Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-01-20

Ordered. That the Judiciary Committee be
instructed TO inquire into the expedlency OF
reporting bill to prevent double taxatioh-
Mr.. TALBOT from the Judiciary Committee
reported legislation inexpedient on order re-
Iating to amending the constitution IN regard
to certificates of election of representatives
Mr.. HALL from the same committee made
the same report on order relating 10 the eN-
pediencv of codifying all constitutional and
statutory provisions touching elections, for
the use of municipal officers.
Mr. EMERY from the Committee on Legal
Affairs reported ought to pass on bill an act
TO Incorporate the Dyer Library Assoclatloh-
Read and assigned.
Mr. KING from the Judiciary Committee
reported legislation inexpedient On order re-
lating 10 amendment of the constitution so as
TO abolish the Executive Council and elect
State auditor.
Mr. MckUsIcK, from the Judiciary Com
mttee. reported ought not 10 pass on bills to
amend the city charters of Augusta and
Calais.
Mr. FLINT. from the same Commute. re-
ported legislation inexpedient on order reiat-
ing 10 amending the election laws so as to
allow soldiers who are public beneficiaries to
vote in the towns and cities in which they re-
side.
oH IDIibU Oh MI sNiEol LDt iDlloH III
Senate order was taken from the table:
Ordered, That Joint Select Committee of
three on the part of the Senate. with such as
the House may join, be appointed TO contract
with some suitable person or persons to do
the State printing and binding for the current
wears of 1881 and 1882, subject TO the APPROX
al of the legislature.
The question on the motion of Mr..
BESSER of WaldobOro', to amend Ivy striking
out the word contract and all thereafter.
and inserting in lieu thereof the following
issue specifications for the State printing
and binding for the years 1881 and los2, adj
vertise for sealed proposals and contract
therefor with the responsible bidder or bid
ders. whose proposals shall be the lowest,
and report said contract or contracts to the
legislature by resolve"
Mr. SrRoUr of Portland did not desire to
discuss the order, but it seemed to him that
the methods pursued in years past were quite
proper, and that the committee having the
matter in charge ought not TO be controlled
by any special provision such as contained in
the amendment. He thought the gentlemen
composing the committee could safely be
trusted to take care of the interests of the
State. He was aware that there was GER
tain fairness of sound in the expression $50
the lowest bidder" but in matter like this
where the interest of the State was involved,
he thought it proper to reserve the right To
reject proposals made, because the lowest bid
not always the most advantageous to the
government. He thought the committee
should have discretionary power in relation
to the matter.
Mr. BExSrR of Waldoboro' had no inter
est at stake in introducing the amendment.
but he considered that such an amendment
was called for by the Importance of the ques-
tion. He understood that the usual custom
had been to leave the matter to the discretion
of the committee, and he understood that his
amendment so left il.
Mr.. kEEGA> of Van Buren, said the gen
tleman from Portland Mr.. Strou') had re-
marked that there was a certain fairness of
sound in the expression To the lowest bid
der" So the friends of the amendment
thought. There was about il something
more. II had a certain fairness of substance.
The matter of dollars and cents was matter
of substance. The matter of printing. he
apprehended. was like anything else. In the
first place, it should be ascertained what was
to be done, and then specif cations should be
issued, as in any other contract. and finally al
low the men to do the work who will per
form it the cheapest. lie had no personal
feelings rs to who should do the work, and
would as lief the present State printers OBJ
tain the contract as anybodv else. if they did
it as low. 1t was matter that cost the State
large amount each year and he could see
no reason why the legislature should not act
the part of business men and award it to the
lowest bidder.
Mr. MORRILL, of Augusta favored the order
1t came from the Senate, and hoped the
amendment would not be adopted. The or
der was broad. 1t appeared to him TO invite
the attention of those prepared to do the
work on such principles As all business men
would like to have work done.
Bids by irresponsible parties were
not desirable. The first thing which
he would ask if it were Il matter of his
own. and he would act for the State As he
would if the affair were his, Has the party
applying for the work, the facilities for doing
the business as promptly as desire it to be
done?" secondly, is he capable of doing ii? q
If those queries were answered in the affirma-
tive then he would make a fair contract to do
the business at fair price, every time. He
would do that in his own business, and he
would not deviate from that course in the
legislature to save his State from paving a
dollar that it ought to pay the laborer for his
services. He was actually amazed that the
gentleman from over the way Mr. keegan)
who was the laborer's friend par excellence.
should make the proposition to press
down the man who works at the printing
table to the very lowest possible figure. In
the end there would be no saving in this.
Gentlemen who had been transacting this
business on that or some other plan were
already here with petitions to have made up
10 them large sums that they claimed had
been disallowcd by the Governor and Coun-
Gil. for Just and sufficient reasons. no doubt
He hoped that the committee would be raised
and instructed contemplated by the Senate
order and that every man upon it would be
a practical printer if it were possible to find
them in the House. And if they could not
be found he would have the committee call
to its aid practical printers to give testimony
as to the offers made.
Mr.. KEEGAS of Van Buren, replied. claim
ing that the Senate order was altogether too
broad. He declared himself friend of the
laboring man. who was not confined to the
kennebec Journal office. He claimed that the
amendment was broader than the order be-
cause it was broad in the right direction. 1t
was broad and long, giving every laboring
man a chance.
Mr.. SWAN of Minot. looked at the matter
as one of business, and it was the duty of
the Legislature TO get the work done as low
possible. 1t was well known that the
State was largely in debt Many towns were
nearly bankrupt. Thousands of farms had
been sold for taxes. The duty owed to the