Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-03-01
Orders Of the Day.

On motion of Mr.. Engel of Penobscot,
Senate document No. 1876, an act to en-
able the proprietors of the Bangor bridge
to dispose of their bridge property, was
taken from the table and read first time.
The same senator then offered Senate
amendment A, which was adopted, and
the bill was then read second time and
passed to be engrossed as amended under
suspension of the rules, on the motion
of the same senator.
On motion OF Mr. Savage of Androscog-
gin. House document No ISL, an act TO
prevent the use Of narrow tires in the
towns of Brunswick and Topsham, was
taken from the table. Mr.. savage then
offered Senate amendment, which was
adopted, and the bill then passed to be
ongrossed rs amended.
On motion of Mr.. Savage of Androscog-
gin, Senate document No. 14S, au act to
incorporate the trustees of Star Lodge,
No. 63 knights of Pythias was taken
from the table, read first time and to-
morrow assigned.
Senate document No. 126, resolve con-
corning an amendment to the constitu-
ton relative to the limitation of munich
pal Indebtedness, specially assigned Tor
today as unfinished business from yester
day was taken from the table. The
question pending was on the motion of
Mr.. Savage of Androscoggin that report
A ought to pass, be adopted.
Mr. Higgins of York; Upon this mat
ter cannot conscientiously join with the
senator from Androscoggin in the propo-
sition which is made here that the constl-
tuition of this State shall be amended.
Why docs the senator from Androscoggin
ask for this amendment? Is it that there
is any general and public demand or any
crying necessity or any overwhelming
public requirement which comes to us
from all parts of our State for this amend
ment? If understood Alright yesterday,
It appears that this demand is made at
the instance of two cities and three towns
of this State. 1t is true that it is suggested
that there are other towns that may be
benefited by availing themselves of this
change in the constitution, but / call the
attention of the Senate to the fact that in
1878 a condition of affairs existed which
made it imperative for the Legislature to
do something to protect the public credit,
and the people from one end of the State
to the other came here and asked that the
constitution be amended. They have not
come here in that way today to ask for
this change.
As view it, the changing of the funda-
| mental law of our State is u very serious
matter. claim that as far as this mat
ter has been presented to us here in this
| body there has appeared no necessity for
| this change; there has been not one
single argument presented here which
i - i've To
change Two years ago, in the House.
this matter was gone into. The people of
Auburn came here at that time in multi
tudes. They represented then that If they
were allowed to purchase their water works
they were abundantly able to do so. with
in their debt limit. Either they misrepre-
sented their condition then or they are
misrepresenting it now.
The senator acknowledges that the bur-
den of proof lies upon him, and say that
as far as the representations made to us
are concerned, tho senator has utterly
failed to show to this body that there are
existing circumstances demanding the
change in the constitution. l did not
hear him once say or insinuate even that
the city of Auburn, without this change
/ in the constitution, might not pay this
z ucDt ltiCtiTTtu iOI iti nstlSiWOk 4NOes
| If this is true, if they can get along with
out this change, we should in all frank
ness have heard of it.
But they come here and claim that Au-
burn is not alone in this demand. But
/ / assume now that this demand is made
+. solely and entirely for the benefit of tie
city of Aubarn. ! assume now that ali
these other demands have been predicated