounds Of Portland moved that the
House adjourn and this motion was de-
1cated So to 20.
Mr.. Rounds then started to discuss
Nhe question and informed the members
That he was willing to stay until 6
O'clock. as he didn't eat much for
luncheon. anyhow.
!, Referring to the veto message, he
said that the governor wanted TO save
Z little money and that he had been
That way ever since he was a kid He