Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-24

now before the Judiciary committee
say it would be without precedent, IL
would be against all custom ana usasc'
of the House and of both Houses OF tie
Legislature, if the motion of the gen
tleman from Rockport tMr. Andrews
should prevail and this be referred 10
a different committee. In such ease
in order that both sides of the case
might be heard. it seems to me that
il would be necessary for us to have
a joint meeting of the two legal COM
nittees of the Legislature. For this
reason, Mr.. Speaker. being as | may
against all precedent and usage and
custom Of the House, | trust that the
motion Of the gentleman from Win
throp (Mr Carleton will prevail
Mr.. HUTCHINGS of Brewer: Mr..
Speaker. there is no member who oc-
cupes a seat on the floor of this House
who has more profound respect or
bows lower in his admiration for the
learning and the wisdom and the pres
tige and fame of the Judiciary COM
mittee of this Legislature than my
self; but l admit, Mr.. Speaker, that
there are many other committees of
this Legislature. and that there are
other committees to whom it would be
eminently proper that such bill as
House document No. 9 should be re-
ferred. 1t is plainly evident that ii is
is the desire of the gentleman who in
trOduced this bill that it be referred to
the committee on legal affairs; and |
do not understand that any gentleman
upon the floor of this House desires
or pretends to say that it would not be
proper that this bill should be referred
what and | may be mistaken. with
the sentiment of some OF the gentle
men who have preceded me who say
that il is beyond precedent that be
cause remonstrance. introduced days
and perhaps weeks before 4 bill is in
troduced. should therefore and on that
account prepare and pave the way to
the committee to which the bill itself
shall be referred. 1t does not seem to
me- and do not believe. with due lief
erence to the opinion Of the gentle
man from Deer Isle tMr. Spoford)
that it must and should necessarily
follow that a rcmonstrance introduced
by people who evidently are not III ia
yor of the measure should necessarily
decide. by reference of the renlon-
STRANGE. to which committee the bill it
self should go in spite of the desire OF
the member who introduces the bill.
Mr.. HIX of Rockland: | understand
that those signing these rcmonStranceS
against granting a charter to the town
of Camden and they represent no in
considerable part of the taxpayers.
desire to have this bill referred to the
committee on the judiciary. Their rea-
sons are simply that one member Of the
legal affairs committee is publicly
pledged in favor of the bill. 1t seems
to them and it seems to me that the
matter should go to a committee every
member of which can render an inn
partial and fair decision. | trust. on
this ground. that the House will refer
it to the judiciary committee.
Mr. LIBBY of Poland: At the present
stage of the discussion | do not pretend
to know. neither do | care to know, up
to this time, anything about the merits
or dement's OF this bill, but it seems to
me that it is Il matter of personal pre-
rogatiVe of the members of this House
TO say to what committee, provided
only that it be proper committee, any
bill that any member of the House may
present here. shall so. | understand
that it has been the immemorial usage
and practice in all legislative bodies to
grant il. if not as matter of privilege
and right. still as Il matter of custom
and usage. to every member that priVi-
lege. and if we at this time undertake
to establish a different precedentWe are
breaking in certainly upon immemoral
1
treatment of every man and every
member who may present 4 bill in this
House or any measure for Legislative
action. and we should hesitate before
We undertake to take that step. for |
should expect that the very next time
presented a bill or any measure for
legislative action here, somebody upon
the floor of the House antagonistic to
it might snatch it from my hands and
fling it into some committee or some
place wherever he saw fit; and on that
ground | say it would be a dangerous
and a bad precedent to establish. And
| simply stand here to say that | be
lieve in giving to this member. who's
acquaintance | have not the honor to
share and concerning whose bill know
nothing and concerning the merits of
whose matter | care nothing up to this
time. the right and privilege of saying
where his bill shall go. provided he pro
poses to send it to a proper committee.
Upon that question there can be no
doubt. Although the papers have been
pleased to say that the legal affairs
committee is simply the overflow from
the judiciary. still the overflow must
be of the same kind and character as
contained in the other committee. and
therefore there can be no question
about the propriety of the matter.
Upon the question OF the rcmon-
STRANGE which has been suggested here
| do not agree with the gentleman who
has spoken upon that point. Certainly.
if a remonstrance has passed through
this House as l understand it did, with
reference to a committee. it was i'm
properly here before the subject mat
ter to which it related was presented.
and it was simply an inadventance on
my part and | have no doubt upon the
part of many members of the House
that such a measure went through I
remember that later on. when a remon-
STRANGE relating to this same matter
was presented here in the House and
called up for reference, it was tabled. 4
most proper action, on the ground that
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