Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-02-03
The Ward Lire Situation.

The deadlock al the meeting Of the
municipal officers, Friday evening. over
liking the polling places in The several
wards under the ncw ward division has
since been the subject Of much animated
discussion in this city. People are await
ing the results uf the meeting. this even
ing, with considerable impa,ieuce az the
lists must be posted 2 days prior to the
city election.
The democratic members or the board
offer as their reason for making adeadlock
that they believe the ward line act 20 he
unconstitutional. Notwithstanding the Dc
cisinn OF Chief Justice Peters Naturally
there Is "A great variety OF opinions n spect
log the situation. Some ihinl, that thc
present city government must hold over
aaother yc,r, while others are Ot the
opinion that even IL the deadlock Is not
broken there is remedy. Following are
lrne Of the reasons advanced by those who
: AXE this view Of The case.
Section ), chapter -. Public Laws C
1891 prov it. a that lists ul he lceaI voters
o. cities and towns shall he posted at least
80 days before an election, said lists u Dr.
'sted at the respective ward rooms in
| said cities. In 1893 in a revision Of the
registration act. chapter B94. section -,
Pablo Law S Of that year, Ii is provided
hat the list of voters shnll be published
- days prior to ali ciegt.ou. ana ;ho act
further provides that said lists shall be
posted "a. or near the several voting
places Gust marily used rs such in said
uities Ii will be seen here that the city
clerk may post the lists lat or near" the
usual places. Now the question TO be con
sidctod Is, what is the full meaning OF the
statutes
When the liberality CT the courts, when
deciding questions involving the rights Of
voters, Is taken into consideration, say
those who take this view of the matter,
| there appears foreman no doubt but that.
if tie court must he appealed to in the
present case. the voter will he given IL
chance to vote. In the event Of an appeal
to the c lurt and the decision be rendered
that au election may he held, then the pre-
| sent blockade in the city government be
comes merely q matter of annoyance like
other matters which are usually considered
Of little consequence. Further that in due
course OF time, by reference to the city
charter, it will be seen that the mayor and
| aldermen will be called upon To perform
their duties, under section II Of the char.
WI Nhtit ~ titiFis REONiNtS RUdt I'll
regular ward meetings shall be notified
and called by the board of mayor and
aldermen in he same manner as provided
in the laws Of the State for notifying and
calling town meetings.
In the chapter on towns, the seectr.en
arc ordered, in calling meetings Of the
towns to not only designate the time but
also the place of meeting So tina. when
he municipal office rs this spring, call the
annual meeting tn " will he obliged to
designate in the call the various places fer
voting.
Now it can hardly he assumed that the
municipal officers would dare to refuse to
call a meeting for the election of officers.
in view Of the penalties provided for such
IA neglect of duty, but even if they should
so neglect there is no ground for alarm,
for the statutes expressly provide for such
n condition Of things by giving authority
to any Justice of the peace to call the meet
ing on the written application of 10 or
more legal voters, and he in his call would
have the authority to not only name the
time of the meeting but also the place.
This. in brief. Is ali outline of some Of the
opinions entertained by those who believe
deadlock in the board of municipal Off
GERS, will not prevent an election.