Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-07-24
STATE HOUSE,
CodnCiI Turns Down State
Auditor Stevens
In His Protest Against Bills
For Automobile Hire.
Nomination Contests Decided In
Many Decentralization Granted.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting of Governor and Coun-
Gil, Thursday, Aug. I, at 100 P. M.

Gil, thursday, Aug. J, at Low = w.
THE Council. Tuesday, voted to ex-
pend a total of SIG. 100 of the auto
mobile registration fund for highway
Improvement. 1t was the sense OF the
Council, although no vote was lakeh
that the rule in the state audltor
department, which forbids the APP
prevail of bills for the hiring oil auto
mobiles by heads of departments AT
the expense of the State should De
suspended in the case of state HIGH
waS Commissioner Hardlson. state
Auditor Stevens fought hard for his
proposition that "the state was not
hiring automobiles but he did not
have the Council with him.
The session of the Governor and
Council lasted from 10 A. NJ. until
after r. NJ and was devoted almost
entirely to the consideration of high
way appropriations and primary cleo
ton nominations. 1t was voted to
issue certificates of nomination to
Philip Howard of Rockland, as the
Democratic nominee for county at
torney of Knox county: to Arthur w.
Leonard of Morrill,, as the Democratic
candidate for register of probate OF
Waldo county; to Arthur l.. Grifftf.s
of Portland, as the Republican can
didate for Representative to the Leg
isiatilre. TO Zenas l.. Putnam of Mon
roe, iSocialist candidate for Congress
In the Third District. and to Solomon
l.. Bates of Portland, Socialist can
didate who was voted for under sew
eral names 80
Thess certificates all settle contests
So far as the Council is concerned
except the last two. The department
of State had ON its list a John L. Put
nam of Skowhegan as the Socialist
candidate for Congress in the Third
District. bi,t it developed that no such
person existed and that the person
whom -lhs partisafls intended 10 nom
mate was Zenas l.. Putnam of Monroe
Hailowell Nomination Problem.
Hall well furnished another inter-
esting problem. When the Socialist
ballot was counted and tabulated 1t
developed that l.. Il. Wilbur of Halo
we'll and S. +. Weber of place un
known had~eaeh received one vote for
clerk of courts. Since then S. H.
.Wcbber of Hallowell has notified the
secretary of State that he was the
man the two Socialists intended to
vote for. Attorney General Pattangall
decided that L. f. Wilbur and S. z.
Weber each had one vote. so there
was tie. But as there are no own
ers of these two names to vote off the
tie and s. II. Weber has no votes
on the ballots, the Socialists will have
no nominee for clerk of courts OF
II oil, =
Der gets his name on the ballot BY
nominating petition. under Section
of the Direct Primary Law.
1t was left TO the next meeting of
the Governor and Council to decide
the primary nomination contest be-
tween Clarence d. Payson of Thomas
ton and Edwin o. Hcald of Rockland.
rival Knox county candidates for reg
lister or probate. each of whom re-
ceived the same number of votes upo1
the face of the returns. The Council
found itself up against the proposition
of lack of authority TO go behind the
returns and examine the ballots.
Hon. job II. Montgomery OF Cam
den. counsel for Mr. Head. and Oscar
II. Emery of Camden, a little later
in arguing for himself in the other
contested Knox county case, took the
ground that the Governor and Coun-
Gil did have authority to count the
ballots. Mr.. Montgomery insisted that
the Legislature of 1909 when 1t passed
a law making the ballots a public rec
ord, Intended to give the Council the
same authority as the Legislature In
settling the election disputes.
Complain Against Referendum.
Attorney General Pattangall and
Governor Plaisted did not agree with
them and improved the opportunity 10
find fault, with the people who had
invoked the referendum upon the
Ballot Box act passed at the special
session of the Legislature, which pro-
yided for the return of the ballots to
the State House.
The pardon petition of William j.
Collins of PASSPORT, who is serving an
eight-months sentence in Machias Jail
for infraction of the prohibitory law,
which was heard two months ago,
goes over until another Council meet
ing without definite action. The petit
ton for the pardon of Edgar M. Maggie
of Brunswick, who is serving a two
years sentence for forgery, was no
assigned for a hearing.
The Council in executive session
made arrangements for a trip of in
spection of the State institutions in
the vicinity of Portland. Tuesday and