Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-28
MEMORIALS
Will Be Presented to
Governor PIaisIed
Asking Him 10 Send Davies
Bill 10 The People.
Labor Men and Grange Begin Cam
paign of Education.

| Tho gathering Of representatives Of
| The Direct Primary League State Fed
| Grafton OF Labor ard the Maine state
| Grange which met Thursday at Angus
| Ia closed its deliberations Thursday
| evening by voting without dissenting
voice that memorials snould be sent
| to Governor Plaisted from the advis-
| orv board Of tho Direct Primary
| League the executive committee OF tire
| Maine state Grange and the executive
committee Of the State Federation of
Labor requesting him To issae his proc
| Iamation before the second Monday in
| Mav referring the Davies direct priEl-
airy bill to the people ON the second
| Monday in September, 1911 1t was also
| the sense of the gathering that cam
| raign Of education should begin NJ
once in regard to the bill and that
statements should be sent out to the
voters explaining the difference be-
tween the Davies and the Pencil di-
rect primary bill.
Hon. Herbert NJ Heath of Augusta
VAS present and explained at some
length the difference between the Pen
rell and Davies bills. He characterized
the Penn"H bill as one that emphasizes
the power Of money and explained that
while the corrupt practices portion or
the Davies bill limits campaign eXpen-
ditures the PennelI bill does not do So
He also advised the friends of the
initiative and referendum to be con-
sistent in their position that the Pen
nell bill is not law
It vas brought out at the meeting
that if the Governor did not issue his
proclamation on the second Monday
in MAY referring the Davies bill tn tn,
people il would have To be passed upon
At Some special election later than the
second Monday in September. 1877. \
belief was expressed by number OF
thoe present that Governor Plaisted
would submit the Pencil bin to the
people at the September election of this
year.
The Pencil bill which was passed
by the 18th Legislature, provides for
direct primary elections for Governor
congressman ard the advisory vote on
United States senator, while the Davies
bill, introduced into the last Legisla-
ture under the initiative but rejected
by that body, provides for 2 complete
system of direct primary elections, in
Guiding county officers and representa-
tives to the Legislature.
A meeting was held Thursday at the
municipal courtroom in this city call
ed by representatives of the Maine
State Grange and of the labor organ
| izations of the state and consisting of
men who were interested in the status
of the Pennell and Davies direct prim-
ary bills The afternoon meeting was
attended by prominent members of the
| labor organizations and of the State
| Grange together with Arson NJ God
dard and Judge Benedict +. Maher of
Augusta, and Hon. Howard Davies of
| Yarmouth. Master stetson of the
Maine state Grange was present, also
Charles O. Beal of Auburn, president
| of the State Federation of Labor, j.
f Spaulding and Abner Nichols Of
| Augusta. and z. j. German of Lewis
| ton
Many phases of the situation were
| discussed and the concensus of opinion
was that as there was included in the
petition addressed to the Legislature
a request for the submission of the
Davies bill by the Governor to the peo-
pie at a special election the Governor
| is compelled under the amendment to
the constitution adopted by the peo-
pie, Sept. IA, 1908. to order special
election at which the people may vote
upon the measure initiated by more
than 1900 voters.
| Considerable discussion ensued as 10
the merits of the Pencil bill and it
| was unanimously agreed that the bill
1
failed to carry out the direct primary
| idea as it should ana by no means
reached the candidates for office which
a majority of the people feel should
come under the direct nomination prin-
ciple and that it was the sense of the
Injecting that the Governors opinion in
dicated by his signing the bill was not
lin accord with a majority of those
present.
! In connection with the calling Of this
meeting by labor and Grange represen-
tatives ii is interesting to note that
every labor organization that has met
since the Davies bill was initiated has
passed resolutions favoring it, ana that
the executive committee of the Maine
State Grange has endorsed it and the
Grange has circulated petitions III its
favo..
The Direct Primary League is about
to send out broadcast printed cards
bearing the caption. What VIII the
| Governor Do?" and containing the
statement: ION or before the second
Monday Of May, 1911, Governor Piais-
ted must issue his proclamation re
lferring TO the direct primary bill to the
Ipeople the second Monday in Septem
Der. 1911. put the State to the great
land needless bother and expense of a
Iseparate special election, or violate his
inaugural oath" 1t is understood that
representatives of the Direct Primary
League will interview Governor Plais-
ted Immediately upon his return horn'
az p 81 e