Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-11-13
Interesting Possibilities.
portland AdvertiSer.l

The people of Skowhegan, Fort
Kent. Van Euren, Steuben, Farming
ton. Pressure Isle and MattaWamkeaS
together with TIE voters Of the otht1
five hundred towns in Maine may
II ave Il chance to go To the polls ana
give III their ballots to decide whether
the city of Hddeford shall continue
under the sway of its police commas
SION on whether that body shall be ell
NINA ted from the conduct OF affairs III
the city on the Saco. Biddeford Demo-
Gratis do not like the police commls-
sion which they say was imposed up
on the city by wicked Republicans in
order for political reasons to tax"
control Of affairs from the city faith
urs SO far as the management of the
police is concerned. OF course, there
is another side to that story but the
merits of the cnSc DO not concern us
lust now 1t is Interesting to the
State at large not 50 much because
of what may or may not be approprl-
ate to Eiddeford as because Of the
new light it throws upon the posi-
biities Of that remarkable refer"n-
dunn provision which has by vote Of
the people been incorporated in the
constitution Of the state. The Bid
leiorl Record has served notice that
unless the legislature shows a DISPOSE
ton to repeal the police commission
law this winter, resort may be had to
the initiative and referendum. BY
use of the initiative. the matter can
be forced to the attention of the leg
islature upon petition of no less than
twelve thousand qualified voters. If
the people who want the law repealed
take the trouble to raise a fund and
employ persons to circulate the pc
titions, they can get the twelve thou
sand names easily enough. Out in
Oregon where they have a similar
system. an enterprising concern has
advertised to supply names at an ex
pense of a nickel a name. 1t brings
us back to the old saying that any
body will sign a petition. Having
received the repeal bill backed by the
petition with it's twelve thousand
names. the legislature must pass the
bill or submit it to the people II it
goes to the people, there will be
gathering of the voters in town and
city either at special or the next reg
uar election. Ballots will be given in at
polling places along the turbulent st.
John. the forest skirted Allegash the
mighty Penobscot, and its sister
stream the Kennebec, the sfnuous
Songo and the placid Piscataqua.
Sturdy Aroostook farmers. the people
of old Oxford. who according to ira
dition live among the bears, the sea-
farinc folk of Knox end Lincoln and
Sagadahoc. the dWelers in Bangor,
Augusta. Lewiston. Portland and the
rest OF the cities-an of them will
be called upon to go and vote or the
great question of the Blddeford police
commission and the state will pay the
bills
That is the picture Of what would
happen if the legislature refused t."
repeal the law but the idea seems to
be that the legislature would wipe out
the commission rather than put the
people to the trouble and the State to
| the expense Of an election on the
| question. Tt is needless to add that
| this threat to use the referendum not
as a referendum but as 4 big stick
| with which to club the legislature sug
| gestS Il danger which probably did
| not occur to the enthusiastic support
ers of the new order of things