Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-24


crossed as amended.
Unfinished business:
Initiative and Referendum.
(NIr. Kimball Of Rockland in the
Chair.)
Mr.. HOLMES of Caribou: Mr.. Speak
err. it is with a great deal of timlditv
that / say a word on this subject on
the opposite side from the able ana
eloquent gentleman from Skowhegan;
hut I cannot look at this matter in the
way he does. 1 was very much sur
prised at the position which he has TAX
en-. From his argument you would infer
that legislation under our present sys-
tenn was restrictive, that the people
could not get at this House. could not
get at the Senate with bill. could not
introduce measures. that they needed
this initiative to help them get meas
ure before these bodies for considera-
ten, that the House and Senate were
standing here with a club. as it were,
beating the people back and not allow
ing them to come before them with
the laws which they wish to have en-
acted. l submit that this is not fact.
The fact is that we actually pass more
laws than we should. The gentleman
this morning. succeeded in killing
measure that had received it's three
readings and had been PASSED to be
engrOssed, and he killed it with the
unanimous consent of this House
Does chat look as though we could not
get bills enough before us? 1t is just
the reverse: we get too many. 1 don't
think that is the trouble at all.
l don't believe, gentlemen. that this
initiative is necessary. l know as far
as ] am concerned that in my own
dist riot none of my constituents has
approached me in the matter in re-
gard TO wanting this measure passed.
not a single person has asked for it.
sincerely trust that the substitution of
the minority report of this committee
for the majority report will not pre-
vail The gentleman from Skowhegan
brings up the matter of towns. He
SAYS that towns have a referendum.
hut that is not fair comparison. You
might as we'll compare a small parcel
delivery with any of our great COM
mon carriers throughout the country.
Even though a towns had that little
petty referendum, still, l think if you
will look back in your own experience
you ill find that it is not used very
often, that it is not necessary. Your
selectmen, if they want an office, are
usually listening with their ear pref
ty near the ground trying to find out
Just what the people do want, and they
are glad to put every article imasin-
able in a warrant. I sincerely trust
that the motion of the gentleman Will
not prevail, but that we will stand by
the report of this committee VINO have
| looked this matter over carefully and
| thoroughly.
Mr.. 0BRIEN of Lewiston: Mr..
| Speaker. would like to say in reply to
| the last statement of the gentleman
from Caribou to the effect that these
men seeking office as rule have their
ear to the ground and are DESTROYS of
knowing what the people want. that in
| that | agree with him; hut the great
| danger to the interests of the people
| today is that the great bulk of the peo-
pie don't get out and go to- the prima-
| ries; and following the very line which
| the gentleman from Caribou has sug
|
| seeking office keeps his ear to the
ground, but it is to the extent of the
particular portion Of the people whom
| ne controls at the primary elections.
Consequently. he oftrntir1es secures a
| nomination. or may secure an election.
| and after securing his election he may
possibly come here 20 the Legislature
and he the cause Of passing through the
1
which the people in his own city or
| town or plantation or district, if the v
themselves were given an opportunity
to pass judgment upon it. would pass
judgment in such way that it could
not possibly become legislation.
Now, gentlemen. it strikes me that
we have on two or three occasions on
important matters allowed the refer
enduln. for instance. in relation to the
city of Portland. This Legislature
granted to those people of Portland the
| right to vote upon that question. But
we have no guarantee of any kind that
the Legislature which will come here
two years from now is going to possess
| the same amount of wisdom as the
| members of this House, and it may be
| that in the case of such important
| measures as that one IN regard to the
| city of Portland. that members of the
next Legislature would refuse to refer
a question of that kind back to the
people. What would be the result?
believe that a great majority of the
members here think that this House of
| Representatives when it voted to allow
the voters Of Portland themselves to
| It,de
act. l believe that Il majority of the
members here believed that they were