Daily Kennebec journal., 1870-03-08
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Deferred Debate.

Deferred Debate.
MTHE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, March
5d on the acceptance of the report of the COM
mttee on Division Of Towns, giving leave to with
! draw on petition for the division Of westbrook.
Mr.. VOsE said, that having heard the
arguments of gentlemen on this question,
and carefully examined the majority and
minority reports, and the bill accompany
ing the latter, he confessed himself good
deal interested in behalf of the petitioners
for the division of this ancient town Of
Westbrook. 1t recalled vividly to his
mind the scenes of 1859 where the towns
which he had the honor now to represent,
then one--Frankfort-was before this leg
islature praying for the same tliing-and
he thought he could not better illustrate
the condition of the parties in this case
ence in the division of a town.
] A large number of the respectable citi-
zens of Frankfort, in 1859, presented their
petition to the Legislature to be divided
on a certain line. They were represented
by respectable delegation before the
Committee, and opposed by large re-
monstrancc equally represented here.
At that time they appeared here very
much as these petitioners have--nOt over
excited nor unreasonablv bitter-they had
leave to withdraw. Then began the "irre-
preside conflict" What was before at
. tempted in a mild and reasonable manner,
soon eliminated in the bitterest animosi-
tles-the two parties commenced at once
to plan for the contest--former friendships
were broken unceremoniousiy Some OF
our most respectable townsmen, because
conservative, not wishing to ally them
selves with either party, were substantial
ly ostraciscd, feuds were engendered,
businessIrelations oflong standing severed,
petitions and remonstrances taken to every
mans door, town meetings called until
the session of 1860 when tie parties about
100 on each side came over here, where
they soon satisfied the legislature they
meant to fight it out on that line if it took
all winter; the result was Il division, but
not on the line prayed for. But the claim
was pressed at subsequent legislatures till
in 1867 they got what was asked for at
first. after eight years of labor and a,lan ex-
pense, everything considered, of more
, than eight thousand dollars. And sadder
than all, time has not yet healed all the
wounds cngendcred by the fight. Such
+ delay in these cases when town is large
f and a respectable number of its citizens
call ON us to divide them. Let us exam
inc this case.
: Westbrook contains thirty-three square
miles of territory, about 1850 voters, Il
+ valuation of y, 800, 900 If divided, West
brook will contain 1S square miles, about
700 voters, and about 81 ,i00, 900 of valua-
ton. Oakland ID square miles, about 800
voters, and 81 200 900 of valuation. They
will rank as the Sth and 9th tocns in this
State in valuation and population. 654 le-
gal voters petition for division. 600 remon-
strate, and the remainder are presumed tobe
! neutral. They come before us with a ma
jority report giving the petitioners leave to
withdraw, signed by five members of the
Committee, and minority report signed
by four, with a bill accompanying
He then took the majority report and
criticized it in detail; said the inference
naturally drawn from the reasoning was
that on the line would be built fence
with gates or bars obstructing the free
passage in the streets; that it would be
farther from Westbrook to Portland than
before division, &c. said it reminded him
of an old crochety gentleman who once
lived in the north part of Hampden, who
said, when asked why he opposed the all
neXation of that part of Hampden to Ban
gor, THAT it was sickly enough here now
without going into Bangor" This idea
jority report and the arguments adduced
on this floor.
The question he wanted answered was
what Inconvenience will arise? who
will suffer? is division the inevitable re-
suit? have 654 petitioners sent up to us
their prayer with the determination to
keep on praying till their prayer is answer
edp will the remonstants suffer wrong by
the division? will their taxes be higher?
will their schools be less useful, their high
ways less passable. their property less val
liable?
No answers have yet been given to these
queries. Every reason yet urged by gen.
tlemen on this floor in behalf of the re-
monstrants is purely selfish, and the weak
ness of the reasons why there should not
be IL division set forth i'll the majority re-
port is evidence that no stronger reasons
exist. The reasons he urged why they
should divide Westbrook. were:
; lst. The people are nearly divided in
sentiment. They cvince determination
that nothing short of division will satisfy
I'd. 1890 voters are too many people to
be together to do business in IN orderly
and understanding manner; on exciting
questions so many cannot be controlled.
3D. Their interests are diverse. Oak
, land, the new town, joins Portland, and
there is desire to have better roads, bet
, ter schools. good sidewalks, larger outlays
to beautity and adorn their public grounds.
cemeteries, and public buildings, thereby
making the town more attractive. and in
duce immigration, &c, which now the
whole town of course refuses to do. They
do not ask to be set off to avoid their
share of the public burdens, but to tax
thnm mora for publip improVpmppts
Said he was willing to concede that they
knew best what their wants were, and as
no injustice was shown to be likely to be
done, their petition should be granted.
Each individual case of divisions should
be decided upon its own merits. We must
not look for clear and unanswerable argu-
ments in cases of this kind. The petition
ers always anticipate the future and pre-
pare to meet it before their reasons cul-
inmate into incontrovertible facts.
These petitioners come to us strong in