Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-23
Daily Sta'.ebst journal.
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
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fred. They are gentlemen in every sense
of the word, but, gentlemen, with one
or two exceptions they are everyone Of
them county officers and, today. are re-
ceiving salaries from our county and re-
side at the county seat in Alfred. | sim
ply say to you leave it to York county
and she will settle the whole matter We
certainly know from what have said and
what you gentlemen know that Biddeford
and Saco are no menace to the rest Of this
county, when they are in a hopeless min
ority so far as being able to control by
their ballots any legislation or anything
of that kind. Must we go back to our
people and tell them that the State Of
Maine has refused this reasonable, this
fair, this honest, this modest re-
quest upon their part. j can
not conceive that such will be
the action Of this House no matter what
the Senate has seen fit to do. This is a
matter that cannot be suppressed Old
York county, the third in this State, will
not be rebuffed. She claims the right
which you have accorded to other coun-
ties in this State and which you have
hitherto always accorded. | ask you, gen.
tlemen is there any reason why old York
county should not be allowed to settle this
matter herself: Do not, beg of you, be
Influenced by what any man or men may
have said here on this matter who are
privately interested, but look at
it fairly and squarely and judge
for yourself whether or not you
would like this privilege accorded to
your county If you were similarly stu
ated. We only ask that the people of
York county may go to the ballot box at
a proper time and proper occasion and de-
eide this matter for themselves. We do
not ask that this question be submitted
without discussion and without plenty of
time for preparation. We have put it off
until next September and we will then
have the matter discussed all over the
county, and plans and specifications will
be produced showing what such buildings
will cost Saco has already offered to
give $50, 900 toward the liquidation of
whatever expenses may be incurred in
the change of the county seat. But
that is question which York county
alone should consider and not you, gentle
men who are here from other sections of
the State. In conclusion, gentlemen, i
ask once more chat you give this fair,
honest and careful consideration. Do
not be influenced by anything else other
than the merits Of the question. Let 1t
remain in your minds that we are corr
sistent, fair minded, upright people, and
simply ask at your hands the privilege of
voting upon this matter ourselves.
Mr. Moulton of Sanford said: The ques-
ton u.s. is there any imperative demand
for anything Of this kind? Who has called
for it? The cities of Biddeford and Saco
have come out flat-footed and ask for this
measure. Saco is about the size of my
town. Sanford. Biddeford is a large manu-
featuring town. They want the courts
moved to BiIdeford or Saco. But do they
need any more courts than they now havey
There are three terms of supreme court
year in York county. The January term
is now held in Biddeford. Saco has
municipal court with a jurisdiction OF
$780, Biddcford, just over the river, has
u municipal court with II jurisdiction OF
500. We have not another municipal
court in the county of York. In Sanford
VIC have nothing but trial justice with
Jurisdiction of 500. II these courts are
moved to Biddeford, we have got to go
from 10 to 80 miles to have any business
done that calls for anything moro in the
way Of jurisdiction than $50. Saco has
gained in valuation between 500 ana
$500 in 80 years. Sanford has gained in
Is years of that time, $ii70. We do not
want to see these courts removed. But
they say leave it TO the people There
have been certain measures before us in
RECORD to the constabulary and police of
Biddeford and Saco. They had certain
element there that they did not dare to
trust; and venture to say that same ele-
iment is there now. Alfred is convenient
point. We do not want to go to the in
convenience of leaving it to the people.
We want to concur with the Senate. They
have put the stamp of their condemnation
on this by vote of Is to 10, and both
sides of the question were ably presented
there What will it cost the tax payers IL
this change is made? The county com
missioner, living in Biddeford, says that
they can build a court house and jail lor
$75, 900. / do not believe it can or Will be
done for that The jail in this city cost
s125. 600, and Saco or Biddeford would not
want to build jail to cost less than that
I We have Jail in Alfred that cost some
$40, 900. We have added two wings to the
scourt house costing $50, 600. We have got
court house that answers the purpose. II
these buildings in Alfred are abandoned,
there Is $tO,UVU WoTbu VI pIcpclos tieAe
will not be worth five cents on dollar.
We do not want to put our hands in our
pockets and pay for what we don't need.
All we ask is to be let alone in this mat
ter.
Mr.. Boothby of Saco said that the ques
ton Of convenience and finance and rela
tive population of towns are better under
stood by the people of York county, and he
did not think they were involved in tais
discussion. The question is simply this
viii you allow the people of York county
to settle a matter of vital interest to them
in their own way by going to the ballot
box and depositing their ballots in favor OF
this proposition or against it, If this was
a new question that never had been hearu
of in York county before, then we might
enter upon its consideration with feennss
of doubt and hesitation, but the TACT rs
that this has been in the air in that county
for years Both sides of the question nave
been discussed over and over again, year
after year. / think it cannot be denied
that the feeling in relation to change
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