Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-04-19

proper consideration and making Of the
laws.
''That is for the people to adjust as they
see fit. The referendum is supposed to
be the cure.
Another peculiar feature Of the consti-
tuition is that the governor shall be elect
ed by qualified electors and shall hold
his Office for two years from the nrst
Wednesday Of January.
1.-THE councillors are chosen by each
legislature which presumably would
mean that they hold over from the be-
ginning of one legislature. the first
Wednesday Of the year to the beginning
of the next legislature while the COVER
nor holds two years only.
Governor Haines, for instance, took
office on the first Thursday following the
first Wednesday Of January, which was
on January 2, 1913, and the present gov
ernor came in on the Thursday following
the first Wednesday Of January. which
was January Z, 1915.
LAS there are 365 days in a year. you
will know that Governor Haines' term OF
office was 734 days which is four days
over two years.
Now my term started January T. 1915.
The next governor comes in on January
4, 1917 If you will count the days you
will see that have less than two years
| by three days, eight days less than the
| former governor.
THE question now arises whether the
President of the Senate should have act
ed as Governor from January to jan
uary in 1915, and whether from January
to January in 1917, there will be two
governors.
| IF it is the same governor. which time
| will tell, does the four days belong on
| his first administration or his second?
| OF course the situation is ridiculous.
eve might go on indefinitely with
these questions, but if such inconsist-
| encies in the constitution are satisfactory
to the people the officials should find no
| fault.
"All indications, however, point to the
| fact that the politicians have gradually
taken from the governor the power to en-
force the laws, but have succeeded in
having the blame fastened to him. show
ing that the politicians of the past have
been walking hand in hand with the
criminal influences of the State by MAX
ing it more and more difficult to enforce
the laws by reason of divided authority.
but still using the governor as the mark.
"All this can be remedied if the legis-
lature cares to take the initiative.
''Section 10, Article IA, reads: The
| legislature shall by two-thirds concur
rent vote of both branches have the
power to call constitutional conventions.
/ The question is: Is 1t worth while? Many
decisions have been made by the supreme
courts of the past, and they will con-
tinue to be made in attempting to inter-
pref the meaning of the words and
phrases of the constitution. as well as
to reconcile the different articles.
Perhaps it is sufficient; but to my
mind, collect them all together and they
will compare favorably with the -.confu-
sion Of the tongues at the Tower of
Babel
lone word more: it requires strong
man in the executive chair and one who
has had sufficient experience in public
affairs to be able to discern what power
there may be hidden in the constitution
and the laws. Otherwise, we can expect
nothing else than to drift along until the
lightning strikes sufficiently hard to call
the inefficiency to our attention.
| In the preamble OF the CONSTITUTION, II
commences with these words: we. the
people of Maine, in order to establish
justice, insure tranquility, provide for
our muutla defense. promote common
welfare, etc.
HAS the constitution promoted tram
guilty by causing the governor to take
an oath he has not the power to fulfill,
as stated by Ex-Chief Justice Emery"
Following his address he answered a
large number of questions, perhaps the
most striking reply being to one d.
rected to him by H. L. Emery, who ask
ed, Governor, do you mean to imply
that the constitution has been DELHI
erately doctored so that the governor
! would not have the power to enforce
the prohibitory law" to which the re-
ply was Yes" In reply to other ques-
tions he declared that constitutional
convention was needed in the State, and
that he nor anybody else knew just
what were the powers Of the governor
Following his address and questions he
was taken to the Colby chapel, where
he was to speak before the Colby Dem.
ocratic club. number Of his auditors
at the church following to the chapel
The banks will be closed all day