Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-12
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
No Call for a Referendum.
CWatervilie SentineD.

would be no possible doubt of the re-
suit of the vote in either the Senate or
the House. There would be no question
nut that at least twO-thirds vi the
members of 10th branches of the Legis-
iature would vote to leave things as
they are.
BY inserting the referendum clause
in the bill Portland gave legislators an
opportunity of deciding the question
and enabled some of the men who
strongly oppose the proposed removal
10 vote fer it in order that they N GIT
please tho il Cumberland friends and
still excuse themselves by saying that
the people would bury the scheme when
IL came to them.
There is no possible reason for refer
enduu Of this matter There ;lrt.
plenty of objeC tons TO allowing one
No bill OF any kind should be referred
TO the people excepting after a popular
demand for d reference. Does anyona
believe that 1000 voters outside Of
Cumberland and York counties could
he induced to request a referendum OF
this measure, with the attendant ex-
pense of a special election?
Does anyone believe if the matter wtr,
VI'S.is - lllS .'-NN ctS ia
those two counties that :; M; jocity OF
of the voters of the first district would
recommend the CHANGE
The whole thing resembles tempest
in Il teapot. 1t all arose in single
night here in Augusta. when certain
gentlemen were unable to secure ac-
Communications which suited them. The
movement was Immediately fostered
and cncoUrac geo Ivy tho attorneys of
the public service corpora tons Who saw
a fresh opportunity to sidetrack the
fight against special privileges which
was coming TO the front. 1t was like
wise encouraged by astute Republican
politicians who were pleased to SEQ
Cumberland Democrats proposing a
nc3sure which was the antitheSis of
that economy which Maine Democracy
has been preaching for years.
With NJ popular demand backing it,
the call for q referendum is an absurd
lily. On the contrary. aside from the
negative argument there are positive
objections TO referring this matter TO
the people. it may be laid down as a
general proposition. that no matter.
should be submitted to popular vote
excepting after 50 long and thorough a
discussion of its merits and dement's
that the people have become fully in
formed with regard TO it and have be-
come sufficiently interested in it t.
vote in large numbers
Indifference and lack of proper and
definite information on the part of the
EuterS haze caused wrong result in
referendum before. During the past
few years there are examples of this
which shoald be fresh in the minds of
everybody. No one familiar with
n fairs al Augusta doubts tho Import
anCe ana necessity of establishing an
auditing department here. Still. wileE
mat matter was submitted to the
People they voted t down, simply, as
We believe. fror. misunderstanding A
Gdts which had not been thoroughly
discussed
Most r?:a familiar With state affairs
incline toward the advisaLility Of abol-
isllin$ passes for legislators and i'll
"reasing their salary. Submitted to
the people tho measure was defeated
There is danger in any mcritorious law
being defeated in q popular vote uu
less assurance is given that the voters
have become sufficiently Interested in
it carefully and to vote. SO well IS
this fact recognized that Governor
COBB, in his annual address. expressed
fear that resubmssion, q subject
which has been more fully ana
thoroughly discussed than any other
public question before the people Of
Maine. ought not to be granted. for fear
the voters might misunderstood it.
The objections to referring this
question are first. that there is no pop-
uiar demand for Il referendum: second
that no public discussion having oc-
cured. :hc people at large are to inrlif-
feTent to vote in large numbers and
nave nos and cannot become thorough
~ Informed regarding it: third that an
expense Of $4,000 for {. special election
ought not to be incurred: fourth, that
a campaign of misrepresentation of the
facts already begun by the Portland
newspapers and the Portland lobby. if
continued until June, might lead the
state into an unnecessary expenditure
of two or three millions of dollars.
The Legislature should settle the
question. To refer it to the people is a
coWardly Sinking of duty on the part Of
its members. Strike out the referen
dum and decide the question on its
merits, as it appeals to men who are
Eere and who were elected to settle
just such questions. II Portland mas \
good cas-" let the Legislature say so
If not. LEI the Legislature say so
There is not much doubt about whar
the decision would be il it were m be
male here and Legislature which has
not the moral courage to decide this
question for itself had better adjourn
quickly, confess its inability to tran
*act public business and submit al,
pending questions Ia Il vote Of the
public.