Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-04-04
HRuSr AND DISTRUsT.


~, like that of any public Of
" fit subject for legitimate
int and inquiry. And, of
~ 1t cannot be expected that all
romment will be favorable. For
! lance, his effort to delay the
fIndum on the question whether
Ter power users on the kennebec
be permitted to store water for
Yer purposes, fits in so well with
bition to keep in the public eye
long as possible. that it scarcely
~ be overlooked, as a possible
se for suspicion. Whether this
Nv be just or unjust it cannot be
erwise than irritating to those
p wish for speedy development:
reover it necessarily contributes
the uncertainty which has held
traint on development in this
d ate for several years, while as yet
II practical method for relief has
IN proposed by-those back of that
Btraining grip on the situation.
with regard to the matter OF ex-
tense of a special election he no
Niger is afforded the excuse of
Economy, for postponing the vote I'M
n the general election in 1924.
There must be this year referendum
N the question of 4S-hour law.
1900 signers having asked for eth
b legislation or referendum and the
Legislature h2ving passed the matter
ker to the Governor. He must call
4 special election on this in 1923. The
psf of such an election will be
,kround $4,000, and it will cost no
more to have the water power
Referendum decided at that time.
MIL the Governor do this? If not,
khy not?
He has been reported US saving
that if the water power question
comes up at special election peo-
ple'will not turn out to vote upon it.
This might be except in central
Maine, the part which will be affect
ed by the delay. We cannot imagine
The practical people Of the .Penobscot
regiea,- with their own power de-
Teloped by capital, or the Androscog-
gin country with ample development,
being extremely solicitous about 60
ing to the polls and voting to delay
development in central Maine. The
voters of this State are DESTROYS of
being fair minded.
J But assuming, as the Governor
tries to do, that a vital issue is at
stake, will he not trust the dear peo-
ple of Maine to respond to his clarion
call and flock to the ballot box in de-
sfense of their liberties and all that
sort of thing, such as saving the
kennebec from being damned by
impious hands?
Now this matter of trust and dis
trust. as exemplified in the Cover
nor's attitude toward this and many
other questions, features largely. 1t
may not be too much to say that 1t
lis certain to prove on the whole
State. At least it seems worthy of
serious consideration.
Here is Governor Baxter distrust :
ing the people in the matter of COM
ing out to vote when, as he would
have us believe, their. welfare is at
stake, but he is perfectly willing to
trust them all the way from NADIA
Ewaska to Kittery to say where. when
and how a dam may be built in
Flagstaff Plantation. whenever he
concludes it may be safe for them to
express themselves. say about Sep
Etember 1924, it not being possible to
delay the matter longer.
L 1t seems to be quite generally un-
Iderstood why he has confidence in
the executive department of State
gfor the present at least-why he
thinks all matters should be decided
by it and why he could consistently
RECOMMEND it to the people as a
3cure- all for their ills, but how does
he come by his confidence that the
] legisla tive branch of the State gov
eminent is deserving of the implicit
confidence of the people in the way
/ of developing water storage, ct
! cetera? Surely not from his own ex-
perience, he, himself, doesn't trust its
Judgment. Never before in the
recorded history of state legislation
in this country, so far as we can
learn, has an executive placed SO
many vetoes on the judgment of, or
has exhibited such distrust Of the
Legislative branch. Yet he asks the
people to trust and place full conf
dence in state legisla lures by allowing
them to enter into the management of
the States industries! With the rec
ord now being made of State ex-
ecutive and Legislature not cooperat-
ing in constructive effort for the
State. nevertheless Governor Baxter
would have turned over to such pos
sible conditions the power to do with
the business of the State something
similar to what has been done. or
mot done. to make the State prison
fit'for those whom the State confines
within its walls!
With all due regard to the con-
!iction that the position of the chief
Executive is one which the people OF
4 the State should respect it seems to
| us~perfectly clear that it not only lie
the privilege but likewise the duty
Of the people of the State serious
ly~to consider that executives atti-