The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-03-15

Dies was also lalu over uubll INC Hex
meeting, only four being elected and thes
were officers whose duty requires them tt
serve warrants in the interim. The city
marshal and his deputies and the city
messenger were the only constables elected
last night.
Councilman Milliken now moved that
the joint convention proceed to the cleo.
ton Of a gas agent.
The Mayor said 70 gas agent had already
been elected by the board of aldermen.
/ Mr.. Miliken said he was not aware of
thu fact as the lower board had not been
officially notified of 1t.
The Mayor said they would have been
informed of 1t If they had not adjourned
so soon in the morning.
Mr.. Milliken then said that he was
glad to hear this explanation of the mat
ter, but he did not believe that the gas
agent elected filled the bill. He said he
did not think Alderman Rounds was
chosen in the proper manner. The sta
tutes distinctly provided that the gas
agent should be elected by the city coun-
Gil and the common council was part of
the city council. In support of this state
ment, MIR. Milliken read the law upon
the matter.
kaAlderman Merrill said it might be nec-
essary to elect the gas agent by the city
! council of which the common council
was part without question. but he did
not think it was necessary to elect this
officer in joint convention.
| Mr.. Milliken-"The city council means
both branches of the city government.
If the aldermen should elect one person
and the city council another we would
havs two gas agents. Precedent has estab-
| lished the election of gas agent by the
aldermen. But precedent may some
times be wrong The council was told
that it was green, but it has voice in
| this matter and intends to exercise Its
rights.
Mr.. Brown from ward five concurred
| in all that Mr.. Milliken said.
Mr.. Lefavor from ward one wanted to
know why the council could not appoint
gas agent and leave the board of alder
men to confirm the appointments. 1t was
as right In one case as it was in the other.
Alderman Merrill said that the alder
men had got ahead of the council in this
case and they would have to do the con.
flrming.
Mr. Milliken moved that the Joint con-
yent1on proceed to the election of a gas
agent.
The motion was seconded and was car
ried by vote of IA to 4.
Mr.. Milliken then nominated Alder
man Rounds who had been elected in the
morning by the aldermen, and Alderman
Sprague cast the ballot of the convention
for the gentleman named, and he was
declared to be elected.
In this matter the council seized an
sarly opportunity of showing the alder
men that they proposed to stick up for
their rights, and all in the lower board
considered the point they had won as a
good beginning in the course they will
probably pursuedn the coming year.
Councilman Cloudy Of ward seven now
introduced resolution calling attention
of the government officials to the defense
less condition of Portland and asking
that one of the old monitors which are
now being repaired in Philadelphia for
use as harbor defence in case of
war with Spain be sent to Portland as
soon as possible.
In support of his resolution Mr.. Cloudy
said that all knew the nation at large is
much disturbed ct present owing 10 the
threatened war with Spain. 1t is to be
hoped that war will be avoided, but il it
should come, Portland should be proper
ly protected. The old adnge in the time
of peace prepare for war should be re-
garded. The resolution may be prema.
ture, but it can do no harm, at least.
Alderman Rounds old monitors
look to me like the old forts we have in
our harbor today. They are good monu-
ments, but nothing else.''
Mr.. Goudy-"Our heroes at Bull Run
were frightened into running away BY
wooden guns. The old monitor in the
harbor here might have the same effect on
the Spaniards.
Alderman Rounds-"The heroes ran
away at Bull Run, but they didn't run
st Gettysburg from wooden guns or any |
other kind of guns.
The Mayor thought that it would not |
be wise to pass the resolution.
Alderman Lamson said it would do no |
good to pass it as the government would |
do as it saw fit in regard to Portland, but |
he didn't care whether the resolution |
passed or not.
Mr.. Cloudy thought 1t would be no
harm to ask for the monitor, as they
might get 1t for the asking and wouldn't
get it If it WASH t asked for.
Mr.. Waldron said he didn't approve of
the passage of the resolution. 1t would
a,state the public and would do no good.
The Mayor could be relied upon to see
that Portland was properly protected.
The resolution was then put to vote
and passed the convention by vote of 13
to z, quite a number of the members not
voting The Joint session then dissolved