Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-08

room In the Augusta House.
determined fight on the part of those
who believed In the risht of the people
to control their own affairs, and this
right 10 not to be taken from them.
nausht ssp.cisliS as thu wo S9 Of
Maine realize that their influence in
man-controlled conventions would be
negligible. They are too keenly and
inte!ligently interested in the States
gated to an inferior position.
In my opinion 1t would be as unreal
sonable to curtail the right Of univer-
sal suffrage as to revert to the dis
of the past. I predict that the people
Of Maine will hold to what they have
won. and will rise in their might ana
overwhelm those who are endeavoring
and elections. The time has not. ana
/ never will come. when the individual
Maine citizen will delegate to others
his sacred right to nominate his party
candidate in the primary or to choose
Publicity
One Of the deliberate purposes
| have sought to accomplish has been
| to inform the people Of Maine about
their own affairs, to interest them In
understand their own problems. With
this in view 1 have prepared numer-
Gus statements for the newspapers,
and hope these have made some i'm
preston upon the public mind. | have
endeavored to shape public sentiment,
not to follow or echo 1T. and never,
regardless Of criticism or abuse. have
| 1 hesitated to speak frankly and as
sumo full responsibility for my acts.
1t would have been easier to have
slipped along with the current. speak,
ing only platitudes and catering to
those with power and influence. Tho
newspapers no doubt would have ap--
plauded whenever the interests of
their owners were advanced. and my
path could have been soft and pleas
ant. I, however, have deliberately
chosen the rougher and more turbu-
lent road of independence and contro-
new strength for the one to follow
and in the fight have given as we'll
as received the blows of argument. 1t
has been my desire to be known as the
Governor of all the people" and heir
cause is the one 1 have championed.
Every day of my service has been
worth while and l hope history will be
kind and record that 1 accomplished
part from the state House in the best
Of spirits, with kindly wishes toward
all, especially for my successor. and
saying as did Theodore. Roosevelt. Il
have had bully time"
"1og Rolling"
The greatest obstacle to sound leg
islation is "log rolling" or trading
support on legislative measures.
Many good laws fall by the wayside.
come law because at times bills are
not considered on their merits. I have
known legislators who, to secure an
appropriation that would strengthen
have voted for anything if they could
trade for vote. On the other hand.
!. know of those who to punish an ex-
ecutive for exercising his veto power.
have openly boosted that regardless of
merit they would oppose every meas
ure advocated by the Governor.
Senator Borah did not hesitate to
; speak frankly upon the making of
!, promises to obtain political advantage.
He says. THE most Shiny creature
that disgraces American politics is the
man who buys Office Cor who retains
, ofice) by paying for it out of the
I, public treasury and charging his .venal
obligations to the tax tax payer an.ns II
!, full and open minded. would consider
, each measure upon its merits, discard
, those without merit and support such
!. . as are strictly for the public welfare.
icism. In this way 'log rolling" the
. greatest evil in American politics.
would be eliminated.
: Another pitfall to be avoided is
. CLASS L6SiSldtlOus teSlSidllOu III AHe
interest of the few and opposed to
that of the many. Special interests"
> are influential about legislative halls
and their representatives are resource
full and oftentimes cunning. The pub
!! lie at large is forced to rely upon the
!. legislators themselves to protect the
interests of the people, who employ no
Legislative agents" to plead their
causes.
! have had 20 years experience with
, the lobby of the Maine Legislature.
The men who compose 1t are skillful
, manfpulators who at times have hesi-
: points. Their influence upon legisla-
ton is unwholesome and I condemn
their methods. From present indica-
lions the lobby plans to be much in
evidence at Augusta this winter.
1t would be we'll for the State If lob
: bying as now INDUCED in could be
eliminated. 1 would not prevent men
: from coming to Augusta to defend
their. legitimate interests. or to plead
righteous cause: It1h1oweyer, is
: inspired solely by selfish interest, to
stand guard about the State House
= and combine in "blocs' to shape or
f stop. legislation regardless Of its
! merits.
: Both lobbying and log rolling. arc
= nate consequences. 1 wish that men,
. bers Of the Legislature could thor
: underneath and behind the lobby. The
: methods Of lobbyists are subtle; when
l they cannot intimidate, they fatter
and they never lose sight of the object
two large corporations have abandoned
: lobbying, and experience has shown
I that in doing so they have rendered a
/ public service. These corporations,
r when their bills are before Legislative
committees. send their representatives
: to Augusta, who when the hearings
. close promptly leave town and return
: home. Such men do their work open
, ly and above board; they are cordially
, received and. I believe, more often
, resort to old time back-room methods
, AS has been truly said. "the voice
of the people Is but feebly heard in
legislative halls a,, due largely to the he
. some of the .ablest men in the State
who regularly spend their alternate
winters at Augusta as Legislative
Agents" for special interests.
Children
| Throughout my, administration I
have given special attention to the
| welfare of the children of our State.
1t has been a great privilege to come
:. in contact with the young people of
every section Of Maine: The letters
. | tudL nave 1CCCINCu Al oAL SOiIO VI my
, boy and girl friends are the most
precious Of all my official documents.
A tiny Aroostook girl five years of
age in thanking me for little note.
promise you / always shall be a
good little girl and love the State of
Maine" A South Portland boy eight
years of age sent this message: Elk
years old. l want to be a good boy"
Then there was Billy Miller. a bright