The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1903-01-22
The Mems Club.


In the usual place. The attendance was
larger than usual, about sixty members
and visitors being present, including
quite sprinkline of progressive farmers
who live outside the village limits.
l.. L. Walton, Esq, the newly elected
president, occupied the chair and in alb
sence of the secretary, D. Wilder Colby,
Fred F. Lawrence acted as secretary.
The bylaws of the club were amended
so as to fix the time of meetings the
first and third Mondays of each month,
excepting the summer months.
The chief interest of the meeting was
the consideration of the proposed change
of town government, and discussion of
the bill providing for the election of q
town council as reported by committee
appointed at the last annual town meet.
ing, and printed copies Of the bill were
distributed in the meeting.
Mr.. Lewis Anderson, member of the
committee, opened the discussion, ex-
planning the features of the bill to con.
siderable length. He said the commit.
tee had given much attention to the bill.
The advantages of 1t were that council
composed OF from 10 to 80 men, repre-
senting the various proposed divisions
of the town would transact the business
more intelligently than the crowd of
600 men assembled at town meeting.
The advantage over city government
would be that the expense would be less
and there would be no party politics
in it.
Hon. o. r. Bachelor, who drew the
bill, said the main feature of the measure
is the substitution of town council for
the unwieldly town meeting in which
business cannot be done intelligently.
S. W. Gould, he said, opposed this plan,
four years ago, but approves it now.
The town officers in name and duties
remain precisely as now. Members of
the council serve without pay, and ex-
penses under this plan will not be in
creased dollar. He explained the
veto and referendum plans by which
three aldermen can exercise the veto
power now exercised by mayors of
cities and under which 200 citizens can
by petition have any appropriation of
81 900 or more referred to the people in
town or ward meeting.
| Gen. Isaac Dyer was called upon for
remarks. He said he believed when we
/ nj 10
ment trouble will begin. He asked
Judge Bachelor whether he had had
correspondence with the officers of any
town that had adopted this form of gov
eminent, and received negative answer.
| W. II. Fuller stated that he under.
stood the editor of the REPORTER was
opposed to the bill and asked him to
state his views, whereupon Mr.. Smith
said he came to listen but his opinion
was that there need be no haste about
giving up the old town meeting form of
municipal government, but IL we do
make change some form Of city gov
eminent should be adopted. He regard
ed the proposed change as an experiment.
George W. Cover, ESQ.,, spoke of the
legal phases of the matter. Legal Ques-
lions have been tested in courts relating
to town government and city govern
ment, merging of the two Is likely to
raise points of law and give trouble. In
regard to partisan politics, he did not
see why the "Ward heller" cannot get
in his work In ward In town as well
as in che same territory made into city
| ward. The people would be identical.
Neither could he see why body OF al
dermen Ia town would be less expen-
sive than the same body in the same
| territory as city.
Mr.. Bachelor in reply to Mr.. Covers
legal point raised, said that any law
applying to cities applied to this council
and any provision of law applying to
towns applied to the town officers elect
ed under the bill, as there was no change
In these officers or their duties.
Mr.. w. II. Fuller said he had read the
bill and the explanation given here had
removed certain justification. 1t was
measure to get rid of bad things in town
government and nothing more. II the
old fashioned town meeting could be run
by old fashioned men it would be all
right, but is not as run by crowds of
to-day.
E. N. Merrill, ESQ.,, said there seemed
to be general desire for change In
town government. Not one man in four
has conception of what is required in
the voting Of various sums appropriate
ing $50, 900 in our town meetings. The
time has come for a change. What
shall it be? He thought well Of the
plan under consideration. Some changes
may be desirable in the bill. Requiring
200 petitioners to refer matter to popu-
lar vote was not right; so or 100 petit
TONERS are enough. There are some
advantages OF regular city government
but it is expensive. Skowhegan has not
increased 100 per cent In population but
appropriations have increased 200 per
cent.
Mr.. K. Il. Patten spoke in favor Of the
bill and in explanation and advocacy of
the referendum feature. No town or
city charter should be adopted in this
town without this feature.
Mr.. w. r. Elliott inquired whether
this bill gave any remedy to 200 petit
TONERS In the way OF objection to officials
elected by the council, and the answer
was that 1t did not.
+. c. Butler, Esq, inquired whether
in case 50 900 was unanimously voted by
the council, there is any way 1t can be
referred to the people. The answer
was that it could be by 200 voters petit
toning to that end. He also alluded to
an instance in the town Of Eden where
an arrangement such as this bill pro-
vides would have worked to the decided
advantages OF that town.
Mr.. Thos. n. Lord favored the bill.
We need change, surely.
Andaraon unOkp In pYnlQnafiOn Of