Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-02-04
JOINT SPECIAL COMMITTEE
BEGINS ITS INVESTIGATION.
The Widely Heralded Deficit Appears to Be
Largely a Matter of neutrality-suspicious.
nents to Pattangall School Tax Act
Have Been Doing Some Figuring.
DIRECT PRIMARIES PETITION.


More than 10000 of the voters of
Maine have affixed their signatures to
petition to the Maine Legislature,
setting forth that they desire to have
enacted into law a direct primaries
law and corrupt practices act These
petitions are now on file in the office
of the secretary of State and under
the initiative provisions of the initia-
tive and referendum amendment to
the constitution the Legislature has
three courses that it may pursue. 1t
may accept the bill as submitted by
the petitioners. it may refer the bill
back to the people, or it may submit
this measure and an amended form of
the measure or entirely now bills to
the people.
Legal voters to the number Of 1921
signed the petitions, which were cir
culated by the members Of labor or
CARNATIONS and the State Grange in
every county and nearly every COM
munity in the State. The largest single
petition was from Greene and it car
ried over 200 names In Lexington
plantations where there are - legal
voters II affixed their signatures. The
petitions. which were filed in person
by Representative Howard Davies Of
Yarmouth, the father of the bill, We're
in excellent form and each had been
certified to BY one of the signerS.
Tightly bound in bundles of about 80
each. the whole of petitions made a
pile about - inches high and as wide.
The largest number of petitions anu
petitioners came from Portland and
Lewiston, but every city and town
contributed its quota. The secretary
of State, Cyrus w. Davis will certify
that the petitions are on file Monday
and file his certificate with the House
and Senate at 4.30 p. NJ. Monday
Contrary to the first reports, This is
not the first attempt to invoke the
initiative provisions of the constltu-
ton. though it is the first time that
the matter has been carried far enough
to make it certain that the required
12000 names had been secured. The
first initiative petitions ever filed were
three from the town of Edgecomb
praying for the enactment of the Doni
gan bridge bill which was considered
the last Legislature. These petitions
We're received June 90. 1910 and the
total number of names thereon was
but 80.
The campaign to secure names upon
the direct primaries and corrupt prac-
tees act petition has not been It mere
matter of form. 1t is charged by the
friends of the measure that in one
county sheriff detailed his whole
force of deputies to the work Ut gath
ering in the petitions and dissuading
the canvassers from doing their work.
In their Indignation at this method Of
procedure, there is q demand that
some law be enacted providing ade-
quate punishment for the individual
who destroys or SeCreteS petitions
which bear the names of voters who
have thus registered their desire to
have legislation enacted or legislation
already enacted by the Legislature,
submitted to the people.
The portion of the constitutional
amendment under which legislation is
/ initiated by the people, is as follows
Section 1S-The electors may pro-
nose to The 7 q - lo ''~-- t7f. Yes u
Grafton any bill, resolve or resolution,
including bills to amend .. te4 d.
emergency legislation but not an
amendment TO tne state constitution,
by written petition addressed TO the
Legislature or to either branch there
of and filed in the Office of the SeCre-
tary of State or presented to either
branch of the Legislature at least 80
days before the close of its session.
Any measure thus proposed by not less
than 1900 electors, unless enacted
without change by the Legislature at
the session at which it is presented,
shall be submitted to the electors to-
gether with any amended form, sub
! stitute. or recommendation of the Leg
! islature, and in such manner that the
| people can choose between the COM
peting measures or reject both. When
! there are competing bills and neither
receives a majority of the votes given,
j for or against both, the one receiving
the most votes shall at the next gem
eral election to be held not less than
60 days after the first vote thereon be
submitted by itself if it receives more
than one-third of the votes given for
and against both. If the measure
initiated is enacted by the Legislature
without change, it shall not go to a
referendum vote unless in pursuance
OF demand made in accordance with
CONTINUED on Page Nine.)