Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-23
Referendum Petitions.

Referendum Petitions.
Petitions are in circulation through
out the State to suspend the operation
through the medium of the referendum
of three acts passed by the last Legis-
lature-the act providing for State
paper, an act to create the office OF
commissioner of inland fisheries and
game and an act to create a commission
of sea and shore fisheries. Ten thous-
and names are required to be signed to
petitions to stop the operation Of these
acts, and these names must be filed at
the office of the secretary of State be-
fore 80 days after the adjournment of
the LEGISLATURE, which in this case, will
be on July I.
The referendum clause to the consti-
tuition provides that 'as soon as it ap-
pears that the effect of any act, bill,
resolve or resolution or part or parts
thereof has been suspended by petition,
the governor by public proclamation
shall give notice thereof and Of the
time when such measure is to be voted
on by the people, which shall be at the
next general election within six months
thereafter, the governor may, and if so
for, shall order such measure submitted
to the people at a special election not
less than four nor more than six
months after his proclamation thereof"
Those who favor referendum on the
matters at issue contend that the
people will not be able to vote on the
question next September when the re-
solves giving the governor and council
the power TO remove sheriffs and to
give women the right to vote will be
passed upon, as the time will be too
short. They claim that an election I'M
der the referendum. cannot be held I'M
til next November at the earliest.
The act providing for a State paper
is Chapter one of the public laws Of
1917, and is as follows:
The State Paper.
The Daily Kennebec Journal. a
newspaper printed at Augusta, shall be
the State paper of this State, in which
shall be published all laws and resolves
of a public nature; and also all the adj
vertiserents, rctices and orders, re-
quired by law to be published in the
State PAPER"
The New Age, a Democratic weekly
published at Augusta and owned by
Ex-Governor Frederick w. Plaisted,
has been the State paper since July,
1911.
Inland Fish and Game.
The act to establish the office of COM
missioner of inland fisheries and game
abolishes the office of commissioners OF
inland fisheries and game, the com
mission at present consisting of Hon.
Harry B. Austin Of Phillips, the chair
man. whose tern. of three years will ex-
pire next July, Hon. Leon G. G. Brown
of Milo. whose term as a member of
the commission will expire Feb. 5, 1919,
and Hon Forest H. Colby Of Bingham,
land agent and forest commissioner.
who serves as an ex-officio member of
the board.
Sea and Shore Fisheries.
The act to create<a commission Of
sea and shore fisheries abolishes the
present commissioner, Hon. Oscar H.
Dunbar Of Augusta, although the new
act creates the Office of director of sea
and shore fisheries and stipulates that
the present commissioner of sea and
shore fisheries shall be the first direct
or, he to serve at the pleasure of the
three commissioners to be appointed by
the governor, one of whom shall be a
member of the minority party.
The act provides that each COM
missioner shall hold office for term of
three years 1nless sooner removed, and
shall exercise supervision over all the
fisheries and their products taken from
M \;
GLIDING the proper enforcement of all
laws relating to the catching, packing,
curing, manufacturing, selling, brand
ing and transportation of all kinds of
picked, salt. smoked, canned or frozen
shell or other fish.
The act further provides that the
commission shall appoint a director of
sea and shore fisheries land the first
director shall be the present commits
sioner Of sea and shore fisheries), who
may he removed by them at their
pleasure; he shall receive a salary of
$4,000 per annum and shall have and
exercise personal supervision of the
work Of the department and Of the en-
forcement Of the laws relating to sea
and shore fisheries by the wardens and
shall himself possess all the powers of
warden. Fish wardens shall be ap-
pointed by the director Of sea and shore
fisheries. and shall be removable by him
at pleasure. and the term of all fish
war6ens now holding commission
from the State is hereby terminated.
Other Referendums.
Since the adoption of the referendum
amendment to the constitution in 1908,
six matters have gone to the people for
final Judgment. At the regular election
in 1910 three questions were submitted,