Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1918-03-20

ocratic Legislature of 1911, according
to the Interpretation of this depart
ment is affected not a single iota.
This amendment becomes a part of
Section ) of Article of the Constitu-
ton. After the words but no town
shall ever be entitled to more than
seven representatives" the amendment
inserts the following: except that in
the event of a merger of towns or
cities. the new town or city shall be
allowed the combined representation
Of the former units. With this ex-
ception the section and article remain
exactly the same.
The only contingency which might
arise in which this amendment would
be at all applicable would be the 1ner-
ger OF two or more towns into one
municipality. In this case the munich
palitics combined under one local gov
eminent would retain their former
Representations. Thus if each of the
towns before the merger was entitled
70 one representative, the combined
towns would be entitled to two. Just
what call there was for such an
amendment it is rather difficult to
conjecture as there is no probability
that this situation will ever arise.
The amended section reads as fol-
lows. and taken by itself is, of course
confusing:
" Sec. 3. Each town having fifteen
, hundred inhabitants, may elect one
representative: each town having three
thousand seven hundred and fifty may
elect two; each town having six
thousand seven hundred and fifty may
elect three; each town having ten
thousand five hundred may elect four;
each town having fifteen thousand may
elect five; each town having twenty
thousand two hundred and fifty may
elect six each town having twenty
SIX thousand two hundred and fifty
may elect seven; but no town shall
ever be entitled to more than seven
representatives. except that in the
event of the merger of towns or cities.
the new town or city shall be allowed
| the combined representation of the
former units; and towns and planta-
tons duly organized, not having fifteen
hundred inhabitants. shall be classed
as conveniently as may be into dis
tricts containing that number, and so
as not to divide towns, and each such
district may elect one representative;
and when on this apportionment the
number of representatives shall be
two hundred, a different apportion-
ment shall take place upon the above
! principle; and in case the fifteen
hundred shall be too large or too small
TO apportion all the representatives to
any county, it shall be so increased
or diminished as to give the number
or representatives according to the
above rule and proportion; and when
ever any town or towns plantation or
plantations not entitled to elect a
representative shall determine against
a classification with any other town
or plantation, the legislature NAV. at
each apportionment Of representatives
on the application of such town or
plantation, authorize it to elect a rep
resentatve for such portion of time
ana such periods as shall be equal to
us portion OF representation; and the
fright OF representation so established
snail not be altered until the next
general apportionment'
When read in connection with SEQ
the matter will become entirely plain.
Section is as follows:
Sec. :. The House of Represent-
atlVes shall consist of one hundred
ana nfty-one members. to be elected
by the qualified electors from the dav
next preceding the meeting of tho
Legislature. The Legislature shall
within every period of at most ten
years, and at least five, cause the
number of inhabitants of the State to
be ascertained. exclusive of foreigners
not naturalized and Indians not taxed
The number of representatives shall.
at the several periods Of making s,Ich
enumeration, be fixed and apportioned
among the several counties as near as
may pc, according to the number of
inhabitants, having regard to the rel
ative increase of population.
Reading the two sections in con
nectlon 1t will be seen that the Con
stltution provides that the House of
Representatives. is to consist of ISL
members. This one hundred and fftv-
one IS TO be apportioned among the
10 counties as near as may be accord
lnS to the population. Section three
provides, il is true that each town
having 1900 inhabitants may elect one
representative, but this is modified bv
the provision in the same section. that
in case the 1900 shall be too large or
two small, to apportion all the renre-
sentatives to any county, it shall be 90
increased or diminished as to give the
number of representatives according
to the above rule and proportion
ment"
State House Chat