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

l'll to abolish the common council
and increase the membership of the
board of aldermen of Portland.
Mr.. HALE of Portland: Mr. Speak
er, offer House amendment A.
Amend rs follows: -I;y striking out
Section II of said Act, and inserting i'm
I'lace thereof the following:
Section II. At Il special election to
be held on the l1th day of September,
1905. the legal voters of the city of
Portland. shall be called upon to give
in their votes upon the acceptance of
this Act AZ meetings in the several
wards in said city. duly warned by the
maNol and aldermen. The vote shall
I've taken by ballot and shall be in an
SWer to the following question: Shall
the Act passed by the Legislature of
the State Of Maine i'm the year 1905. en-
titled can Act to abolish the common
council and increase the membership
of the board of aldermen of the city OF
Portland" be accepted? Those i'm IA
70" of the acceptance of said Act shall
vote Yes. and those opposed. No. The
same proceeding shall be had for the
sorting. counting. declaring and record
ing of the returns of said votes as is
provided for the election of mayor: and
the board of aldermen shall compare
the returns of the several ward officers
this act; and if it appears that a ma
jority Of the votes given upon the ac-
crptunce of this Act are in favor there
of the MAYOR shall be so notified and
shall forthwith make proclamation of
l..
take full effect.
Section II. So much of this Act as
authorizes the submission of the CUES
ton of its acceptance to the legal vot-
crs of the city of Portland. shall take
effect Upon its passage. but it shall not
take further effect unless accepted by
the legal voters of said city as herein
before provided
Mir. Speaker. the bill to which have
just offered an amendment-referri
il to the people. and giving them an op-
pOrtunity to vote upon its acceptance
is Il bill to change our Portland city
charter by abolishing the common
council and increasing the board of al
dcrmcn.
The bill. as originally present ed by
Mr.. Baxter of Portland. provided for
three aldermen from each ward. 1t was
by him referred to the committee on
legal affairs Why it should have been
so referred l confess | am unable TO
determine.
The committee on legal affairs is
made 10 of 10 as good men and worthy
REPRESENTATIVES as YOU will find in this
Legislature: but. gentlemen. eight of
these 10 men are Interested in any,
thing rather than the local affairs of
the city of Portland.
We have a Portland delegation of
nine men hcre-all of us vitality inter-
eeted i'm this question. Why not refer
| il to us?
| Two years ago the same question
WAS referred tn the Portland delega-
| ticp and by it was referred 10 the nres
ent Legislature
confess cannot understand the ac-
ton of my colleagues in respect to this
matter of reference.
A. the hearing before the legal af.
| fairs committee a number of citizens
of Portland appeared in favor of the
bill. including delegation from the
CITY government. The MAYOR also an
ne,rad with several others. in favor of
n new draft providing for two alder
mon for each ward instead of three
,rhis new draft the committee adonted
+ have no fault TO find with the de,.i-
sio, NJ The committee. Everybody nras
or+ ot the hearing wanted n single
| hoard If either is or - members n
one appeared in favor Of the double
hoard This is not very ASTONISHING
gentlemen: the promoters Of a meas
m. ale usually enthusiastic ana IN.