Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-31
Referendum Questions
For September Election

/ For September Election
The ballots for the two referendum
questions which will be settled by the
voters of the State at the regular cleo
ton. which will be held, Sept. II, have
been printed and are ready for distrib-
ution when the ballots containing the
names Of the candidates are sent to the
city and town clerks. The ballot will
have two questions submitted. one af-
fecting or rejecting the 54-hour BILL SO
called, which was passed by the legis-
lature and the operation of which was
suspended through the medium Of the
referendum, and the other an act for
the State and county maintenance of
all highway bridges, which was passed
by the legislature for ratification or
rejection by the people.
The wording of the question on the
acceptance of the 54-hour law is as fol-
lows:
Those in favor Of limiting the num-
Der of hours Of women and minors to
"a in one week in accordance with the
provisions Of Chapter $50, public laws
Of 1915. will place a cross * in the
square marked yes and those op-
posed a cross x in the square marked
NO
The wording Of the question on the
acceptance or rejection Of the high
way bridge bill is as follows:
Those in favor Of the state and
counties aiding in the construction OF
highway bridges in accordance with
the provisions Of Chapter 319 Of the
public laws of 1915 will place cross *
in the square marked Yes and those
opposed will place an * in the square
marked No
54.Hour Bill.
The 54-hour bill so called, which 1t
is being claimed is being strongly OPP
posed by the cotton manufacturers IN
particular and which has the endorse
ment of the Maine Federation of Labor,
provides that no male minor under 10
years Of age and no female shall be
employed in any workshop, factory.
manufa curing or mechanical estab-
ishment or laundry more than nine
hours in any one day. except when
different apportionment of the hours Of
labor is made for the sole purpose. OF
making a shorter days work for one
day Of the week, and in no case shall
the hours exceed "a in week.
The bill also provides that no minor
under 16 wears of age shall be employed
or he permitted to work in any of these
establishments or occupations BEFORE
$50 o'clock in the morning or later
+bop o'clools in the evening.
TIE measure further provides that no
male minor under Is years OF age and
no female shall be employed in any
telephone exchange, employing more
than three operators or in any mercan-
tile establishment, store, restaurant,
telegraph office or by any express or
transportation company in the state
more than 81 hours in any one week
but this section shall not apply between
Dec. II and Dec. "a, both inclusive. and
shall not apply to the eight days prior
to Easter Sunday to persons employed
in millinery shops and stores.
During the past few weeks the cotton
manufacturers. so it is claimed, have
been doing a great deal Of work in an
endeavor to defeat this measure by
sending out quantities of literature and
maintaining an expensive publicity
bureau.
Highway Bridge Bill.
The bridge is q re-draft Of the one
which was originally drawn by Paul
D. Sargent, the chief engineer OF the
Maine State Highway Commission. The
bill was presented at the last session
Of the Legislature by Representative
Nathaniel D. Colcord Of Portland soon
after the Donigan bill, SO called, in
somewhat altered draft, was intro
duced by Representative Mark P. Pol
lard Of Scion. The bill was not ad-
vocated by any one before the COM
mittee on ways and bridges, but the
Sargent bill in substantially its orig
inal form was submitted by sub COM
mittee. consisting Of Senator Colby Of
Somerset and Representatives Colcord
of Portland and Cobb Of Denmark. and
was taken up section by section in
the committee on ways and bridges and
went to the House with an unanimous
report Ought to pass"
The bill went through both branches
Of the legislature without dissension or
Disagreement, the referendum clause
being attached at the insistence Of Sem
ator Charles M. Conant Of Waldo
county. the chairman Of the committee
on ways and bridges, who held that the
voters should adopt 1t II they wish 1t
or reject it IL it does not meet with
their approval.
The bill divides the bridge cost, 50