Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-07

small towns. it will work to the detri-
lnent OF the people. 1t always has
Tho gentleman from Standish tMr.
StGrGis). says he sees no reason why
the people should not have a chance to
eject their officers for Il term of three
years II they see fit. / reply that they
nave that chance now. 1t IS not an I'M
common thing for man to be elected
four or five years in succession on a
board Of selectmen. The argument has
been made that many times the towns
VIII suffer by putting in Il now board of
seleCtne1. You take your Maine Reg
lister and follow back and you will find.
Il Is t"Gc. that sometimes it does an.
pear that there has been a new hoard
or selertn'en elected. But follow bac,
IN Non-' taegister u little farther ans
yoa VIII hndfthat one of those new men
mas Deen Il nan that has served on the
BOARD neinit. / know in my own ease
was elected in the board in nv town
IN a EeSr When there We're three new
n'"3 elected, but when in reality there
'IS Just one new man and I was the
man; the other two men had had pre-
NitrS experience in town affairs.
Again. this law does hot hit the as
SCISSORS OF cities and plantations. !.
Know OF no reason why this should not
aHert the aSse ssors of cities and plan-
thuoES aS We'll as the towns. | see no
reason why the towns should be pick
ed out end pulled into this snare and
the assessors of cities and plantations
be left out; and | hope that the lnep1
hcrS, when they vote on this Will not
vote for anything that will draw In.
people into IL snare of any kind. You
will End that the farmers of the Stare
are Men that are not unreasonable
Eou can sec by the petitions from the
farmers that are sent in here that they
want simplicity in town affairs in all
It's forms. You Will see by their petit
lions that they want the road law
changed for instance so they can have
the option of raising their highway
money in labor or in cash.
The gentleman from Standish. speaks
Of men hcins elected on the board sim
Ply because they are vote eetters. Will
that be changed under this law I ask
amy fair-minded man if there will be
any change in that respect? That good
vote-gettel would be in the town Just
the same as he was before this law took
eftct, and he will get into office Just the
''tiltt % bNI'it liliH INV tOoh effect.
and | claim that it would work more 40
the detlment of the towns than the
present system rs it is. The gentleman
speaks Of men having to trim. thai
they cannot do their duty because they
have TO trim in order to get back into
c!hoe aGain. Eut in my limited expert
eNce | never have seen the time when
Il man had to trim and could not stand
L
man thai does his duty is the MAN that
the people want in their town offices
today. 1t is the man that does not do
his duty and then has to trim that they
do not want: and We want to have the
chance 10 say whether we shall have
them fer one. two or three years. or
longer. as we see fit. and not have any
snare set for us or have that clause put
in and be caught in trap and have to
pay for tn" full term to which an Of
icer may be elected, as undoubtedly
We will have to do.
The gentleman speaks of its being for
the better conduct of municipal affairs.
see nothing in this bill that would
guarantee th:9t. ! hope that the motion
to Indefinitely postpone viii! prevail.
Mr.. THOMPSON of China: MIR.
speaker, ] nope the motion to lndcn
nitcIy postpone will prevail: and il
ynems to ne that in the proposed
amendment is adopted, it will neutral
ize he effect OF the bill. This is quite
sacred affair when we touch the
rights of towns. 1t seems that there is
n tendency to take away from these
towns some of their rights. and we
wish t. retain all we possibly can.
There is nothing to prevent any town
from accomplishing this end under this
method: and it looks to me as if there
is no demand coming in from these
towns for this Law. ] have heard none
Of ii ag | go over the State. no demand
whatever that this should be passed. !
hope the motion will prevail to indeti
ritrly postpone.
NJ. HILL. of Buxton: Mr.. Speaker, !
regard the proposed amendment as a
good thing in the interests of the
towns. In my own town of Buxton |
an satisfied that if we could elect our
sele"tWen under the provisions Of this
bill. we would have u better admins
tration of town affairs. And | see no
reason why towns should not have 4
chance to try this method of having Il
man selected for three wears. | would