Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-09-16
AT 4 P. m. Monday, Sept. IS at State Capitol
Six Places Have Failed TO Send Official Munic.
ipa| Officers ReturnS.The Returns al the
Sec. Of States Office Remain Unchanged.
THE GOVERNORS srArEmenr,

, - - - - w = "
I'D
Govrnor Frederick w. Plaisted. tan
friday afternoon issued a call fot 4
meeting OF the Governor and Ccrnoii
at P. NJ. Monday. Sept is fof the
purpose of canvassing the returns AZ
the votes cast at the election of SeuE
IL. Six precincts We're missing Friday
afternoon in the returns from The
municipal officers. which are the one
70 be acted upon by the Governor and
Council, but every effort will be mazda
TO have the returns from these few
missing precincts in before the date.
sci for the Council meeting.
The Governor was at the state
Rouse Friday afternoon and put IN (
idedly strenuous afternoon, being il
conference with various party leaders
curing the greater part Of the time
Among those who discussed the I'll.
uation with him were United Statas
Senator Charles F, Johnson OF Water.
vile. Attorney General Pattangall and
secretary of State Davis.
\ Journal reporter interviewed tie
Governor at the close of his busy ait.
ernoon in regard to his opinion az TO
he possibility of going back. OF. the
returns in the case of errors being
discovered In these returns. The Coy
ernor said: u.
Possibly question Of law would
be involved in the matter Of going
back of the returns, which might have
to be submitted to the supreme court.
What ! am Interested In and what ithe
people are interested in is the natSt
of getting at how the people voted
at the election last Monday. don't
believe it should be left with town
clerk or ward clerk to determine the
results. l do not believe that d ques-
tion so important should be thus de-
cided The courts may have to end
the facts" 80
Governor Plaisted then cited the
case of Ward 9 in Portland, where II
is alleged that the returns showed
more Yes" votes than recorded. .,rhs
returns are made up from the records
and they are at variance with each
other" said the Governor Il believe
the ballots ought to be considered TO
show how the people voted, II we are
to go back of the returns"
"All that we have to deal with when
the returns are canvassed is the otieiai
returns sent to the Governor and Copn-
Gill; which are sealed up 10 the office Of
the secretary of state and will not be
opened until Monday afternoon by the
Council. The law provides q way for COR.
reeting these returns, IL II is proven thai
any of them are incorrect. All that the
secretary of State can do Is Just what ,hs
has done-give to the public the returns
Of the clerks of the several cities. towns
and plantations, as required by law.''s
Governor Plaisted would make no state
ment as to whether or not he purposed
to cali an extra session OF the Legislature
after the canvass Of the votes by the
Governor and Council. While the Gov.
ernor is saying nothing In regard to the
matter, other leaders OF the dominant
party are calling attention to the wordihk
of this clause of Chapter IS OF the Re.
solves of 1911, resubmitting the prohibito.
~ amendment TO the people,
THE ballots shall be received sorted.
counted and declared In open ward. town
and plantation meeting and lists OF the
votes so received shall be made and re-
turned to the secretary OF State in the
same manner as the votes for Governor
and members of the Legislature, and the
Governor and Council shall count the
same and make return to the Legislature.
and If majority of the votes are in RI.
vor of said amendment. the constitution
shall be amended accordingly" ~
Some of the Democratic leaders who
are in favor of calling an extra session
of the Legislature are setting great stosu
by the phrase ''and make return to the
Legislature" and claim that this word.
ing of the resolves makes the calling Of
a special session of the Legislature Inn
perative, whichever way the vote is a
nally declared. The phrase "the gt4eeis-
lature," it is argued, cannot mean the
next Legislature. for there is only one
Legislature now in existence and that IS
the 18th Legislature. consequently the
18th Legislature must be called together
in special session to receive the returus
from the Governor and Council OF the RI
suit of the vote upon the question OF 70.
peal of the prohibitory amendment. ~