Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1916-08-23
RKrERENDUM.
Two Important Questions Submitted
to the Voters.

Two Important Questions Submitted
to the Voters.
Augusta Correspondent Bangor CommsreiaI-l
Two referendum questions will be
settled by the voters of the State at the
regular election, Sept. IL, accepting or re-
jecting the ffty-four- hour bill, so called,
which was passed by the legislature, and
the operation OF which was suspended
through the medium OF the referendum,
and the other an set for she State and
county maintenance of ali highway
bridges, which was passed by the iegis-
lature for ratification or rejection by the
people.
The wording of the question on the ac-
ceptance of the fifty four hour law is as
follows:
.sThose in favor of limiting the number
Of hours of women and minors to fifty
four in one week in accordance with the
provisions of chapter $50, public laws Of
1915, will place cross * in the square
marked Yes, and those opposed, cross
.X' in the square marked No."
The wording of the question on the
acceptance or rejection Of the highway
bridge bill is as follows:
ssThose 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 q cross * in the square marked
Yes, and those opposed will place an *
in the square marked NO.
IT, aer s..x ko,,. h;rt -h;ch - IL boipU
claimed is Ibeing strongly opposed by the
cotton manufacturers in particular and
which has the endorsement Of the Maine
Federation of Labor, provides that no
male minor under sixteen years OF age
and no female shall be employed in any
workshop, factory, manufacturing or
mechanical establishment or laundry
more than nine hours in any one day,
except when q different superintendent OF
the hours OF labor is made for the sole
purpose of making shorter days work for
one day Of the week, and in no case shall
the hours exceed fifty-four in week. -,
The bill also provides that no minor un-
der sixteen years Of age shall be employed
or be permitted to work in any OF these
esta blishments or occupations before $50
O'Clock in the morning or 1later than 6
O'Clock in in the evening.
The measure furtheriprovides that no
male minor under sixteen years OF age and
no female shall be employed in any tele-
phone exchange, employing more than
three operators or many mercantile estab-
lishmenf, store, express or transportation
company in the State more than fifty-four
hours in any ole 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
persona employed in millinery shops and
stores.
The bridge bill is . re-draft OF the one
which was originally drawn Iby Paul d.
Sargent, the chief engineer Of the Maine
State highway commission. The bill
went through both branches OF the legis-
Iature without dissension or disfgure-
ment, the referendum clause being at
tached at the insistence OF Senator Charles
NJ. Conant, OF Waldo county, the chair
man Of the committee on ways and
bridges, who held that the voters should
adopt it il they wish 1t or reject it II it
does not meet with their approval.
The bill divides the bridge cost, hfty
per cent. to be borne by the town, thirty
per cent. by the county and twenty per
cent. by the State. The town or munic-
pal officers, county commissioners and
highway commissioners Of the State shall
dec,de - m th~ urree aify t,f huildio~ an .
bridge recommended for reconstruction,
and the highway commission shall secure
plans and speci6cationsand build 1t onct it
Is approved. The State 10 authorized to ex-
pend not in excess Of i&1oo, 900 for such
construction.