Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-06
Tuesday, January 8, 1925.
Time goes ye say. All, no;
Alas, time stays, we go.
Austin Dodson.
COMING DOWN TO THE
, LEGISLATURE

Coming down to the Legislature.
coming from all directions. The
newly elected lawmakers are coming,
some Of them with legislative exper-
fence, moro Of them without. The
people supposed to have about their
persons, concealed or otherwise. an
Ak in need Of grinding, they too are
coming; they will persist in coming
while the grindstone is being turned.
Nor would we make invidious dis
tinction of such, where they believe
their desires just. Conditions re-
quire the footing Of the horn Of any
ono wishing to be heard in a general
din. Coming, too. are the candidates
for tho several positions they seek.
One hears that nowadays positions
do not seek the man, generally
speaking. But surely that applies to
''the good old days" as well. Blow
ing ones horn is entirely excusable
under the conditions. but sooner or
later the candidate is held RESPONSE
bis for the kind Of trades he makes.
We have received an impression
from looking over the portraits Of
the members Of the Legislature. 1t
is favorable, and such we believe will
be = general conclusion. We would
like to see them contrasted with a
portrait gallery Of the national Leg
islature. Maine would have occasion
from such comparison to feel graft
fed, We feel sure. But pretty is as
pretty does-and the woodpile is yet
intact. When It is sawed, split and
piled in the shed against future
needs we will know more about some
things.
There are some knotty sticks in
that pile, gnarls that will test the
toughest blade ever tempered, pos
sibly, but nothing as yet to be dis
couraged about. There are highways
in need Of money. There is difference
Of opinion how that money may be
obtained. There is apprehension
that A may not get as much bacon
as B-we wish there weren't but
have learned to take human nature
a. We flnd It and without criticizing
the maker Of it too vociferously.
There is direct primary law
about which there are conflicting
opinions not to say emotions. This
is nothing new. There were in the
beginning, and some there be who
are ashamed to admit how enamor-
ed with 1t they were at that time.
Something, something practical,
should be done about it. We would
not feel that all including honor were
lost should it be laid aside altogeth-
err. but realize there are many who
think otherwise and prefer to be
converted II converted at all, by ex-
perimenting with 1t. We would say
they had had enough Of that the past
year, however.
Probably some Of the politest peo-
pie the lawmaker will meet while
getting on his feet" will be those
oozing love for mankind. They are
not the first that ever oozed, indeed
they are not.
Advertisements of bitters and pills
are not so plentiful in the columns
Of the press as in days that some of
the elders can recall. There are few
er golden discoveries in the realm of
remedies, fewer mentions of those
who are SO DESTROYS Of helping the
suffering to relief-at a nominal cost,
OF course. These dear philanthro-
pists are not so much in evidence as
once on a time but there are others
and their ballyhoos about legislative
cure-alls have a strikingly familiar
sound.
Coming down to the Legislature,
coming to be told, perhaps that a
vote for this or that will be either
their making or unmaking, will
blight or bless the home, will trig
the wheels Of progress or help to
make the grade. We mean it as
kindness not as impertinence, when
we suggest that none Of these be-
wildering alternatives will alternate
until the lawmaker has had time in
which to get his bearings.