Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-27
Is THE GOVERNOR WELL WITH.
IN HIS RIGHTS?

is the Governor well within his
risats in ordering referendum?
Was it not the design and intent of
the referendum law to place in the
any unwise law of it's representa-
tives, or. was it designed to be used
by The different departments of the
Government one against another?
The Constitutional law requires a
two thirds vote OF the House and
Senate. in order to override a Gov
errors veto. Was 1t not the intent
and spirit of this law, also so to limit
the power of a Governor against fur
Their opposing the will of the people,
as expressed bv their representa-
tives?
Is it not to be supposed the people
chose and elected their representa-
tive; on account Of qualifications for
their positions the people judged
them to possess, as to honesty and
good Judgment; in fact. are they not
fairly representative Of the people?
Those who voted for them, would
they not be the same people who
would vote on the referendum? If
they were not wise in choosing repre-
sentatives, would they be in voting
on an important question such as the
water storage bills. which they could
not consider fairly. without the in
formation the Senate and House had
before them? Therefore, would many
not be more likely to be ruled by
formation? MY people are destroyed
from a lack of knowledge"
The above inquiry. addressed TO
the Journal by an old subscriber,
seems worthy of general considera-
ton. There has been some criti-
cism, we infer from comments made,
respecting the use by the Governor
of his official proclamation to an
nounce throughout the State his pur-
pose to exercise hic right, as a
private citizen, to invoke the referen-
dunn.
The doing so was not lacking in
the dramatic quality or fondness for
the spectacular. Calling for a
referendum in official form evidently
was designed to attract more notice
than Percival p. Baxter. the private
citizen, could have done. Governors
can proclaim according to their
within or fancy and in this instance
the Governor doubtless saves him.
self some effort in securing the petit
tions for referendum.
The writer of the inquiry asks fair
questions. We agree with him that
a measure having had to run the
gauntlets of, both branches Of the
Legislature and having been passed
over the Gevornor's veto by moro
than two-thirds. majority would
seem to have afforded all the demon
stration of merit which the original
makers of the Constitution supposed
necessary. Later, however. others
came along who wished to make it
possible for the people 1--WE find Moth
ing to indicate that it was thought
necessary to afford the Governor
another whack at it in his official
capacity to vote on the matter. And
herein is no prohibition of the Gov
ernor. as a private citizen. from
speaking through the trumpet with
which the State provided him.
But trumpetings afford no assur-
ance that the public will be able to
get even as clear an understanding
of the issues involved in this water
power question, as did the Legis-
lature. 1t is. however. the peoples
privilege to undertake so to do, If
ten thousand of them wish to have
tn" referendum; and certainly with
the benediction of gubernatorial
proclamation and other available ac-
cessories of promotion and propa-
ganda there ought be no difficulty in
securing that number Of signatures.