Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-02-14
-, - ,h., ;ssue before this legislature;

80, ,o that issue before this legislature;
hut seorn to do il. 1t is question:
that rises above partizanship. IL Is
ouestion IF craftsmanship. 1t Is =
ddnost;o, of absolute Justice. of right IL is
= ouestion of whether YOU viii cripple In" @
Tho are crippled now. Ii is a question "t
xhe,her YOU will strike down those who are
struggling to hold their own. II Is no ques-
tion Of party. There is no partizinship IN H.
/ scorn to appeal TO that issue before t'''s
Legislature. although might safely 10 IT,
ask no man to vote for my sIie oF REASON Va
| his being a republican | ask no man 10 'oie
for it bv reason of his being OF any parry ou'
| do appeal TO Won. gentlemen. To vote '!o*n
this proposition OF division. or the efo"i'i ci
absolute ius,jce. right and public policy.
Now what has Rockland done. that she de-
serves to be divided? She has had but
short history, it is true. But twenty SIX
years since she came up from town and be-
! came CITY: and vet, in that time. she mas
not been altogether a useless daughter OF thiS
State. She has poured into your treasury
| $3.50 900 in taxes. She has poured into knox
county 500 600 of its taxes: and II you al
| low her to go on and prosper, she Will con-
| tjnue to do the same thing 10 the end' ana
not onIy that. nut she will stand by her debt
She gave her full share of blood AMI treas
ure TO save the country, and she will not be
altogether without some renown so long a.
the name of Berry shall he remembered.
| have heard eminent gentlemen make the
| suggestion that we shall never get nd oil TINS
| fight let her go: cut her off: she never VIII
cease to vex and annoy: she will never cease
her importantly to be cut away. Bat | ask
YOU if that is an argument. that will move
| members of this Legislature the argument
| tba nf common sense !.
| Is there anv argument in it? Remember IT
was the unjust Judge who feared not God nor
regarded man that was Influenced by thar ar
gument.
Gentlemena AS long as any spirit remains IN
Rockland so long will it resist upon the
floor of this House this proposition; not only
because of the injustice to its citizens but be-
cause of the best interests of the petitioners
themselves for verify believe that 1t Is for
the best interest of Ward to remain part
and parcel of us. know she can never run a
town on eight mills on dollar. But she Is
doing it now. SO, whether You apply the
argument to West Rockland or Rockland,
say that the prosperity of both parties re-
quires that we shall remain together rs we
have for twenty-six wears prosperous. happy
harmonious. Don't, then, interfere with onr
credit. Don't take from us the right of tax
ID
debts. Dent subject us, bv crippling us.
to the danger of bankruptcy.
| West Rockland? Why Hest Rockland!
Why not Rockland: The only Significance
of the name is the limestone. the rock in her
centre, around which she has grown up, from
which has been drawn her prosperity, which
has given her some little fame as the producer
of one of the business staples of this country.
This rock gave her name. 1t is arpropri.
ate and significant for the city as whole,
but if you will divide us from this rock. if this
part of our city must go, if the city must be
deserted in her sorest need
| BY those her former bounty fed
and with them shall go all that gives the name
of Rockland any meaning, then give them her
name also. We will sail under no false coiors.
What you will leave u.s. is fiat skirting the
shore: it has no rock. Call us anything but
Rockland. Great applause.
The yeas and nays were taken resulting in
the adoption of the minority report giving
the petitioners leave to Withdraw. by 4 vote
II to So.