Daily Kennebec journal., 1896-02-04
WArERWlLE POLLING PLACES
Decided Upon Practically as First Proposed
by The Republicans.


the blockaders of the city council would
reccde from their position of Friday even
ing, and the meeting of the council, last
evening, was of interest from the fact that
many were interested to see If the rumor
was true.
The meeting was called for 7.30 o'clock
but as it always takes more or less time to
get into business form, the gavcl was not
dropped until 745 At that time Mayor
knauff raped for order and announced
that this was an adjourned meeting and
that the business was for the purpose of
establishing polling places.
The order of Alderman Ransted as pre-
viously announced in the columns of the
Journal, and the question being on the
passage Of the order, the aldermen were
told off, the vote was doubted and poll
of the house by the clerk indicated vote
of four in favor and four against the order.
Alderman Foley asked if legal advice
had not been sought in the matter and
the mayor replied that he supposed that
the gentleman from Ward ? had received
the desired information
Alderman Noble of Ward 5, moved that
the city marshal be instructed to call some
legal adviser, and it was passed. The
marshal at once teIephoned for Hon. +.
+. Webb, who shortly appeared and ad-
vised the council in substance as follows:
The gentleman from Ward 2 asked Mr..
W. ebb II it was the duty of the municipal
officers to appoint polling places. Mr..
Webb replied that he understood that it
was the duty of the municipal officers to
name polling places, and in reply to the
question ii the list must be posted % days
prior to an election, Mr.. Webb said 1t was
no doubt the duty of the municipal officers
to post the notices 81 days prior to an elec-
ton, but failure to do this would not de-
prive the city of an election, 1t was their
duty to post the notices, but failure to
do SO left the municipal officers amenable
to penalties provided for such neglect.
Mr. Webb asked Alderman Foley what
objections he had to naming the polling
places. and Mr.. Foley said he did not care
to answer at this time. He would like to
have the meeting to adjourn for week, if
such action would not impair the election.
Mr.. Webb evaded an answer to the ques-
tion if the neglect to fix polling places
would impair an election.
If the question is referred to the courts
the courts will assume to carry out the
will and intention of The people. That If
the municipal officers fail to designate
polling places the voters should not be
disfranchised. New wards are located new
polling places must be appointed and the
old ones abandoned. Mr.. Webb did not go
into the question Of what the court might
do if appealed
Alderman Foley: What is your
opinion will result if the polling places are
not named. tonight"
Mr. Webb; Il think the municipal
officers of Watervile. If they fail to name
the polling places, will be strictly held re-
Sponsible for failure to perform a statu-
tory duty. 1t is a simple and plain law.
which you and every other municipal off
Ger of this city knows, or should know.
Mr.. Foey: Il don't think the muni-
cipal officers are Obliged to post the notices
before seven days prior to an election
Mr.. Webb: How can the city clerk
post his notices 81 days prior to an clec-
tion, if he has no polling to hitch
to-"
Mr.. Webb, continuing, said the mum
cipal officers Of Watcrville must prepare
and fix place for voting just the same as
for town. 1t is their bounden duty. Ii
the city should want to borrow money,
next year, and an attorney should come to
go over the records, and finding that the
polling places had not been named, the
attorney would question the Legality OF
the meeting and would ask the opinion of
the court upon the matter, and the result
would be more or less impairment of the
city's credit
Mr.. Webb had in mind Il case of like
character.
Alderman Ranstcd moved to reconsider
the order ut this time laying on the table
Alderman Foley objected, as Alderman
Ransted had voted in the affirmative on
tho question and he could not move to re
consider, and then there was silence for
several minutes
Alderman Noble introduced an order for
the location of the polling places in the
same places as in the original order in
troduced by Alderman Ransted, with the
exception that in the location for Ward ),
the words formerly known as the White
schoolhouse' were omitted in the new
order The order was lost on tie vote
The gentleman from Ward s, Mr. Noble
wanted to know what the gentleman from
Ward 2, Mr.. Foley, wanted to do.
The gentleman from Ward ? said he
thought it would not impair an election
to adjourn the meeting and Mr.. Webb had
evaded ii decided answer on the question.
The speaker did not believe it would in
validate an election.
Mr.. Foley said he had good reasons for
wanting to adjourn the meeting. but what
those reasons We're he declined TO state.
The alderman from Ward 5. Mr.. Noble.
said he thought it looked as though the
council was trying to disfrauchise the
voters of Watervile and be believed it to
be gross mistake in not passing the or
der. - -
The council then went into Kind of IA
general state of incidence ty common con
sent rather than BY vote The faction op-
posing the naming of the polling places
seemed fully as determined to hang out,
and to entertain only one motion and that
to adjourn.
The four opposing aldermen then passed
some time In consultation in the common
council room.
AT Is O'Clock, the consultation was
closed, tho gentlemen returned to their
seats, and Alderman Lasalles of Ward |
introduced an order naming the same
polling places Us Indicated in Ransted's
order, the only difference being in the
phraseology. The order was nassa1 Inv -