Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-02

requested AZ III" committee was anxi-
Gus to have the bill printed.
The committee next considered an
act to abolish the common council of
he City of Augusta. A. NJ Goddard
and Thomas J. Lynch appeared in fav
or OF the act and presented a new draft
which they thought would eliminate
certain features to winch objections
mad been raised by many citizens of
augusta. The changes which the new
craft provides is as follows: That the
'fii Is I" take effect in 1906 instead Of
i'"'; that the nrcsen. beard of asses
*"rs is not abolished but shall hereaf-
t|f DIT elected by the reorle instead OF
pS city council: that tn, whole maj
Ter is 20 be referred 10 the people to be
voted nnon. June 49, 1895 at a special
II."etlng- The following Questions viii.
De- voted upon 1T tina: time shall the
common council re abolisred"" Shall
Inc membership of th. lOard of alder
men lie increased by tine" alderman 1"
pA elected at large: shall assessors be-
'l"oted by the people: shall three high
way commissioners to hold office one.
TWO and three realS ana their success
sorS for three years. he elected by Tn.
"e"ple in place 81 the two street COM
fhissi0nrs now appointed
frank l.. Du.tCn. Esq. appeared in
opposition to the bill claiming that the
measure has boeG SurreptitiOusly pre-
scented and il ha.: been claimed on the
street that il MAS only an effort to leg.
islate the present board of assessors
out OF office. He said that their was
no popular demand fur the abolition
IF tn" common council. That although
the appointment of a highway commits
sion world be favored perhaps by the
people at large. but the manner Of pre-
SC nting the bill had turred the public
sentiment against its passage. Abner G.
Nichols. chairman Of the legislative
committee Of the Maine Federation of
Ia bor Mayor g. II. Hichborn. Thomas
Leigh Esq. Hon. Samuel Lane. Frank
G. Harrington all spoke against the
hill. They wera unanimous in agreeing
that the present city government was
all right.
Before taking up the bill to abolish
the common council. Mr.. Burleigh ap-
peared before the committee request
blS tIlaJ tUt DIII ItIitINt ~ TIE ClldIStS
IN the charter of the city of Augusta be
tabled until after the provisions of the
bill to abolish the common council had
been voted upon by the people. He
said that if there We're any provisions
i'm his bill on which there was any Op-
position he was perfectly willing 10
strike them out and incorporate them
into Mr. Goddoard's bill 50 that they
might be put to the people for vote.
The matter was then tabled by the
committee.
Mr.. Goddard il. beginning his argu-
ment in favor of his bill for the ;tbOl-
ishment OF the common council said
that the idea OF having one Legislative
board in the city government was a
progressive step in harmony with the
times. That the city Of Portland had
asked practically the same thing and
Hockland and Bangor also have asked
it.
Portland" said Mr.. Goddard, was
unanimous with 6Oing away with the
common council. 1t is Il superfiuous
body" Mr.. Goddard said that immedi-
ately after election the interest of the
members wanes: that practically all
of the city'S business is done by the
Gard OF aldermen. THE question is. p"
said The speaker. upon the abolition of
the common council and TO increase
The board of aldermen " hich shall like
Wise assume the responsibilities Of the
common council. This will dignity
the board of aldermen and give to them
some powers that the common council
does not have at present.
Under our charter. beautiful in
theory. bui bad IN practice. the COM
mon council is given the right to elect
salary officers. The worst evil is that
the men who meet in joint convention
elect salary officers. He said that
these city officers combine to support
the members of the council and dictate
the nomination of these men in the
wards. He said that the question of
qualification for the city offices was
entirely ignored.
"Cnderstand me, gentlemen sad
criticising the men. but the system
1t is a log rolling scheme.
II believe" continued Mr.. Goddard
that there is less log rolling in the
Legislature Of the State of Maine than
there is in the city of Augusta
Mr.. Goddard then continued in part
IS follows: The trouble is with the
system throughout the State. | think
the abolition of the common council a
move in the right direction. We have
a petition signed by over 100 of the
Leading citizens Of Augusta in favor Oi
this bill in it's original draft with the
referendum clause. This idea of
changing the city charter has been
brewing long time.
About two years ago. the matter was
put in the hands of a committee but
up TO short time ago nothing was
heard of 1t. Thinking that something
ought to be done ana done right away
before the Legislature should adjourn
the original bill to abolish the common
council and proposing other changes
i'm the city charter was drawn up in o
single afternoon. and quite naturally
NAV have been defective.
When it was published in the papers
that the bill had been introduced in
the Legislature storm of opposition