Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-04-02

examination OF the bills now pending
in various states of the Union dis
closes the fact that it is Il more or
less complicated machinery.
Now the purpose Of the author of
this bill is to provide a means whereby
the people OF the state OF Maine mas
express their views on the question Of
the election Of delegates to the nation
ii convention of the different parties,
and at the same time express their
own preference for a candidate for
President and Vice President
Now this is 4 matter which mas been
governed in the past, as every body
knows, by the national executive com
mittcCs Of the parties. 1t has been SO
much agitatcd in the past two years
and particularly i'll the past year, that
it is not Improbable that Congress it
Self viii take some action upon a mat
Ter OF SO great general public inn
1ortGnCo.
Nov after fully considering this and
attempting to retn,aft this bill to meet
the conditions which confront US, l
have come to the. conclusion that there
is much need of moro time to do this
work. This act, il passed by this Leg
slaturc, would not become operative
in actual practice before the election
of 1916.
In TWO years from now u legisla
turr viii meet here, and there viii he
then ample tjmc To enact Il proper laW
fer This purpose And my idea is that
if tbs LEGISLATURE would appoint n
committee for the purpose of draftinS
such 4 law and presenting t to thu
next Legislature. not only would that
committee have the benefit of the eX-
pCriencC of the acts of other leGiSta-
lures, but ii would also have the bcne-
1T of any possible act of Congress on
this matter. 1t might be that the
state OF Maine would enact Il law. on
another state might enact Il law chat
would be in direct contravention Of
sestlt.-ttet~ which Congress might pass.
Now with the view of having this
Legislature appoint such committee
ta accomplish this result / move that
this hil he Indefinitely postponed.
MIR. ITERSEY Of Nroostook: Mr..
Pre- stunt. the senator from kennebec,
senator button. and myself sat down
yesterday with the intention of amend
ing the present bin so that it might
lie passed Ut this Legislature, and We
ttocurcd from the library all the acts
before the legislatures in the United
states that are now pending. But they
we're so antagonists To each other. and
So crude in their arrangement, that
vt could not get much Of an idea
from. them. and tac present dill is in
such shape that it would be very hard
To amend 1t.
For illustration, You will recall one
paragraph of that bill provides that
Is the bill that we are considering here
in Maine--that the candidate fog
president and vice president shall be-
come candidate by petition. We re-
quiring the candidate for president or
Vice president somewhere in the United
State to become a candidate by petit
ton before they can be voted for in
Maine. You see the absurdity of the
matter-that Maine can legislate VIVA.
presidential candidates shall do in
some other place, and if they don't do
1t We can't vote for them of course.
1t is true. as the senator from Ken
nebec has said, that two years from
now we can pass this law, in ample
time for presidential election It is
y
time, and if this is indefinitely post
poned, Mr.. President | have an order |
l wish TO present for the appointment |
of a committee to examine into the |
matter and present bill at the next |
Legislature.
The PRESIDENT: The question is |
upon the motion of the senator from
kcnnebec, Senator DuttoH. that the |
bill be indefinitely postponed.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. HERSEY Of Aroostook: Mr. |
President. | ask unanimous consent to
present an order at this time, out of
order, in relation to the appointment
of a committee to investigate these
matters, and move its passage.
Unanimous consent was given, thu
senator presented the following order.
which was passed and sent down for
concurrence
In Senate, April |, 1913.
ordered, the House concurring, that
committee of five consisting of two
of the Senate and three of the House
be appointed by the President Of the
Senate and the Speaker of the House to
consider the matter of preference at
primary election of candidates FOR
President and Vice President, and re-
port a bill To the next Legislature,
The PRESIDENTS: The next matter
is House Document Gf3, An Act estaG-
fishing a municipal court in the town
of Readleld.
The pending question is first read
ing.
Mr.. ALLEN of Kennebec: Mr.. Presi
dent, the gentleman from Readlield
told me that | could amend this, and !
looked the bill over and thought !
would prepare an amendment, but the
more | examine the bill, the more !
find that a new draft would he neces
sary in order to amend it, so that |
have not prepared it.
do not see any other way except to
ask for further time. | move that the |
bill lie on the table and be assigned |
for tomorrow morning.
Mr. BUTTON of Iiennebec MI |
President, my colleague and ! are in |
hearty sympathy in regard To this par
ticular bill. | entirely endorse the |
sentiments expressed by him the other |
Al WI tnp