The Portland daily press., 1895-04-11
Special to the PRESS,

Especial to the PRESS.y
Augusta, April 10. That little bill
which looks as large ms an elephant to
members of the common councils of
Maine cities, has been the subject of so
much discussion that today Hon. S. W.
Lane of tnis city, who introduced it in the
legislature, was asked to explain what it
was that he intended to accomplish by
the measure. Now, it seems that in Au-
gusta there have been times when various
city officials have claimed that they
could spend the moneys appropriated for
their departments in ways that seemed
to them good and proper, and that after
the city council had made the appropria-
lions it had very little to say about the
manner of the expenditure. Such a
question, said Mr.. Lane. came up at the
March meeting and after it's adjourn
ment members of the city govern ment
asked his opinion regarding the right of
the city council to control the affairs of
the city departments. Mr.. Lane said to-
day that he had no doubt that the law
was explicit enough as it then stood, but.
inasmuch as threats had been made that
certain Augusta officials might secure
counsel to help them uphold their side
of the case he drafted the following bill,
which has since been so much discussed,
his purpose being to remove any doubt
upon the pointiin dispute:
Section thlrty-four of chapter three of
the revised statutes is amended by adding
at the end OF said section the following:
Any city officers elected or appointed by
the city council. or appointed By the mayor
| and aldermen shall discharge their respec-
tive,duies under the direction and control
| section as amended. shall read as follows:
| sec ton "a. III the election of any city
| officers by ballot in the board of aldermen
OF in convention of the aldermen and COM
| mon council, in which the mayor has a
| right to give casting vote, if two or more
candidates have each half of the ballots
cast. he snail determine and declare which
Of hem is elected. Whenever appointments
| to Office are elected or authorized to be
| made by the mayor and aldermen OF cities,
they may be- made by the mayor with the
may be. removed by tue mayor. Any city
officers elected Or appointed by nthe city
council 9r ai}fPonted BY the mayor ana al
ties uRder. the direction and control of the
mayor and aldermen.
Nh. Lane said that he intended simply
to confirm the powers of the municipal
officers, the Mayor and Board of Alder
men, in city occupying a position cores
pdhtfing to THAT of the selectmen in
ttsWn. IndeeH MIGRATING the bill he first
used the term municipal officers" but
afterwards changed the text to read
Mayor and Board of Aldermen. Mr..
Lane served during the legislative session
as a memb of the committee on legal
affairs, hut he introduced the bill so late
that this committee had already reported
finally, SO he consulted mem bers of the
judiciary committee and finding that
they had no objection to considering the
measure. put in his bill. That was on
Wednesday, March 20. The bill was
referred to the judiciary committee by
the House and the next day the Senate
referred it in concurrence. That evening
Nj. Lane appeared before the judiciary
committee to explain the measure.
They asked ME what it was intended
to hit, said Mr.. Lane, "and l told them
oyerseers Of the poor and perhaps some
other city officers. When | finished ex-
planning it they voted ought to pass al
most before could take my seat.n
The bill WAS reported by Mr.. Hamlin of
Ellsworth Friday and ordered printed
under the joint rules. The legislature
adjourned from Friday to Monday, March
rs. On that day the bill passed to be en-
crossed, under suspension of the rules,
in both branches. 1t was reported from
the committees On eugrossed bills by
Senator Savage and Representative Smell
the next day, and passed both houses to
be enacted in time to receive the Gov
ernor's signature on Wednesday, the last
day of the session.
That, in brief, is the history of tn
measure as given by It's author, the
dates being taken from the endorsements
on the original bill. Mr.. Lane said the
committee made no changes and the law
stood as he drafted it, without sugges-
ton from anyone, except that he inserted
the words land control" upon the recon-
mendation of member of the Bangor
city government, who thought that the
change would strengthen the act. Mr..
Lane said that the bill grew out of the
Augusta city meeting and it's attendant
dispute and was entirely his owa work.
He disclaimed any intention of curtail-
ing the powers of the common council
saying that he simply intended to make
any further controversy over the powers
of subordinate city officials impossible.