Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-02-12
MAINE LEGISLATURE
resolve a. amended was then passed TO b.
Continued from LIST page.


Resolve in favor of the Temporary Home
for women and children.
On motion Of Mr.. Drew Of Fort Fairfield
bill. an act to incorporate the city of Old
Town, tabled for printing pending its first
reading, WAS taken from the tsble and Ie I'D
twice.
On motion OF Mr.. Mullen Of OH Town
tho III es we're suspended, ,ha bill given its
thlrd readl5g a1d pissed 20 b, enstossed
PASSED TO BE EsAcrsp
An act to Incorporate th. Wsterville &
Fair field Railway ard Light Company.
An act to Incorporate tn. Li9ernore
Falls Trust Company.
An act in addition 10 the act. en-
titled an act 70 create tn, X man Catholic
Bishop Of Portland and his successors o
corporation sole.
An &C. relating to the Riils ford & Saco
Light and Power Company
An act TO fx The salary If the jadge Of
probate for Knox couny.
TABLED PEsDrNG THIsD READIsa.
Bill, an act TO inco rpo,ata the Seal Har-
Dor ard Shore Front Water Company, came
up for is third reading.
Mr. Chadbourne OF Bidde fori-If mis-
take rot there IL provision il that bill in
reference to the pollution Of wafer The
judiciary comniltee are now conf ieriag
the enactment Of \ general law il relation
to that matter, hence l would move that
that matter be laid on the table until l have
time to zee it and see whether or not the
general law viii, not effect the same purpose
The motion prevailed.
REGISTRATION BILL
Bill. An act to provide for the re2stra
ton of voters in the cities of this State
tabled pending second reading, was
specially assigned for this mnrning at Ii
O'Clock. and on motion of Mr.. Noble OF
LeTiston was taken from the table.
On motion of Mr.. Peaks of Dover the
bill was given its second reading.
Mr.. Savage Of Auburn-I row offer thG
amendment found on page . Of the amend
ments "a printed, the second amendment
For sections and substitute the follow
ing
''Sect. 2. SAID board sball consist o.
three members, who shall be residents ant
legal voters of the city where said board i:
established. Not more than two of TIA
members Of said board shall be chcseI
from or represent the same political party.
II the month of April, eighteen huadiet
and ninety-one, the county commissioners
Of the county shall appoint one member Il
hold office for the term Of three years. one
member to hold Office for the term Of iwt
yesrs snl one member to hold office for tbs
fa'm of one yesr from the fret day OF
May next following. Thereafter in II,
month Of April in each year tbs
! Souofv pap1y,iss5onEru sblu uppoint
cnei member Of tie board &c
bold oiIice for the term Of three years from
the rsI day Of May next following. ThG
members OF ssi3 board shall not hold nol
be eligible to any elective municipal office
curing their respective terms. The board
shall choose presiding officer. He shall
give due notice of the time and place Of
The sessions of the board and sign all order,
and processes issued by The board.
"Sec. 3. Wherever 4 member of the
board shall die, resign or remove from the
city, The county commissioners shall FORTH
with appoint member to fill the vacancy
for the remainder Of the term. Said person
so appointed shal. be chosen from the same
political party as that represented by tbs
member whose death. resignation " re-
mosal caused the vacancy. Whenever a
menhe, of the board shall be incapacit ,ted
by sickness or other cause from PERFORM ~
the duties of his Office, or shall BE-
absent from the city in which he
is appointed, at the time of any
meeting of said board, or if he is neces
ss-iiy absent or disqualified By sickness OF
otherwise from attending during any SEES.
sion of said board, upon the written request
Of the board or of the other member re.
presenting the same poiitcsl party as the
absent or disqualified member, the mayor
shsll I'll his place for the time being, by
the appointment of some legal voter in
sad cisy, of the came political party as
the absent or disqualified member repre-.
sents, to act during his absence
wish TO state the reasons why | have
offered this ana ndmen, to the bill. l sm
of the opinion tina, il we should try al en-
tireiy non partisan board of registration
such as has been established 10 other
states, there would be no one in the State
who would ~illingly have such board re-
moved. We have not yet arrived at the
poirt. however, where man can forget
political or party feeling, and have de-
sired in framing tie amendment which
offer now to srriye at some practical result.
! object TO the provisions in the original
bill for two reasons. First. the original
bill provides that the board shall have thres
members. two Of whom shall belong 70 one
party and one to the other leading party.
Two of the men are TO be suggested by the
city committees, one by the Democratic
and the other by the Republican city com
mittes in the various cities. VIVA; will be
the feet unless it be that each committee
viii be obliged to select the sha-pest. and,
| had almost said, the most uuscrupulous
member of the party in his city to represent
his party on ths, board, to be check upon
the other MAJ? Whenever any question
comes up as to the qualifications of voter,
instantly one of these men Becomes, not .
registrar of votes. not judge of the quail.
tications of man to exercise the right OF
suffrage. but the attorney of his party
That being so, the original bill provides for
the appointment of third member of the
committee who is virtually to decide 10
every doubtful case that arises 10 the six
teen cities in this State, Undor htedly
it is best practically, in view Of the present
state of feeling, tha. we should have =
maj ority representation upon the board, |
desire that the appointment Of none of the
members shall come directly from the city
committee, but that it shall come from
some person or power sufficiently far re-
moved to give the appointments respect.
The bill provides that it shall be the
Governor who shall make that appointment,
subject OF course, to the advice and
consent Of the executive council. Now
j we no desire to say q word sgainss any
p Al who has or does or may occupy the
zscutive chair. So far ss the present oe-
IPant is concerned, there could 20. be the
shtest objection 10 sppointins the sixteen
iiea in the sixteen cities wao are to decide
gon The qualifications Of al tue voters in
.lese cities, if that IA TO be entrusted within
the powers of any one man in the State. 1t
has been = principle IS old IS civil govern
ment in New England, that. 50 far as pos
sible, local matters should be decided
locally. For over 20 years in the State Of
Maine We have proceeded on that Theory
Now it has cone 10 pass that there are
some cities in this State, which / do not
need to name, because every body knows
Whist cities they are, which have proven
I'M 1or.hy to execute that trust They have
shown By their past history tina. they are
unfit to exercise self.sovernnient, aud that
so exercised it has been 70 the damsss ana
the danger Of the public, and therefore it
has become nece ssafy to remove from
them this power. think il is right.
But there are some IL or 10 other cities in
this State where all these years there hive
been no complaints CT del.ys. where, 10
matter which party might be in power, the
pr5csedlnsa before the board Of aldermen
in the revision Of the check lists have been
quiet AMI orderly, pure and honest. These
ID cities, if it be 49, speak in round