Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-01-29

would be eliminated and that better
selection of candidates had.
The reason for putting in the ap-
peal and direct primary feature was a
safeguard against any group of people
controlling a convention and thwart-
ing the will of the people.
The direct primary was 4 failure, he
charged. 1t had failed to make better
opportunity for the average person to
secure nominations. 1t had put a pre-
MUM on wealth and leisure. Only
those who had these or could get
wealthy friends or interests to sup
port them could go into a primary con-
test.
"All of u.s." said he, "who have been
elected under the direct primary are
self seekers forcing ourselves upon
the public. If you feel that this is
good, retain the primary. The great
est evil of the direct primary is that
it breaks down party lines. and this
is a government by party.
Particular stress was laid by him
on the fact that his bill required
that all ballotting in conventions
should be done in booths, as at u
regular election. This was another
safeguard against any group secur-
ing control of the convention.
In closing, Rep. Cakes said that
he was in thoro accord with the
provision of the Anthoine bill for
a general caucus thruout the State
to elect delegates to the conventions.
Senator Anthoine
Senator Anthoine said that the
,,nft i.
one of tht most important that a
legislature could deal with. Upon it
depended the future welfare of the
nation. For 80 years this country
had gotten along under the consti-
tuition which the forefathers pre-
pared. In that time the nation had
grown from small country along
the Atlantic coast with about three
million people. to a nation of 10
million stretching from the Atlantic
to the Pacific, the greatest and most
powerful in the world. 1t was due
to this constitution, which provided
for a republican form of govern
ment and not a pure democracy
representative government and not
one OF all the people acting together.
Explaining the provisions of his
Dill. Senator Anthoine said that it
calls for Statewide caucus to be
held on the third Monday in Nav
Tor the purpose of choosing delegates
10 State, district and county conven-
ions. Inc delegates thus elected
would attend the conventions, which
would be held within a stipulated
NUMBER OF days prior to the third
Monday in July, and would select
candidates for the various State, dis
trict and county Offices.
The bill provides an innovation in
the choosing of delegates to the con-
ventions. Any man or woman who
is a candidate for delegate shall file
his or her name with the town or
city clerk and shall designate the
convention to which he or she wishes
to be a delegate. This provision, {"
senator Anthoine explained, "would
40 away entirely with any possibility
or packed caucuses.
Inc apportionment OF delegttes to
cities, towns and plantations would
De continued on the present plan
one delegate for certain number of
votes cast for the successful candi-
uate In preceding elections. The
caucuses would be held and the re-
turns made in much the same man
i.er as the present primary, Senator
Ahthoine SAID. but his bill provides
ma. tne po!lS snail be open from &
A. M. to Z. NJ. as in a State cleo
ton.
The Anthoine Bill
Ihe Anthoine bill provides for
universal enrolment of voters and
does away, with the present exemn-
tor in towns of less than 1000 in
nabitants. Senator Anthoine said
that he should also provide. nv
amendment to his bill. that all pres
ent enrollments be declared void and
would call for entirely new enroll
ment throughout the State. This
amendment. he said. had been sug-
gested by the chairman of the board
or registration in Portland.
NO enrollments would be allowed
Within 80 days of the caucuses. and
the present six-months provision of
the law relating to changes of enroll
ment. is retained
Under the Anthoine bill, any can
uluate 1of Office may prepare his own
| Da Hot with lists of convention dele
gates favorable to him, but he NAV
| use only the names which have al.
ready been filed with city or town
clerks. These ballots are to be pre-
pared and distributed at the expense
OF the candidate, thus, according to
senator Anthoine, avoiding all party
or boss dictation.
In summing up the provisions of
ms Dill Sen. Anthoine said that one
vital difference between the direct
primary system and the convention
system that would be established bv
his bill is that the present system is
loose in the matter of registration of
voters while the convention demands
that voters must register at least 30
days prior to date of primary.
| lie also was outspoken against the
present system of allowing candi-
I dates to file notices of only certain
items entering into the expenses of
their campaigns. saying that his bill
would make it obligatory to file ac-
counts of every expense entering into
( the promotion of that campaign even
to the expenditures of clubs or or
carnations that work for that can
, dloacy. providing that such clubs or
organizations have the candidates
sanction in their work.
Mrs. Morrill, HamIen of Portland
Completing his arguments, Sen.
Anthoine called first on Mrs. Morrill,
Hamlen of Portland. She deliveded