Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-30
Afternoon Session.

The SPEAKERS: Gentlemen of the
House Of Representatives have been
requested by the members of this
House to present the Bible which has
lain upon the Speakers desk during
this session to a gentleman who has
kept near it's commands, who lives to
love, who has beef lenient and chari-
table in his judgments towards us, who
has served the State with zeal, with
honor, aad without compensation. 1t
is my pleasure, gentlemen. to pass this
Great Light, as q token Of our love and
esteem, to the gentleman from Pressure
Isle, Mr. Smith. (Arplause)
MIR. SMITH of Pressure Isle: Mr..
Speaker, allow me through you to tend
or my thanks to the House for this
copy of the Holy Scriptures and I shall
endeavCr in the future, as in the past.
to live in strict accordance with its
commands and prccepts.
Now, Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen, |
desire your attention for just a mo-
ment. For IL weeks, Mr.. Speaker we
have been here engaged in the dis
charge Of our duties as members of this
Legislature. We have engaged in de-
bate, discussion. roll call, reports of
committees and a great variety of
things which always take place in an
assembly of this kind. and you may
have thought, in all the confusion and
the hurly-burly, Mr.. Speaker, that you
have been lost sight of by your
friends in this House. say, your
friends. Perhaps, sir. you maye be i'm
bued with an idea that after you had
made up your list of committees and
presided over this body for IL long
weeks, YOU had no friends left. If so,
l wish t. assure you that you are mis-
taken. IL you ask me how many
friends you have in this House at the
present time, | am ready to answer
You have just $50. (Applause.)
Do not ask me their names? Their
names constitute the official roll of this
House. Now, sir, your friends have
few things which they have commits
stoned me to say to you at this time.
You understand that it is right and
privilege which Il mans friends have,
to say things to him. 1t is the judE-
ment OF your friends, and ] am in
structed SO to state, that you have
made most able and efficient presid-
ing officer (applause) that you have
been fair-minded and impartial in all
your decisions; that each and every
member CT this House has been treat
ed alike and without discrimination:
that each and every member has Jared
equally at your hands. Not only that,
sir. but all through our deliberations,
both when the House has been in ses-
sion and at an other times, you have
always been courteous ard genial, anu
ever ready to reach out helping hand
to the poor benighted legislator, even |
he who, like myself, comes from the |
back woods of Aroostook, when he has |
found himself struggling among the
hiazes and technicaIities Of parliament
dry law. CappEause( TYP 21 .arI
but, Mr.. Speaker while words are
well, yet your friends here nave de-
sired to express the sentiments they en-
terrain towards you by something q
little more tnagible than mere words.
They desire to express the feelings OF
friendship which they have for you by
some small token of their regard for
you. This desire on their part has
crystallized in the purchase by them of
this piece of jewelry, this gold watch
with chain attached. And, now in be-
half of 15C members of this House, all
your friends, and in their name ana IN
accordance with their desire, l present
the same to you; and | assure you that
it gives us great pleasure 10 present 10
you this slight token of our esteem ana
respect and we hope that you VIII re-
ceive it and wear it with equai pleas
ure, and that whenever you consult as
face and look upon its shining
form. you may feel radiatipg tnereirom