Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-14

Jne x22S, GOO asked or, in addition IN
addition to the $40, 900 already paid,
would make s66S, 600 in all or an addition
OF Sf6S, GEO to the amount already author
lied Sixty thousand dollars remain I'M
expended, which can only be applied to
the extension to Van Buren,. and this
would reach half way to your town. The
people Of that part Of the county, who are
already accommodated with railroad facili-
ties, would be very ungrateful if they are
not willing to aid the people of Van Buren,
and Ashland in having the same railroad
facilities extended to them, and if the b.
81 A. r. R. Co arc not willing to build
the same within reasonable time, then let
the aid be given to any company that will
do So
1t will be impossible for me to come to
Augusta at this time
Very truly yours,
ALBERT A. BURLEIGH.
And my amendment provides for that
very thing. Does this bill come here
backed up by the people Of Aroostook
county? | know it was prepared in law
Office in the city of Bangor. l know that
it never saw the county of Aroostook, and
know that nobody in Aroostook county
asked for it. / don't understand that
there is one single man representing any
district in the county of Aroostook who
says that his constituents are asking this
/ don't understand that there is one
member of the delegation who pretends to
believe that majority Of his constituents
will vote for it if presented. l do know
that nearly every one of them has said
that the people of Aroostook county will
never vote for it. If that be so there is
no reason why you should pass a measure
that in itself is a most fragrant breach of
faith as was ever perpetrated or asked to
be perpetrated by Legislative body. And
if any of my friends wish to take the other
position, that the people of the county
may be deluded into voting for this, then
answer that you of this House are our
last bulwark against an abominable
wrong, which it is expected the citizens of
the rest of Aroostook county will per-
petrate upon us. But they say, all we ask
is to let the people vote. That is a very
subtle arguments. My friend from Bath
wanted the people to vote on the prohibit
tory amendment, and he could only get a
total of ID. You said, the people shall not
vote My friend from Androscoggin In
the other branch wanted the people of the
different towns to vote ON the matter Of
having pure water, but the Senate said
they should not have that privilege. We
have got constitution and Legislature
to watch over the people of the State, SO
they shall not have the privilege if they
will of voting upon every foolish and
improper measure. san
| want to read another provision of this
bill:
"But'if majority of the ballots cast
and returned as aforesaid are opposed to
said proposition, then after the expiration
of six months from the date of said first
meeting, said commissioners upon the
written application of 100 or more legal
voters residing in said county, shall apoint
a second day for meeting to vote upon said
proposition, in the same manner hereinbe-
fore provided for, but no more than two
votes shall be thus taken upon this propo-
sition.
My friend from Limestone (Mr. Leavit)
would not allow Deering to vote on the
question whether it should be annexed to
Portland, but he is quite willing that in
this matter they should have not only one
hack at the people Of Aroostook, but in
six months that they shall have a chance
to tackle them n second time. That Is
the proposition that is submitted to you,
not one vote but two. Suppose the people
accept it the first time and they change
their minds within six months, have they
q right to vote again? Oh, no, no vote
for them.
On the goth of April, 1891, the people
of Aroostook did vote and they voted half
a million dollars. The proposition was
that that money should be expended for
this main line, including the branch from
Caribou to Van Buren,. l ask If there
will be anything more sacred in second
vote? Why dom you observe the condi-
tions of the first vote? Every man in
Van Buren, who voted, voted for this ex-
cept one, and was that one, because L
had my doubts and suspicious l said,
s'When these other parts of the county are
provided for, they will all join hands to
rob us of our share" Why in the name
of Heaven don't you respect the first vote
they gave? They voted that that road
should go to Van Buren,. Mr.. Burlcigh
said they wanted to go there to connect
with the Grand Trunk. They told us
that that was the advantage there was in
it. Now they say, "We don't want to 20
to Van Buren, because we don't want to
make connection with other routes" The
very argument that was used to deceive
our people in the matter, today is used as
o good reason why they should not be
compelled to 60 there.
I, But they plead poverty. have provided
in the amendments that the company need
not furnish one cent. All we provide Is
for the grading of the road, and If the
county's money is not sufficient for our
share of the line they need not put in one
dollar. We simply ask that If you au-
thorize the people of the county to vote
which we tYtist you will not-but If you
do, in the event of their voting s22S, 600
more, in t7iat event they shall be compelled
to do thssgrading as far as Van Buren,,
which under the provisions of the first
loan they were to do. Is there anything
in that? In view Of the act
of 1891, backed up by the written and
spoken words of the president of the road,
ask if the people did not have right to
expect and believe that in this matter they
were being considered and being provided
forg The people Of Van Buren, were as
sured by the president of the company, in
writing and by word of mouth, by the
sworn testimony of the directors, by the
faith of the State of Maine,
that if they voted this sum they were to