Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-03-17

1claf4 IN Statf v3sxfs-
Po1IcE Roasp BIIL-
The Honse having under consideration.
on It's p.sssge 10 be engrossesi. the bill TO
establish = boani Of police for the city OF
Bi.detori.
Mr. P.srker Of Danfsrsh mosed that the
bill be insie fina'els postponed.
Mr.. Bird Of Portland, saii tbs, the bill
is p;eee Of special legislation. ike shat
which passed the House ten days ago.
This mpruiug We have received = very apt
illustration of the effects of saeh legisla-
ton. Tits morning the city Of Auburn
comes here and asks for spes Isl act to
relieve il from the act of this House passed
ten days ago. The reasons assigned for
this proposed hill are. that Biddeford is
corrupt, thAt her people are unable to govern
themselves, AMI that the strong hand Of the
State must be laii upon this little city of
Is. o1a inhabitants. They say because Bos-
ton with half q million of inhabitants has
police commission that therefore the
little city of Riadeford with i5,0a0 must
have the same. Has there been any speei-
featiaa of deeds committed in Bisideferd
which requires this action? | say no.
The detailed account made by the
gentleman from Saco read very much like
the accounts l have beard of other cities in
this State. Not one specification has been
alleged to call for any such action as this.
The time has been when cities which have
defended themselves against the invasion of
their chartered rights, have gone down into
history with the applause of mankind. They
allese the increase of taxation, but this
bill itself calls for extra taxation. 50 long
as the citizens of Biddeford do not COM
plain Of their taxes, what has this House
10 do with the question? ! say to the ma
jority here that if you do this thing You are
doing that of which You will be ashamed.
Ii this bill passes, if passes in the face of
the protest of the minority who are helpless,
and if passed. is passed for partisan pur-
pose. II the majority of this House can
afford to take such course, if upon due
deliberation and in the calm morning mo-
ments of the day, without agitation. without
appeal TO sentiment without appeal 10 par
tisan rancor, they can do this act, then let
them take the consequences. applause
Mr.. Higgins of Limerick said that the
speaker had alluded to the previous action
of the House in reference, he supposed, to
the city of Portland. say to every mem
Der of this House of both sides, that ! am
proud of the position took upon
that matter, and | leave it to the
gentleman himself if subsequent
events in that city at the very last election
did not justify upon every ground the action
of this House.
Mr.. Bird-No.
Mr.. Higgins-If it had not been for the
action of this House, the infamy of that
ial tb,rn,,ub
With one of the distinguished members of
the gentleman's party behind prison bars
for his action upon that occasion, ii
is not right for him to stand
here and taunt the members of this House
with their action. 1t is proper to say that
the party as a whole are in no way guilty
of the actions there. Now we are reminded
that this is being made a party question.
The gentleman himself speaks in behalf of
a party alone, and it is in behalf of party
alone that | speak The committee have
investigated the charges here, and
majority of the committee have reported
in favor of this bill, and the matter is now
left To your candid consideration, and by
our judgment we will be bound.
Mr.. Belleau of Lewiston said that though
when lie was elected to the House he was
elected as Democrat, yet when he entered
the House he left]behind him his partisan
ship and came here as a citizen indepen-
dent of politics Two years ago few
men in Lewiston asked this House to give
Lewiston police commission People
stood in this House regardless of party and
opposed that measure. They said it was
class legislation That bill failed of a
passage Are the people of Lewiston here
asking for police bill for Lewiston at this
session? They have found that it
would lie bad for Lewiston to have
police commission. 1t is SAID that
the respectable people of Biddeford ask for
this police commission | fail to see it.
Here is u representative from Biddefortl,
who represents two-thirds of the population
of that city, who has been member of this
Legislature twice, and he tells me that the
people of Bit!leford do not want
any such measure imposed upon them. Do
you suppose if Biddeford was as corrupt as
some would have us believe. that the peo-
pie there would not rise in their might and
do to that city government what the people
of Augusta did here on Monday last? Would
they not, il may use the expression, kick
them out of power: You'll they
not do AS the people of Auburn
did two weeks ago: | have as
much faith in the people of Biddc7
ford as have in the people of Auburn or
Augusta or Lewiston. Biddefori does not
demand this bill. Perhaps the whole trouble
then grew out of the naturalization matter
in that city few years ago.
The people of that city were
not to blame at all. After the matter be-
came settled those people who had been
DISTINGUISHED acted as law-abiding citizens.
This bill goes to the bottom of our form of
government. 1t is none of the States bus
mess whether Bildeford has 80 police or
100 1t is d matter for them to consider.
Let US keep to the policy that has been pur-
sued these hundred years. Let the cities
look after their own interests and everything
will be safe.
Mr. Powers of Houlton said he did not
rise 10 discuss the question at all, but sim
ply to enter his protest gainst the assertion
that this House has been engaged in bad
legislation, when the sequel iustifes what
was done Reference has been made to
the ward line bill. The bill was made ap-
phcable to all cities. The wisdom
if its application to Portland
has been demonstrated beyond all cavil
NbW lills U1Pasuft tDUts ffttrf u.s. 1t Has
been submitted to committee and that
committee says that state of things exist
that requires this bill Whether they have
decided rightly or wrongly is for the House
to Judge That this Legislature has the
right, that it is its dutv TO interfere in any
case where there is not good government,
where the police force does not look after
law and order cannot be questioned. They
have done it in Massachusetts, in New York
and New Hampshire. The right of the
Legislature is uBquestioned.
Mr. Lane of Augusta; The legislation
upon ward lines supported because it APP
piled to all the cities of the State. This
legislation in regard to the city of Bidde-
ford opposed because it does not apply to
all the cities of the State. and because it
does not contain the provisions contained in
the ward line bill propose the follo~iug
amendment: Strike out section eight and
insert the following; This act shall take
effect when accepted by a majority of the
registered voters of the city of Biddeford
at an election duly notified for that pur
pose" Applausel.
am willing to leave the business of the
cities of this State at any and all times
to the majority of the registered voters. |
do not believe, because the city of Augusta
when came to this House was Republican
and is now Democratic, that it should be
governed by any commission appointed by
the Governor. | would not vote for any
police bill that is to be forced upon any
city unless a majority of the voters of that
city concur in its acceptance. | move the
adoption of this amendment. Applause.
Mr. Morrill, of Portland said he did not
believe that this proposed act is special
legislation. Suppose the same state of
facts existed in every city of the State
would not every member of this House be
in favor of passing general law II this