Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-25

necessary In order for us to make
war upon Germany. You remember
legislation in Connecticut, legislation
which 1 believe has just passed in
Tennessee, making 1t q crime to
teach the doctrine of evolution. Or
CARNATIONS with fantastic names
were revived and came into being,
or were revived ostensibly to battle
against assumed dangers, but really
to satisfy the emotional and egotisti-
cal cravings Of a multitude of peo-
pie who eagerly rallied around the
banners Of these organizations. There
was much chattering of country and
Of Christ by many people who knew
very little of either.
This emotional attitude became
manifest in Maine for the first time
about two years ago, taking the form
of phobia or hysterical fear of the
Roman Catholic church, the Church
whose numbers constitute, / believe,
somewhat less than twenty per cent
of our total population. The feel
ings on this subject, which naturally
ran high. were accentuated by very
indiscreet, very unwise and in some
cases very selfish utterances of priests
and parsons and layrfien; and there are
those in this Legislature who clamor
for amendments to the Constitution
of Maine. The first of these amend
ments-or. rather, let me say that the
amendments grew out of an amend
ment which was originally advocated
by Governor Baxter in 1923, and in
troduced by the present Senator Bar
wise, then representative from Ban
gor. into the Legislature of 1923. That
al n mo nj 10 bat cto
TALLY in the form Of Senate Document
81. 1t used to be called the Barwise
amendment; 1t is now called the Ma
her amendment. It Is practically
verbatim the amendment which is in
force in Massachusetts. 1t cuts off all
public aid to all private institutions.
1t is the amendment of which Gov
ernor Baxter said at the opening OF
this session, II am an advocate of the
passage of comprehensive. consti-
tutional amendment providing that
public money be used only for pur-
poses that strictly are public. Such
a provision should net be pared down
to meet the objections of its opponents
or weakened so that its vital force will
be lost. AS l view it this issue
should be placed on higher grounds
than that of sectarianism; it is an is
sue that should be faced squarely on
the broad principle that the money
taken from the people by taxation
should be used only for purposes that
are strictly public, and for institutions
that are solely under the management
Of public officials"
I would not wish to convey false
impression: l am not in favor of that
amendment l believe that the policy
- -, n
time, as the circumstances of its peo-
pie have permitted, in giving aid to
private institutions, hospitals, schools,
is a fair policy, a good business poll
icy, and that it is not the time now,
if the time ever does come, when 1t
will be we'll to reverse that policy; but
l do say that that amendment is alb
solutely fair 1t is discussable, it is
debatable, without hurting anybody's
feelings. The amendment which is
before you, gentlemen is not fairly
debatable. You can just as we'll take
that issue to the people publicly
whether your wives are better wo-
men than. your neighbors' wives.
You know, gentlemen. the emotional
attitude, the surcharged atmosphere,
at the hearing of the bill introduced
by Senator Barwise week ago in
LulS I1OuSc. 1Ou Icdlu d SpceCH ny
my colleague from Portland. Mr..
Cummings. The composure Of this
House on this occasion was a model
for legislative assemblies. Some of
you. I know, sat here with clenched
hands and bated breath and hearts
that beat very fast. We We're here
few in numbers. The restraints Of
an orderly parliamentary body were
upon us; the traditions of law and
order surrounded us. Let the gem
tleman take that speech far and
wide into the country and what are
the consequences? Will there or
will there not be breaches Of the
peace? Let him take that speech to
the people Of Lewiston and what will
they say to him? Let him take that
speech to the Catholic people of
Lewiston How patient will they be?
How patient will you expect them to
be? Let him take that speech up
and down AroOstook county, up and
down the valley of st. John. inhabi-
ted by loyal French Catholics. and
what will their attitude be? Will
there be breaches of the peace? Will
1t conduce to harmony and concord
and the ultimate good will and well
fare of those communities to have
that issue batted about and touted
about Maine? / think 1t will not.
You go into the countryside of
1t to a barn, an abandoned barn,
worth perhaps fifty dollars. and you
set 1t afire. You have committed
the crime Of arson and you go to
Jail and You ought to go to Jail. You
take the torch Of intolerance, you
take 1t into the countryside OF Maine
and You light the superstition, the
fear and the ignorance which exist.
You may not go to Jail; yet YOU
have committed no less crime.
Mr.. Speaker. 1 love Maine as much
as any man in this House; but we
all know that there is, as my friend
from Portland has said in point, '1g-
norance is the mother of superstition
and superstition is the mother of
fear; and If we are working for the
welfare of Maine. want you to an
swer me according to your conscien-
ces, whether this bill taken to the
people at the polls up and down the
State will have conduced to that
welfare. If you pass this amend
ment. Mr.. Speaker and members of
this House. YOU will not have appeas-
ed. you will not have placated what
ever demand there is for measures
of this kind. The demand is an hys-
terical demand. When you make
to hysteria, you do not
cure it, YOU aggravate it. The way
to appease this demand is to sit here
in your chairs today and firmly and
reVerently vote no on the enactment
of this measure. and you will have
laid the ghost of this sectar.an. this
anti religious. anti-Roman Catholic
feeling until another generate in
some new form of folly cantivates
fOi, tl,1, mnmanf the naonla of Am.