Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1917-08-14
Constitutional Amendments.

On the 10th of September an election
will be held in Maine, TO vote on i've
amendments to the constitution of the
state presented by the legislature at its
last session.
ton of affairs with regard to the presen-
tstion of constitutional amendments to
the voters for their action. Most intelli-
gent citizens of the state are the possess
ors OF anywhere from one to q dozen
copies of the full text of the laws passed
by session of the legislature, issued in
the form of supplements 10 the news
papers, at the expense Of the state. Aud
this nearly three months before most OF
the laws go into effect.
In the case of amendments to the con-
stitution the situation is quite different.
There is no provision for putting the
text of these amendments before the
people, and the only official notification
the voters get is the warrant for the
election, and the publication Of the bal
lot, which generally gives a brief sum-
mary Of the amendments, or perhaps
little more than their titles. 1t would
seem TO be a reasonable and sensible
proceeding to put the text of proposed
amendments on the sheet which contains
the laws passed by the legislature, and
then the voters would have q chance to
study them if they saw ft.
OF the FIVE amendments to be voted on
In September, one largely overshadows
the others In popular interest and i'm
portance. That is the woman suffrage
amendment, which gives the ballot to
women on the same terms as men. This
has been introduced in every legislature
for many years, but was first submitted
to the voters by the legislature of 1917.
Another important amendment is that
which gives the governor power, upon
complaint, notice and hearing, TO remove
a sheriff and appoint his successor, If he
finds that the sheriff is not faithfully or
efficiently performing any duty imposed
upon him by law.
A third amendment empowers the leg
islsture to authorize the dividing of
towns into polling districts. Under the
constitution as 1t stands this can be done
only In towns Of more than 1000 inhsbi
tsnts. The town of Paris, having less
than 1000, can not be divided into dis
tricts. IL the amendment is passed, IL
will permit this and other towns to have
two or more polling places II the legis-
lature so decides.
An amendment of the whole article OF
the constitution relating to the militia is
proposed. In brief, its special features
are the provisions that all commissioned
officers shall be appointed by the gov
ernor, instead of being elected by vote
Of the men under them as now, and that
the organization, armament and disci-
pline Of the militia shall be the same as
prescribed by the laws and regulations
of the United States.
One other amendment relates to the
spportionment of representatives to the
legislature. 1t Is Of comparatively little
Importance to country towns. as its main
feature Is that In case of merger of towns
or cities, the new town or city shall be
allowed the combined representation of
the former units. This means that If
Portland, which under the constitution
is limited TO seven representatives, should
annex South Portland, which is entitled
to two, IL would thereafter be entitled TO
the nine representatives of the combined
cities.