Cheers to Rep. Jarrod Crockett, R-Bethel, for having the courage to say what must be said.

On Thursday the House upheld Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of a bill that would have allowed fraternal and veterans organizations to install gambling machines at their clubhouses.

Some lawmakers argued that these machines were essential to helping organizations raise money for community service projects, but Crockett — himself a war veteran — called upon his peers not to “wrap this in the flag.”

There are, as Crockett said, a lot of problems with this bill.

In the first year, the bill would have allowed 100 machines across the state. In the second year, the allowance would expand to 250, with no more than five machines in any single clubhouse.

Never mind that this bill would have expanded gambling without voter approval, contrary to Maine’s practice to date. The much bigger problem with the bill is how Maine would or could decide where to place these machines.

There are 22 cities, 435 towns, 33 plantations, 424 unorganized townships and three Indian reservations sprinkled across Maine’s 16 counties. Within each of these 917 boundaries are most likely at least one fraternal or veterans organization. In a large majority of cities and towns, there are multiple clubhouses.

For instance, there are at least 12 veterans clubhouses and a couple of fraternal organizations in the Lewiston-Auburn area. So, it would be safe to estimate at least that many or more in Portland and Bangor. Perhaps even in Scarborough and Augusta.

A cynic might conclude that the towns with larger populations and, thus, larger representation in the Legislature might be more likely to win approval for slot machines for their veterans and fraternal organizations. Cutting out the politically weak smaller towns doesn’t do anything to help those community organizations raise funds, which seems patently unfair and contrary to what the bill was supposed to do.

The House was right to support LePage’s veto.

And, at the risk of repeating ourselves, Maine lawmakers need to step up and confront the fact that gambling has become a growth industry and it is here to stay.

If lawmakers don’t establish state policy, or at least some kind of philosophy about gambling, we are going to end up with a gaming patchwork put together by those with the strongest political will and power. Or the kookiest political whim.

Talk about a Maine divide.

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Cheers to Roger Michaud for his efforts to keep the music alive in Maine.

Too many songs have been lost, Michaud told the Sun Journal, and each time that happens a piece of Maine heritage is lost.

He is determined to capture and preserve that heritage by founding a Maine music museum in Lewiston, and is launching his effort today. We wish him great success.

The music of Maine spans hundreds of years, embraces multiple ethnicities and crosses clashing genres — from bluegrass to heavy metal.

Music tells the stories of our lives over the generations, the good and bad, and it is worth the work to sort, shelve and seize every note.

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The opinions expressed in this column reflect the views of the ownership and the editorial board.