Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-02-28


the indirect benefit which comes to all til Q
inhabitants of town in improved sewer
age, and improved methods of sanitation,
and in the better fire protection to all.
Beyond that are the direct blessings which
come in the way of lessened taxation.
These water plants are profitable; they
become in the hands of the municipalities
an asset which will lessen the burdens OF
taxation upon all the inhabitants. Take
for illustration my own city. we pald
for the plant what was thought by some
to be a large amount. We have laid out
thousands and thousands of dollars in ex-
tensions and improvements, and we are
earning from that plant today about Sl2,
900 annually over and above the cost OF
operating and the interest charges. Why,
in the very act which gave us authority
to buy these water works, we were re
quired to lay aside ] per cent. in order
that the water users might get the benefit
of the profit of that plant.
Now, we say that when there is any
thing which all must have and all must
pay for, that it is better that all should
own and control it; or, at least. that it is
wise that towns should have the oppor-
tunity to own and control their systems
if they wish to.
desire ut this point to say this in re-
gard to the effect of this amendment-it
is not an amendment the effect of which
will be to throw to the towns free rein to
build water systems when anu where they
please Should this amendment he
adopted it will be necessary then, as it is
now, for the town which desires to buy
or build water system to come to the
Legislature for the authority to do SO, for
no town can buy or build without using
the right of eminent domain, which only
the Legislature can grant. l very much
doubt whether a town can go into the
business of furnishing water to its citizens
without Legislative permission.
Before pass to what may be after al!
the more practical subject of discussion,
namely, the one of credit, l wish to an
swer an objection which is sometimes
urged, and that is, that granting that
towns ought to own their water supplies.
that it is expedient for them to do so. still
it is inexpedient to amend the constitu-
ton so that they may have the privilege
of doing it, for the reason that this will
be an entering wedge. He who urges this
objection admits that this object is u good
one, but says that at some other day and
before some other Legislature, some I'M
worthy object will appear here and ask
for the same privilege. Are gentlemen
unwilling to trust future Legislatures
upon this point with the known repug-
nance there is in the public mind to per-
nit towns unwiscly to incur debt. Has
anyone any doubt that future Legisla-
lures will deal wisely with these propo
sitions as they arise, and if such Il propo-
sition shall arise which is worthy,
which demands that the constitution
should be enlarged in order that it may
have free scope are you not willing 1t
shall be done?- And above all. are you
not willing that these propositions as they
arise, one after another, called for by the
public, needed by the public shall at least
be submitted to the public vote, that the
people of the State may in the end deter
mine whether they desire the privilege or
not? We are their servants. In only
very slight and remote sense are we at all
the guardians of the people. They are
our masters. And if it seems that the
municipal ownership and control of water
are desirable, there can be no valid reason
why the people should not be permitted to
vote upon the question.
If you ask who wants it, look at the pc
titions which have come here in aid of the
constitutional amendment. They are %
in number, are signed by 400 names,
and are from every county in the State
save one. l have been written to by
more than one individual to send blank
petitions that they might circulate
them in their towns, and in that
way aid in procuring this amendment
They do not represent corporate organiza-
tions. They do not represent any allied
power like the savings banks. They come
from over seventy towns in this State,
signed by leading citizens. leading
financiers, leading bank men; the
leaders in society and business affairs
of the various towns The citizens are the
ones who have signed these petitions and
sent them here for your consideration
And 10 you think--if there are any of you
who are opposed to the amcndment-do |
you think that this tide can be indcfin-
itely stayed If you deny this time, two
years later when those who succeed us
shall meet where we are now meeting an
irresistible food of public opinion will |
pour into the State House and compel the |
giving Of this right. You can no more |
stay the incoming tide of public opinion
in this subject than the old Saxon king
could keep back the incoming waves of
the Atlantic ocean. We stand here upon
solid ground. 1t is the people who pay
the bills 1t is the people who use the |
water. And the people have a right to
he allowed to buy it and own it, and con-
troll it for themselves. Who opposes?
And this leads me to discuss the second |
for the only objection that |
have heard anybody raise is the objection
raised by certain savings banks in this
State, that to enlarge the constitutional |
debt limit In any way would tend to |
weaken the financial credit of the munich
paiities Of this State. The savings banks /
appear in front. The savings banks have
assumed the burden of the remonstrants.
1t appeared, however, at the bearing that
the savings banks had followed the leader
ship Of one or two banks in Portland, who
had caused the Inconsistencies to be pre-
pared. had them sent out and requested
the banks to sign and they followed the