Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-25


the city auditor may be appointed by
the Mayor. splendid gentleman who
was elected over there the other day,
and this provides that he must give
a bond for the faithful performance
of his duties. Do you want to send
that over to the people of the city of
Lewiston? You have heard here to-
day that he was not against this
Why this contention at
this time? Now they talk about how
many thousand dollars this is going
to cost, and how it varies from the
principles of retrenchment that we
are talking about all over this State.
This bill provides in Section 10 that
the auditor shall received an annual
salary of $4,000 and that he may EN-
ploy such assistance as may be neces-
sary for the dispatch of public BUSH
ness; that he shall be furnished an
office in the city building and all ex-
penes authorized under this act shall
be paid by the said city, including
premium on said bond. The city au-
ditor appointed by the Mayor, work
ing together in the same double har-
ness with the Mayor, presumably of
the same political complexion, and he
is not going to be nuder control. We
do not seem to understand this If
this amounted to so much and if there
was so much argument that might
have been used against it why should
they not have appeared before the
Even now l can see no
reason why the unanimous report Of
a committee should be overturned at
this time. 1t is presumable that the
city of Lewiston had q Chamber of
Commerce when this hearing was
held. and it is preSumable that 4
great many good men, a great many
enlightened men, a great many intel
liGent men lived over there at that
time
These propositions were advertised
in the local papers, advertised well,
and no stir was created. Now / hate.
gentlemen of the House, to see a
unanimous report overturned unless
there is reason for it. The Senator
from Androscoggin presented these
bIlls to this Legislature and if the,'
are good bills and if they provide for
good laws after Il unanimous report
OF the committee, should the people
OF Lewiston have them? I feal ] can
see in this splendid city-and oh. how
they want to get out of politics I
have heard that now for several years
now the city of Auburn and the city
OF Lewiston want to get out of poll
Tics This is
there was no special opposition in the
committee, but in the other end of
this building they will lambaste it
right between the eyes, clip after
clip 50 that when they go home they
may present their sides case with
out the actual merit of the PROPOSE
ton being known: and I do hope,
gentlemen Of the House, that we will
consider this proposition in the right
llght and that the motion of the gen.
tlcEan from South Portland, Mr..
llinckle, VIII prevail.
Mr.. MAHER of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, I regret very much that [
feel constrained to say word upon
TINS matter at this time or to tax tho
patience of the House at this time.
The author OF this bill is a personal
friend of mine. For the preceding
speaker. Mr. BuzzelD, I have the
highest admiration; the gentleman
VINO made the motion, for the indefi-
mite poStponement of the House
(Mr. Hinckley), / admire
and respect. l am a member of the
JUDICIARY committee and | believe the
bill itself was desirable. I cannot
agree either with the conclusions or
with the reasoning of the gentleman
VINO has just preceded me (Mr. Buzz
ZelD, and to my mind there are wild
cr and deeper and bigger things than
the pride of opinion of any committee.
and there are wider and deeper and
bigger things than the discussion of
petty politics which may be involved
in this matter, To my mind the is
sue is simply this: When there comes
any manifest demand, an intelligent
demand for local referendum upon a
affecting local government, if
is a very serious departure from the
principles that we work under to de-
ny mat; and il | may be permitted to
that as the time moves on
ana in the cycle of things there come
changes. it may be precedent that
we nave very unfortunately tstab-
llshed. Now as | view this PROPOSE
ton, there is manifest difference
between the Auburn situation and
this particular situation. and | will
in just Il very few words to
make clear my position.
Where there is q proposition ad-
Nanced to the Legislature affecting.
government, asking for
a change, and the committee con-
that decides that there is no
need of change, in other words.
that the existing law shall remain as
1t is, then to my mind to ask a sub
mission by referendum to the local
government of that question of
whether or not they arc to initiate
n change. that should be voted down.
and it was in the Auburn matter.
The Auburn matter of ~rrcrendum
was not referendum = IN at
application Of :-jative
in way for which H. .ution
makes no provision re-
gard to this BILL when L ature
Of the State is asked to re not
q matter of police regulation under
the police power, but 4 matter related
to the distinct organic makc-up of
one of the large cities Of this State
when the Legislature is asked to
make that change. I believe that if
there is not any opposition, not any
at all, that that matter should no be
without the citizens
themselves having an nnnnrtunitr To