Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-11
,4A1ns r.ss1sLAruas.


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OF his whole country at heaft more than l
have. Because NE have arsociased our
selves With diHeiens parties, il 10 no reason
that We should forget ia our party feeling
the principle Of Justice and right ~ between
man and man. II there 10 not some sdvan-
taae hoped to be gained by this, Why 10 il
rushed through % quickiys So far IS the
influence Of the next election upon any sue
cseding election 10 concerned, there is no
State election until after we shali have had
the municipal election Of 1892. Can't We
live under our present system Of regisra-
ton one year more? Il AIRY wrong going
to be done? On the coutrary, gentlemen,
ask yourselves il The secrecy Of your own
console noes whether it is RICH. to force this
revolution upon fhe peopies l want no
advantage for my party. If it cannot sue.
eeed fairly and rightly, let it so down.
The amendment. make is 70, the people
Of my own town regardless of party. In =
measure of this kind we shouid have time
to discuss i. and should consider it and
come to its use undeistandiDgiy.
Mr.. Porter Of Bangor-I want some in
formation from the lawyers Of this House
and the gentlemen who drew this bill. /
don't see thst the amendment of the gen.
tiemsn from B;ddeford 10 necessary. In
the fret place, it 10 now the 10Th Of Feb
rusry. This bill probably will no. get to
the Governor before the 18th. Then he
appoints man who presides That loses
over a week. That man won's get his COM
mission till the gath. Then, If there is a
vacancy in the board they have seven day $
m hat
have IA days TO file the lie. of voters with
the city clerk. Thst would bring it to
March l6 or March 20. Now, If l am
from Biddeford is not necessary. If am
wrong, would like to have some gentle
man show me wherein l err.
MIR. Archibald OF Houl,on-The reason,
as understand ii, that has been given for
the presentation of the first amendment, is
that i. is absolutely impossible, under the
provisions of this bill, for it to come into
effect in time to apply to the eiec-
tons on the first Monday in March, and
that the cities may not be left, a. they say,
~i,hout any election machinery for those
elections. Now, if the gentleman from
Bangor is correct, ard it is impossible I'M
der his view of the case, that we should
have this Law there in time to apply TO any
Of the elections in March 81, then it seems
to me that the came reasons, with exactly
the same force, apply to the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Biddeford
tina. spply 10 the amendme Mt of the gentle
| man from Lewi.top, and it appears to me
that unless there should be danger of the
municipal elections in the cides of this
State being left without any election ma
chinery for registration of voters. ihi.
amendment to the amendment should pass
as we'll as the amendment offered by the
gentleman from lewiston
The question was then upon the sdop,ior
of the amendme mt to the amenem ent
A viva voce vote, decided il 1.-The aflirma.
ton by the Chair, was doubled, aud the
amendment to the amendment was adopted
by risiog voc of ~ TO 81.
The question was then upon the adoption
of the amendment as amended, offered by
the gentleman from Lewiston.
Mr.. Harrington of Norridgewock-I'
seems to me that as the amendment of the
ge ntleman from Biddeford has prevailed
the words ''the preparation and revision OF
the check list therefor" are supeifluous.
move that the words be stricken out.
Mr.. Ssv8ge-It seems t, me that if the
words were necessary before they are
equally necessary now.
Mr-gHarring.on-I withdraw the motion
Mr.. Speaker.
Mr.. Peaks of Dover-If that amenlmen
position of say ing, first, that it shall nc,
apply to any municipal elections which
occur on the first Monday in March, aIt
then that it shall not apply to any mum
cipal elections.
Chair-The Chair has taken the liberty
to change this to correspond with the
amendment, and it reads as follows
But the provisions of this act shall MOI
apply to the municipal elections of the
year 1891 in any of the cities in which sucl
elections are held. etc -
viva voce vote on the anne ndment, de-
cided in the affirmative by the Chair. wal
doubted, and the amendment adopted by 6
rising vote of "A to 80.
Mr.. Noble-I desire TO offer word If
explanation of my voting. l voted tirs
against the amendment of the gentleman
from Biddeford. but the House saw fit tc
adopt the amendment. and i; then became
my duty to change and vote for The amend
ment, / do not want any miscons.ruction
placed on the fact that voted oEe way one
lime and another way the second time. l
was my duty to vote for the amendment a.
sd opted
Mr.. Savage have submitted this morn
ing to several gentlemen who are interestet
10 the passage of this bill, several amend
ments. | desire to cay here and now thai
l am in favor of registration law for tbs
cities of this S'ate.l believe there is cal
Cor one and that this Legislature will fai
in doing its duty to the people of this State
if before the session is over it does not an
swer that call. | am in favor of the bill
submitted, with certain amendments. One
amendment may be of some considerable
Importance upon a matter of principle 10.
volved in the bill. but there are five or six
otLer amendments going into the details Of
the bill. to perfect its machinery and make
it more sure and certain of operation.
Now that the House has decided for itself
that it shall not apply to municipal cleo
lions for this year it seems to me that there
is no immediate necessity for hurrying il,
and l feel sure that we can get a good
and effective bill better in the committee
than We can here in the House, and with
that in mind / now move that the bill be
recommitted TO the committee on legal
affairs
Mr.. Nobel believe that every member
IS in full information as to the provisions of
this bill. believe that they have made up
their minds rs to just what they want.
believe we were never better prepared for
consideration Of this bill and for contes,
on merits and dement's. The people Of the
State Of Maine think it is necessary. This
is not new biz in sny sers, Of the word
Six years ago the bill Was put into this
House, csnvassed, discussed apd criticised
two years ago the father of this bill placed
bill in this House. and il was criticised
and anal, zed and dissected ard discussed,
and today this bill, representing as be-
lieye. the very best features not only of
the bill of 1886 but Of the bill OF 1889 and
also the best features of the
Massachusetts and New York laws,
comes before US for consideration. We
have been asked to go to several commit
tee hearings, the bill has been fully exam
ined, culled and wee led, and | submit to
the good sense and intelligence of the
House that it is better to pass this bill, even
though in some Of it's details it may be
imperfect, than to let it diff and drone
along through this session and then be
finally tabled, indefinitely postponed and
pu. over TO the next House.
Mr.. Ghadbourne--lt seems to me that
the gentleman from Lewiston hits wide of
the mark when he says that there Is a pos
sibilty Of this bill! being droned along and
finally pus on the table and killed. be-
lieve that large majority Of the members
of this House are ia favor of the registra-
ton bill. | don't know that I shall be nm