Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-27
Daily Atlauehft SputuaI.
MAIZE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from page 81

marked. So this bill is no experiment
l hope it will have favorable considera
ton.
Mr.. Howe of Milo. said that il, as til,
gentleman from Greene has argued, thi.
is good thing and should be tried ster
by step, If we adopt the amendment
offered by the gentleman from Blanchard
that will give him just the opportunity
he wants. That will give him an oppor-
tunity to get just what he wants and trs
it on the larger towns that are able &c
carry on this system of road building. ]
say, Mr.. Speaker, that this bill would
operate as a hardship on hundreds of
small towns and plantations in this State
hope the amendment of the gentleman
from Blanchard will be adopted.
Mr.. Adams of Bowdoin said that this was
one of the most important measures that
had come before the Legislature. Papers
all over the State and public speakers have
been calling attention to this need. This
movement is q step in the right direction.
presume you are familiar with the work
ings of the old law. If the district is a
wealthy district, they get large amount
of money to expend on their roads. This
proposed law says that all towns shall be
one highway district, and thata highway
tax shall be raised in money, and that
is right / rather have seventy-five
cents in money to repair our
highways than dollar TO BE- ex-
pended in labor. Mr. Howe is in favor
of this amendment to leave out towns of
less than 1900 inhabitants. He says
these large wealthy towns arc able to
adopt this system. Towns ere not able to
4 is
towns that this law would work won
derfully well. From my own experience
can say that it has worked wonderfully
well in these country towns, and cannot
see why it will not work well in all towns.
1t is not going to work the injustice Or
inequality that they anticipate. 1t is
going to give us less tax and goo |
deal better highways. l hope this bill
will pass without any amendments.
The question being on the adoption OF
amendment A, the amendment was lost
Mr. Chase of Westiicld said that gentle
men claim that they do not want to pass
any sectional measures here, but in this
bill see they are ready to pass a sectional
measure as far as cities are concerned
They want to leave them out entirely, but
not the small towns. l hope this bill will
b, killed.
The question being ON the adoption Of
amendment B,
Mr.. Packard of Blanchard moved that
the bill be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. Daggett of Smyrna said that this
was n measure that concerned every mem
Der in this State and especially my dis
trict. believe that this is sectional in its
nature and well planned, and while it
brings in the cities and larger towns, 1t
does not touch their interests at all. This
bill provides for the imposing upon the
people of the smaller towns and the poorer
towns heavy load and burden. AS far
as / am concerned, / don't work on the
road, but pay my money to have my
work done. There arc men in the smaller
towns that don't see hardly one dollar
from one years end to the other, trying
to improve their farms and develop their
resources In the rural districts our tax
must naturally be Heavier, because we
have more roads to take care of, and now
we are asked to come up and pay the
money to be expended ON our highways.
Often times they can come and work a
day on the road when they cannot pay any
money say it is imposing burden on
the poor people, especially in ArooStook
county, while in your more prosperous
districts 1t is all right, because you are
able to do it. Now, gentlemen, L hope
this bill will be considered in all fairness
and not force upon these poor rural dis
tricts the burden which you yourselves
would not want to bear.
Mr.. Mccullough of Calais said that in
exempting cities there has.b been no injus-
tice done TO the towns. Raising one
fourth of one per cent. of tax is great
deal more than the cities need That is
the position the committee took in ex-
empting cities.
MIR. Smell of Winthrop said that it was
an incorrect view that this was INTENDED
to Cypress the poor towns. The old sys
tenn cannot produce the results it aims at
1t is a system that would fail any sort OF
business.
Mr.. HAVE of Milo said that the way the
law stands now, any town in the state
can raise the money and appoint road
commissioner just as is provided by thus
bill. il they see fit to. 1t is left now at
their own option. Why not let the towns do
it their own way But they say they don, I
lay out the money to good advantage. inc
gentleman from Greene has not been able
to convince his own town that it is the
best way to raise the money and pay the
tax. They raised $1,000 to bc paid IN
labor. They say the cities woald be com
PEELED to raise too much under this blti
We say that this will raise too small al
amount in many places. Some towns
have as low valuation rs $50, 600. They
are only going to raise what the la"
compels them to- This law would raist
for II town with n valuation ol
$50 .ooo only Sa5. What could the,
do with that amount on 10 OF
80 miles of roads? They can make a goot
passablc road If you let them alone. Bu
they say they can raise all they sec fit to
They haven't any way to get money
and if they are Obliged to raise money
they will not raise moro than they arr
Obliged to. Don't force this measure OIL
the small towns that don't want it. WI,
not leave it just as it is and let the towns
adopt it that want it; and the others thai
don't, let them make their roads I'D theii
own wayy / am satisfied that it would
be n bad thing to pass this bill at this
time. 1t would create great deal OF
dissatisfaction.
Mr.. Powers of Houlton said that the as
sessment Of Ii of one per cent. in cities