studies in American History 
351 
Pennell Bill while the Republican minority members favored 
the Davies Bill.^^ The majority report in favor of the Pennell 
Bill was adopted by the House by a vote of 75 to 20^® and by 
the Senate by a vote of 19 to 5.'^® The vote closely followed 
party lines. The debates in the legislature on the measures 
were surprisingly short. With one or two exceptions the 
arguments clashed only on the difference between the bills 
and not on the general principles of the direct primary. 
The only attack in either house on the general principles 
of the direct primary was made by the Democratic senator 
from Knox County, Mr. L. M. Staples. He contended, first, 
that a direct primary would make it “almost impossible for 
any man of moderate means to become a candidate for office’', 
on account of the great expense involved in getting the voters 
out to the polls for the primary election;®^ and second, that 
there was “no call for it by the voters of Maine”. Senator 
Carl E. Milliken (Republican) of Aroostook answered that 
he considered that the argument about the expense had no 
force whatever and that he favored the direct primary be- 
cause it would “give the people a right to express directly 
their choice”.®® 
The relative merits of the opposing measures were argued 
more at length. Both bills applied the direct primary to the 
nomination of governor, representatives to Congress, and 
United States senators. The Davies Bill, however, went fur- 
ther and applied it to the state auditor, members of the state 
legislature, and county officers. The Davies Bill, furthermore, 
contained detailed provisions not found in the Pennell Bill for 
holding state conventions prior to the primaries, for limiting 
the expenditures of candidates, and for publicity of campaign 
expenditures ; while the Pennell Bill alone provided that candi- 
dates for governor should pay to the secretary of state a fee 
of $100 and for representative to Congress, or United States 
senator, $50. 
The Democrats led by Mr. Williamson of Kennebec County 
contended that county officers should not be included since 
candidates for county positions are not usually well known 
thruout the county, hence the voters will naturally vote for the 
^*Ibid., p. 739. 
p. 1066. 
Ibid., p. 1046. 
Ibid., p. 1045. 
^Ubid., p. 1046. 
