The Portland daily press., 1901-02-14

Gsntlsmen who have applauded here TO-
day would not applaud then.
Il has been said here that ninetesn-
twentisths OF the people demand this
legislation. viii venture the assertion
that with all their reading newspapers,
nine-fenths OF the people OF this state
do not care how this House votes this
morning. where Is the great public de-
mand for this Iegislationf
10 Is said that the tsieDhone Is needed
In the rural districts. Do you suppose
that capitalists will put their money into
such service Il if Il 20 be the policy Of
this state TO >aIlow the duplicating OF
their linss next year. We also hear
good deal about foreign corporations.
Let me call your attention TO section 10
Of this bill, which gives this company
the right, so far as this legislature can
give 10, to do BUSINESS In other states
and countrisA A foreign corporation
is a dreadful thing until you become
one yourself. A monopoly 10 terrible
unless you are the monopoly. To me
this is business proposition, and not q
political question j shall not be ashamed
to 90 home 70 my constituents even II
this bill is PASSED, do not believe that
Maine will go Democratic TWO years
hence and that bryan will be elected
President IL the Eastern company is
turned down.
MIR. Libby OF Poland, In supporting the
bill, declared that 1t was tbs first time
that he had seen q great lobby brought
here TO prevent ths formation OF a oorpo-
ration. He cited ths charter Of the New
England company to show that IL was
there provided that existing companies
should not be affected, yet the New
England was here opposing this bill
with a great lobby The name New Eng
land is misnomer. IL Ia really New
York company and It has q charter which
allows 10 to roam around this stats at its
own sweet WILL anywhere and every
where, jumping from one place to an
other-a thing they seem to object to in
the charter OF the Eastern. This is n
question as to the standing OF a great
monopoly.
A corporation has n duty to the pub.
lilo rs well as to the stockholders, and 1t
Is well known that rates are exorbitant
In order that dividends may be paid on
watsred stock. 1t Is this unfaithful
stewardship this infat ion of stock, this
placing OF burdens upon the common
people that they are opposed TO.
Now this Is not a question Of politics
and Iwould not argue it as such, but
81. tt fs far haN nj
platforms of both parties contain decla'
rations against monopoly. Now l Will
ask not as q matter OF politics, but as
matter OF morals, whether we can 90
back upon that proposition. In the CAM
paign we were preaching. Today we
are here to practice. Here is the divid-
ing OF the ways. FIom the action OF to.
day will be understood the policy of the
state, whether 1t is to be monopoly or
composition. This talk that the Eastern
company will sell out 10 a threat from
the New England that there viii be
no competition; that 1t viii be squelched
and throttled; that the New England
company Will keep its grasp on the throat
of the people where they have it now.
MIR. Knowlton of Pennington after
reoiting the history Of the telephone. told
of the benefit done to his town by the
independents company. Mr.. Deering OF
Saco also spoke briefly in favor of the
bill. Mr.. Wallis of Vinalhaven told. as
had been told before, how the cable was
laid, from the mainland to the island
the longest telephone cable in the world
and the business was established at an
expense OF $4,000 when the New Eng
land asked a bonus of SIC, 900 and 5000 q
year. The company found that there
was money In the business and they CON-
tinued &c. AS TO this talk OF selling out,
1 am the president OF the company, ana
1 never made any such talk when we
come here to AJAX legislation, what do We
meetS We lind lawyers here from all
over the state In the employ of this great
company. We are told that II telephone
rates are high we may go into the
courts for a remedy and we should lind
there the oily tongued gentleman from
Machias, the gentleman from Auburn
and other lawyers. and by the time q man
got sl5 taken OF his telephone rate he
would have spent s499.
The question was then put, and the
yeas and nays were demanded. Those
who vCs3d yes on the motion to substi-
tuts the minority report for the majority
voted In favor of the bill. The vote was
as follows:
Yeas-MessIs Adams, Andrews Of Nor
way, Andrews of Rockport, Ballard. Beal.
Bird, bodweli, Boothby, BOYD, Bracket,
Bradford, Brewster, Briggs OF Harrison,
Briggs OF Hudson, Cain, Carr. Carson,
Coffin, Cook, Cordweil, Crosby, Cush-
man, Dingiey, Deering, Dillingham;,
Dobson, Farnsworth of Beddington.
Farnsworth OF Robbinston, Farrell, Fos-
ter, Frederick, Fuller OF Auburn, Gam
mon, Gardner, Gilmore, Hammond, Har-
vey, HASKELL OF Lewiston, HASKELL OF
Windham. Hill of Exeter, Hinokley, Hix,
Hind. Hutohings, Irving. jackson OF
Monson, Jones, Kelley, kneeiand, Knowl-
ean Inhbareo Ifhhv af Rt.rnh.u. Ith