Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-05-09
annual MEETING
Of Referendum League Of
Maine in This City.
Officers Elected for Year and
Other Business Transacted.
Meeting Preceded by Address by {. n,
Merrill Of Skowhegan.

~ mass Il'ttllltS III tIl'' ilIl'It ~ Y
the initiative and referendum WAS held
at City hall Tuesday evening, and
while the attendance was not large
those who were present had the pleas
urc of listening TO a Very lucid cXpla-
nation of the principles and objects oi
The movement.
The meeting was called Ia order at
5 O'Clock by Hon. Charles :. Hichb"rn
who oflciatcd as chairman. Mr.. Iilch-
born spoke briefly upon the objects ol
the meeting ANA after expressing a re-
grct that Nlcrc were not more people
present introduced as the speaker 81
the evening Hon L: n. Merrill OF
Skowhcgan.
Mr.. Merrill began his address by eX-
planning the meaning of the terms
Initiative" and referendum. Gsllis
for an example the method OF pr"te-
durc in calling a town meeting. Inc
warrant for the town meeting was, ne
said issued by the board of Selectmen,
and any ten qualified voters OF thal
town might. by a petition, to me
sclectmcn. have inserted i'll the war
rant any measure which they desired
to have voted upon at the meeting, LOT
instance. to see if the town would vote
to raise a certain sum of money LOT
repairS on the SchoolhouSc in Ger
tain district. The action of the ten
citizens in having the measure insert
cd in the town warrant was. ne salu'
the initiative. And after that. when
the matter was brought to the vote OF
the people Of the town i'll the town
meeting that was the referendum pc
cause, il was referred to the people. IL
was Il simple explanation and one that
everyone could clearly understand
He then went on to explain thc
methods by which the principles could
be adapted on Il larger scale To the
business Of the cities. the State and OF
the nation. He also took up the mat
ter of unequal taxation III TN" State
ana compared the taxes assessed upon
the property Of the citizens of the state
in general with those assessed on the
railroads. the wild lands and the cor
poration Tn" third house Of inc
LEGISLATURE was also Scourgrd. as were
the trusts Of the country. the Standard
Oil CO.. ana the railroads. And as 4
remedy against all these evils the
Referendum NdS d'iN''it'''' ~ 49,
rilI is an entertaining ana f"rcr1ul
speaker. ANA throughout the evening
lis remarks were listened I" with the
closest attention.
Following the address by Mr.. Morrill,
the annual meeting Of til" Maine Refer
cndum League was held in the munich
pal court room. The reports Of III" Off
| GERS for the year were presented and off
GERS were chosen as follows:
prcsidcnt-II. G. Libby Of Watcrvillc
\irc prcs'dcnt-W. j. Thompson OF
China
Sccrctary-Kingsbury +. Piper Of Wat
| erv.llc.
Financial sccrctary-A. W. Nichols Of
| Augusta.
| Treasurer Arthur T.. Brown of Angus
| Press agcnt-R. T. Pattcn Of Sk"whc
| gan.
| I.ccturr-E n Merrill Of Sk"whcGan
| Members Of executive committcc-A. NJ
| Goddard Of Augusta; ii. l.. Hunt of Hal
| lowell: G. s. Cobb of Gardiner.
| Members Of the advisory council f"
eight counties were chosen as follows:
| Kcnncbcc-Cyrus ". Davis Of Water
4 Vile.
| Arnostook-C Carl Z. Mllillcn Of lslan'
| Falls.
Androscogsin-E. T.. Philo"n Of Auburn
Hancock-F. S. Clark of Bar IIarbor
| KnoX-Fred Burkctt of Union.
| S#c"dahoc-W. s. Rogers Of Ctthancc
WALDORF W. Rogers of Belfast.
The remaining vacancies will Dc file
| hy the executive committee.