The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-02-24
GALLAGHER'S "BEST YETI


of Hon. Simon S. Brown of Waterville,
because while Portland Republicans
were put in two wards, Waterville Re-
publicans were corallcd in one. Col.
Bradbury said that Waterville, Bidde-
ford and Lewiston We're now Democratic
cities. This bill in it's operation would
prevent the changing of the ward lines
in any and all cities unless there was
remarkable preponderance of the same
party. The Republican papers of Port
land insisted that it was a Republican
city If the voters came out. Why then
was it necessary to pass this bill. A bad
measure should not be passed even if it
accomplished temporarily a good pur-
pose. Such attempts in the past had
always rebounded to the injury of the
party which advocated them. He re-
garded the bill as an insult to the party
now in power in Portland.
The friends of the bill seemed to be
filed with an idea that the eity's control
by the Democrats would end in it's des-
struction. He deprecated any such
feeling. The Democrats of Portland
were equally honorable with Republi-
cans, and he had no doubt that If the
Republicans controlled the city from
this time out, no material harm wonld
be done to its interests. He asked the
committee to make this matter of
principle.
In reply to question by Mr.. Emer-
son, Col. Bradbury said he came as city
solicitor at the Mayors request, although
no vote had been passed to that effect
by the City Council.
VIM. III. Looney of Portland, said
Mr.. Looney Thought on its
face the redistrieting of Portland was
fair one. He had found Republicans OPP
posed to this bill, and said that Messrs.
Byron d. Verri1l, Charles S. Cook and
William M. Bradley had SO expressed
themselves to him as well as to each 9th
er, and Portland lawyers who requested
that their names should not be used.
Mr.. Looney thought that an attempt had
beed made to railroad this bill through,
and that the redistricting, as designed
to give the Democrats the control of the
city for the next ten years, it had been
introduced here in manner likely to
conceal it's real purpose.
Fred V. Chase spoke for the bill. He
described Alderman Gallagher's ward
lines as gerrymander of the worst
kind. Mr.. Looney said they were right
would not bear investigation. They had
been carefully examined by gentlemen
familiar with Portland elections, whose
figures showed a discrepancy of 500
votes, as already stated. Colonel
Bradbury said that he did not
believe those men in Portland
Republican convention had examined the
proposed redistricting, that seemed to
Mr.. Chase an impression that in their
Judgment law Of this kind was wise
one. Mr.. Chase thought that there
never could be redistricting under this
bill. Its all humbug. If given proper
reason votes enough could be obtained.
He regarded matters as of sufficient i'm
pertance to warrant the requirement of
something more than the votes of those
who might go to the polls on stormy
day to effect change. After the hear
ing the committee voted to report the
bill as originally presented, requiring
majority vote of all the registered voters
of city. Mr.. Scott of Patten will make
minority report against the bill.