Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-26

the Quakers have taught us that there
are powers beyond these. The powers
beyond these are right thoughts, high
ideals, holy visions, righteous princi-
pies. burning aspirations. These make
strong manhood and womanhooo'
make a strong, pure state"
Gentlemen, I am Quaker. am
one Of the board OF managers Of a
small Quaker institution on the banks.
of the Kennebec few miles above
this city.
These principles OF Quakerism and
Americanism have been taught there
for seventy-five years. The Legisla-
ture has at times granted State aid to
this institution and this aid has been
economically administered to the al
vantage of the youth of our state. You
ask US to amend our constitution SO
that aid to this and few other like
institutions will be barred forever
Legislatures reach out with one
hand and tax our people, and with the
other make meagre appropriations to
departments, charities and institu-
tions under State control. and also to
some private hospitals and academies.
Gentlemen, you propose to bind the
hands of our State forever so that In
no case, however urgent, can any Leg
islature grant any small sum to any
sectarian academy to preserve It's HE.
Gentlemen, I do not believe this is
necessary. Our public schools are
amply and adequately safeguarded by
our constitution as it stands TO-DAY.
Past Legislatures have acted wisely
in granting aid in cases OF emergen-
cy, and l will trust future Legisla-
lures to use their power In just anu
equitable manner.
t11t,
with my vote protest. against the pas
sage of this measure.
(E'or addresses of Senators Hinck-
ley of Cumberland, Anthoine or
Cumberland, and Smith of Somerset,
see legislative record)
Mr.. MAHER of Kennebec: Mr..
President, the subject and the oc-
cas;on would seem to conspire to
impel me to inflict a few minutes
upon you, and it also illustrates,
coming at this particular juncture,
what particular mental agility any
one may possess to compass any
thing at all that is appropriate to
the subject and which has not been
covered most effectively and most
clearly.
But there are one or two
thoughts in my mind that are
quite germane to the particular
subject and which have neither
been alluded to by any of the
gentlemen appearing in opposition
to the amendment nor by the
sponsor therefor.
1 conceive that the object of
forensic speaking is three-fold: to
Conciliate. to convince and to Der
suade. | apprehend that it is
lNu-.Nl t11x, Il
for an instant the possibility of
Cancellation because l am entire
ly satisfied that every gentleman in
this chamber approaches the con-
sideration of this question, as of
every other. with that same fair
spirit and with that same candor.
and with that same right to his
judgment and opinion that he would
concede to me. / am entirely salts
fled that the conciliatory side of
forensic speaking may be dismissed.
With reference to the proposition
Of convincing and persuading, that
is entirely dependent upon how SIM
liar arguments strike different
minds. We are discussing here a
proposition of the amendment of the
constitution, and | presume it would
not be far afield to say that it was
part of general program, we would
so infer from the discussion, that
could be compasSed under the
broad generic term of Americanism.
l like TO turn to the fountain head
because no stream can be purer
than its source, and l would like to
turn for text, If you will, to a man
whose patriotism knew no per cent
age or price. to man whose
Amerlcanism cannot be challenged.
because. like another prophet, he led
the tribes of the west through the
red "a of revolution and into sight,
We AID hoped. of the promised land.
And 80 far moment let us see
what happened sometime in Sep
TENDER, the 18th l believe, 1896. what
the first, the greatest, the truest
American had to say that is sug-
SestlVe of a text. In his farewell
address he remarked: Towards the
preservation of your government and
the permanency of your present
happy state, it is requisite not only
that you steadily discountenance IT.
regular oppositions to it's acknow-
lodged authority, but also that you
resist with care the spirit of limo
Natlon upon its principles, however
srec1ous the preteXt. One method
or assault may be to effect in the
forms of the constitution alterations
which will impair the energy of the
system and thus to undermine what
cannot be directly over thrown"
An applicable test. An applica BILE
thought We gather here TODAY
pursuant to the constitution of the
State OF Maine. and differing in our
own proper right in no regard from
the persons who are just outside the
seats, or from the man in the street
In our own proper regard differing
not whit. We are here simply by
virtue and acting today under that
constitution. And the constitution. +
apprehend, is as important in one
particular as it is in another; and
When we vote today we are voting by
virtue OF provision which saws
l'otninS about party platforms,
hothinG about economic matters,
ilothihg about the particular
urge winch happens to be the phobia
OF the moment. presume
these things are all includ-
thirds of both branches of
inc legislative division of government
ueem 1t necessary they shall propose.l
an amendment to the Constitution
the brlGht-when they deem it neces-
Sary they may propose an amendment.
Ihe ordinary definition, and the
hrSt, of amendment is change for
the better. Whether is a change for
the better and there is A necessity
we have heard the arguments adj
Nanced and, if I get them right, they
are classified very similarly. and to
the statement of them, and l mean to
be falr-if at any time 7 do seem to
show little more force than the par
tlCuIar subject matter under consider