Daily Kennebec journal., 1895-03-07

gained
Referring to Mr. Marston's remarks,
he said: say, gentlemen, if we stand up
here, as distinctly Republican Legisia-
ture and say to the people OF the state
that we dare not pass measure
in the interest of the equallzing
of taxation, such as they have
been so long and SO anxiously asking Tor,
for fear of the record, say to You, gentle
men, we shall do our party no good, put
rather do it harm say to you, gentle
men, that large number OF the people
who ask for this measure are Republicans
who have stood by their party through
thick and thin. The people who are ask
ing for this legislation are conservative
lot of people, who would rather beal the
ills they have than to fly to others that
they know not Of. - When it is said by
gentlemen on the floor of this Senate
that any measures that is for the benefit
of our agricultural class will initiate
against the Republican party, / say that
these gentlemen little know the temper of
these farmers. ask you as Republican
Legislature to pass this measure as
measure of right and justice and to show
to the people of Maine that the Republi-
can party is proud to make this record and
to go to the people with this measure and
other kindred measures and say, This is
our work, and l. for one, am willing to
take the consequences.
Mr.. Waterhouse of Cumberland sec
onded the amendment of the senator from
Somerset, and said that in the present
state of financial affairs and depression of
business he did not think it was right
that the Legislature should impose fur
ther burdens on the larger towns and
cities. He quoted some figures, showing
the great gains which would probably be
made by the county of Aroostook among
others, and the heavy losses that would
be incurred by the county of Cumberland,
and said that he agreed with the senator
from Knox in believing that some per
sonal responsibility should be left upon
the towns.
The question being on the amendment
of Mr. Marston to the motion of Mr.. Wig
gin, 10 voted in the affirmative and in
the negative. The amendment was ac-
cordingly carried.
On the motion to adopt report B, the
vote was 81 to 3. Report b, ought not to
pass, was therefore adopted.
House document No. 10, majority and
minority reports of the committee on
towns on bill an act to divide the town
of Sullivan and incorporate the town of
Sorrento, specially assigned for today,
was taken from the table, the minority
report, ought to pass, having been accepted
by the House.
Mr.. Wood of Kennebec: move that the
Senate concur with the House in the
adoption of the minority report.
Mr. President: The matter Of dividing
the town of Sullivan is to my mind
simple business proposition and turns up
ON the point whether or not such action
is sound public policy. 1t has long been
the policy of the Legislature, so far as my
observation extends and SO far as 1 have
been able to learn by inquiry, that when
the interests of two sections of a town
have become DIVERSE by the development
of one section as against the other, to set
off part of said town and create a new
one, and do not recall a case of this kind
where a division was made that in less
than two years all parties have not ad-
mitted it to be the best thing that could
have happened. s-.---~-
Some criticism has been made in regard
to the size of the proposed town of Sor-
rento, territorially. Let us see whether
or not this criticism is well founded. The
present Legislature has without a dissent
ing voice either in committee or in either
House, divided the town of Gouldsboro
and created the town of Winter Harbor,
and it may be to our advantage to COM
pare the proposed town of Sorrento with
the proposed town of Winter Harbor.
1t is urged that the town of Sorrento is
thor inf in
flour square miles, True; but it is still
much larger than Portland, than Halo
well, Randolph and many other towns of
Maine. In fact Sorrento is larger than
that portion of Winter Harbor which is
settled and under development, or that is
suited for settlement, the line of division
takes in large tract because it was
owned by one of the land companies.
Winter Harbor claimed, and showed
that non-residents and summer tourists
had already expended there in improve
ments and cottages about 100000. Sor
rento showed that the same class of peo-
pie had expended over $500, 900 there.
Winter Harbor since 1886 increased
from one fourth of the towns valuation
to As per cent. Sorrento increased from
about one twelfth of the towns valua-
tion in 1886 to one fourth in 1894.
Winter Harbor claimed that the town
roads in its section were not what they
should be and that the town had not made
reasonable appropriations for better roads
at that place. Sorrento showed the same
grievance, and that the town of Sullivan
had voted down every special appropria-
tion asked for roads on that territory since
1886 except $3.50. Non-residents at Win
ter Harbor had built, at their own ex-
pense, five or six miles of roads, while at
Sorrento they have built, at their own ex
pense, seven miles of road.
In both cases the unsuitable condition
of the town roads in the territory was
urged as reason for division, but in the
case of Sorrento the roads were shown to
be in worse condition than at Winter
Harbor, and more of them.
In the case of Winter Harbor the divi
sion was made against the protest of the
entire town outside the territory, and 40
remonstrants within the territory
In the case of Sorrento every resident
of the territory, but one, and he does not
oppose, petitioned for 1t, and over 40 resi-
dents of the rest of the town also petit