Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-15
Daily Ksnnsbsr journal

company desired to go in there. Would
II not be better to have the thing set
tied by the passage of n general law.
,epealing the section. and that would
leave not only the New England and
me Eastern, but all the companies in
Tie same position.
Mr.. VIRGIN: In answer 10 the gen
tlrman from Penobscot. | would say
that il would he we'll for this bin he
mentioned to lie passed. In my opin-
ion the very indefiniteness of the mat
Ter and the doubt whether it will be
uossed is a matter that troubles me.
g. far as his question goes as To the
consent Of the New England Telephone
Ca. | understand the New England
Telegraph and Telephone co. succeeds
- the rights Of the National Bell Tel
.nnone Co. from whose charter / nave
read a section now before the Senate
when they succeeded to their right :
-hev also succeeded To their duties and
,-nre bound by the charter under
which the National Fell Telephone Co
or Maine acted. | may be wrong in the
matter. but that is my understanding
If il. | have not had time to follow
charters and various amendments. but
mat is what | have discovered in the
short time | was looking into the mat
Ter this morning.
Mr.. WHITE of Androscoggin: Mr..
President. | understand from state
,ronts made in this Senate primarily
nv the senator from Penobscot my
friend. Mr.. Pummer that there 'las
i u.
I5ture to repeal the law of 1895. as he
calls it-am l right?
Mr.. PLUMBER: The law of 1889 in
regard to telegraphS and expresses.
1906 with regard To telephones, etc.
Mr.. WHITE: And that that bill has
becn referred to the committee on rail
roads. ttlegraphs and expresses. Now.
Ike senator from Cumberland, my
friend. Mr.. Virgin. rises and says there
is no probability that it Will ever see
the light OF day again. | understand
nv that, he means to say that the bill
will be buried in all probability in the
committee on railroads, telegraphs and
expresses. and will not be reported
back to the Senate or to the House.
NOW. then. the committee on railroads
telegraphs and expresses is a commit
lee authorized by this Legislature. lm-
powered by this Legislature. to take
charge of the matter properly referred
10 IT, Now. is that committee above
This Legislature? l will join hands with
the senator from Cumberland. or with
any other senator in this body. and ask
that the committee report back its
findings at once. if it has made any
findings: and if not. l will join hands
with the senator from Cumberland. my
friend Mir. Virgin. and under an order
If the Senate and House, give proper
lime for that committee to consider
The question Of repeating the law oi
1899. and report it back to this Legis-
lature. We are ready to handle this
subject in a general way. and we d,
pot want the Eastern Telephone Go
specially signed out this morning by
the senator from Cumberland, and eS-
pecially signaled out by an action OF
This character | believe the amend
ment should be defeated and then the
whole question comes UP in this Sen
ate. as il may by report from the com
mittee on railroads. telegraphs and ex-
presses then we might consider it. and
we will consider it fully. and vote upor
It,
Mr.. WHITE of AndroscOggin: Mr
President. | would like to ask the sen
ator from Cumberland a question IN
order that | may be certain of his pc
stion. DO | understand that the
amendment you offer imposes upon thu
Eastern Telephone 60. and duties OF
obligations that are not imposed by
law upon the New England Telephon,
Company?
Mr.. VIRGIN Of Cumberland: The
purport of the amendment was thai
The Eastern Telephone 90. should bo
put on the same footing with the New
England Telegraph and Telephone 90
that it should not interfere with 9th
er persons or corporations desiring t
erect telephone lines and maintain
Them in the territory now occupied bJ
the Eastern. That is the sole purpose
l have no Interior design of any Kind
but simply to put both corporations on
the same footing as | understand they
are.
Mr.. WHITE: Then. Mr.. President. i
this amendment is adopted. instead o
the corporations being put upon the
same footing, the Eastern Telephone
60. is given rights and privilege
greater than those possessed by an!
other telephone company in the State
Mr.. VIRGIN: That is what | am try
ing to prevent. Mr.. President.
Mr.. PLUMMER Of Penobscot: Mr.
President, / do not want to have mn
question befOgged by any hair-splittin;
on the part of attorneys or lawyers
rather. who happen to be members 0
this body, as to the construction 0
charters. and as to the present BEL
Telephone Co. and how far this char
Ter covers, controls and restricts tn
New England Telephone Co. That l
4 question for the court, one | am no
prepared to go into; but, as matte
Of fact. does any senator undertake t
deny that in those towns and localltle
where the New England Telephone CO
has its service today. any corporation
can go in there and set UP poles ant
establish Il telephone service without
the consent of the New England Tele
phone Co? If that is so. this amend
ment would only put the Eastern on
par with the New England Co. If II /
not SO. leaves the New England wit
an advantage over the Eastern in tina
matter
Mr. Mr. president I do no