Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-02-24

his proviso. He is ready to put the halter
around my neck. and If you as the great
court of this State enact a law that shah
/ Compel me so that ! shall not sell my
7 mileage book. but If do sell it. or trans
Ter II 70 anybody but myself and my
slo 10 $50 That Ii what Mr. Carter read
i here, one of the eminent counsel. They
| ray, If you will enact that, law and put a
halter around every mans neck in this
state. compel him 10 hold his mileage
| book In his pocket, and If not. fine him
so 70 $9os we will put into that mileage
| What "A concession that is. Think Of
| it. Subject 70 a penalty Of so to $50, but
we will put in the man and his wife IL
you VIII enact such law as that, ! DO
not believe the grand court of this State,
the Legislature now sitting here, no mat
Ter how they got here, are going to pass
such law is that.
Who do you find here, asking the Legis-
lature of this State as they do, when 4
matter comes up before them in regard
to particular right? ] am employed 10
come here and present this case. l came
here gentlemen, on the last train before
the hearing. and shah leave on the first
train when it is finished. ] don't stay
during the session, l have not whispered
in the ears of any member of this Legis-
latuiy nor in the ears of any member OF
this commission and told you what your
rights and duties are, and | hope 10 God
i never shall.
That isn't my business here My busi-
ness is to present these facts to you and
present them fairly and present them so
that you can understand them. and do
not talk to any man or person except in
public present them so that every man,
woman and child may hear what / say:
present them to you. / have done my
duty the best | know how. l have spoken
for the people of this State. / may speak
again; if 1t becomes necessary / shall.
Without fear and without asking any
favorS, gentlemen, shall leave this maj
Ter in your hands,
The railroads of this State have devel-
oped the resources of this State. and they
have been great factors in the building
up of the industries in this State, and L
accord to them all that is their due; but
/ stand here to represent the people who
have put the railroads through this State,
and ! stand TO represent the people who
are paying their money every day in the
year perhaps in riding upon these rail-
roads and furnishing them with their
revenue by which they declare their diVi-
dends upon their stock and upon their
bonds. and we simply as the people ask
this simple concession, not that you re-
duce our fares. not that we can ride for
any less than we have, but that We may
ride on ticket that is good to the head
of a family or the head of a firm and its
employees and ask you as men of common
sense.
We are asking nothing UNJUST nor liz
equitable, and it is within your legislative
power TO do what We ask. 1t is a cons-i-
tutional right for you 10 do it; there is
no constitutional prohibition, you may do
IL as the supreme court of the United
States has said, and if you should have
the least query as to whether YOU We're
doing that which was constitutional
right, there is tribunal independent and
coordinate branch of this government
who can revise your casts you pass here
and determine whether, by so granting
to a man and his family 1900 miles for go
you nave, as is claimed upon the other
side, taken property of corporation or
an individual without just compensation
| leave this matter in your hands and
am going to say that / believe you VIII
do what is right and equitable. 1 hope
you viii. by the fears ] have entertained
of what may be in the future. L nope the
people of this State will not feel 1t their
duty to rise and assert their rights at the
ballot box If their rights are not acceded
to al this time, so l hope 1T Will not come.
but if 1t comes. / simply ask you as mem.
berS of this board and as the members OF
this present Legislature to be careful ana
is time coming when they Will be held
as the public servants of the people ana
their acts will be scrutinized and there
will be a higher tribunal than the SUI
ground upon which l am speaking AMI
that is the court of the people or TINS
State and their rights will be enforced.
! thank you, gentlemen, for the atteh-
ton you have given me; 1t has been Il
long hearing and it has been an arduous
with the most eminent counsel IN the
State so | am told, and therefore, gem
tlemen, | hope If you have seen anylnini;
in my conduct or my actions pre1udlclai
to This case. that is not IN accordance
with your views, hope that you Will con-
slider that | am doing this for the people
of this State. and if | have not done my
duty adequately and conscienuously,
say to YOU gentlemen, | have done IL
fearlessly and as best | could.