Daily Kennebec journal., 1905-02-08

Joint resolution proposing an amend
Trent to the constitution of the State
of Maine relative to the establishment
Of peoples veto through the optional
referendum and the direct initiative by
petition and election. Mr.. Davis said:
MIR. chairman and Gentlemen of The
judiciary Committee:
HoCst DocuNelt M. 39f or the refer
endum bill. intrpduca.l by me in the
list Legislature. and tabled for print
ing on March 18th. lang pending refer
r1c". is q measure ~ 81 eat moment -
the citizenship Of this state.
Its provisions are laiIcal. as they
contemplate an :;al.nlment to th- Con-
sti'ntion in Article No 1 touching the
legislative powers.
Assuming that you have familiariZn
yourselves somoH'hat viii: the original
document wni'h I believe is the one be-
Tor" YOU. you have OF course noticed
that Section Is occur: tw.te. and tn .
sectors added begin with Section 1G.
so 'n@t there :irc l. sections in the pro-
POSED amendment. Se.'tion Is to and
including Sc, tion %: and should yol,
report the bill favorably the section :
should he prnp""l, nuIrber and provi-
SION mad. for act.Or on amendment al
The regular erection in September 1906
did not drlT the bill hut it was my
Plea sun 9 to present t . The last House
with the convi.tion tha. some of its
provisions. at least If adopted. would
be of ncalculibe ben"Iil to the State
IT was my desire to sra the bill re-
ported from the Committee but as it
was not. but rather wlS passed on to
the I'D Legislature. i; still. as you
lawyers say. has a standing in court"
Article No. ! Of our Safe Constitution
YOU know deals solely with the leaisla-
tive branch of the STAT government
and this bill provided fer an amend
ment to the article.
Briefly stated, the propo scd sections
are as follows:
Section 16 provides that no laws ax-
ccpt usual appropriations bills ami
emergency oils (ani by emergency
bills is meant measures necessary COR
the preservation OF The public peac"
health and %arrty) shall take effect
earlier than 20 days after the session
which enacted :hem.
Section l., pr"vidcs thrc within tha.
90 days any On" Cf tha bills or resolu-
tons passed. but not yet become law.
.'hall De submitted 20 the people fo.
decision at the polls. by a vote repre-
Scnting ) per cant. of the voters calcu-
lated upon the vote 1T the last election
for government.
section Is provides that per cent. of
tho voters may propose to the LeSisla-
ture il bill G"l incluling an amend
llent to the CnEStitution) either by ne
titInn or by past, on the official bal
lot. and the IT. -HGura shall be acted mp
On during the session. and shall go to
Il referendum vote unless passed with
cut charge.
Section !? provides that questions Of
public policy. including proposed
changes in the Constitution shall be
laced upon u ballot ~ themselves and
rrescribes the next general election for
The initiative and Referendum vote: it
also provides that tho Legislature shall
call Il special election if demanded by
Is per cent. of the voters.
Section 20 provides that all bills not
subject to referendum and not ordere
10 direct vote, shall take effect 30 DAYS
after adjournment: any measure refer
red to III, people and approved by them
snail take effect in 10 DAYS: the veto
rover of tho ,;ovnrnOr shall not extend
to measures initinted hy the people.
Sec tion y provides that the present
provisions If the Constitution shall
govern until the Legisls ture shall en-
act regulations FOR applying the peo-
nl"s veto AMI direct initiative. These &
sections pertain wholly TO state laws.
Sections 20. 2@, "a. p. % and 81. per-
tain to city and town ordinances.
Section - provides that Joint resolu-
t;"ns passed BY Common Council Of city
ar town shall not become law under 80
days time.
Sec ton IS provides that per cent Of
the voters may demand that ordinanc s
ana resolutions may he submitted 20
tn" people for final decision at the polls
Section "A provides that 8 per cent
of the voters may initiate new meas
lras.
section p provides that measures mi
tiated shall ha submitted at the mex,
election; it also provides that the Col,n-
oil shall call = special clcI ton of de-
mInGrd by 20 per cent. of the voters
section 26 provides that ordinances
si'all become law 50 days after final
paseaGe: m assures submitted to the
neopl" shall become iaW in : ,iavs af-
ter the official announce mcnt
Section - prr,iies provisions Of the
Constitution govern until veto and mi
ti2tive are established and fixes thn
time for voting "n the proposed amend
mcnt.
summarized still furthe.' the bill pro-
ViicS way in which tn. people can
rc.ain their sovernlGnty: way in
Y hirh they ran originate measures di-
lcctly from the ranks and not be Who'll
ly at the mercy of their representatives
for the time being.
/ only wish ! had tho ability to pre
sent through you To the Legislature of
this good State. the advantages which
b"lieve would accrue to our peopl,
through establishing thn right to vot.
and to initiate instead of resting con
tent in a representative form of the
government that does not represent.
In this State as in every state of the
Union, we are up against this propOsi-
tinn; Sh1ll the power to lcgislatr,
which now resides in Talty machines.
in Congress in LEGISLATURE in Comuo,,