Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-17
STATE HOUSE.
Kesubmission Question Comes
Up, Tomorrow Morning.
Gov Hill Has Signed Only s.
Acts So Far.
Canadian Interest in Proposed Leais.
lation Here in Maine.

few members only were about the
state House, yesterday, but this morn
ing they will be once more in their
seats ready for the duties of the week.
II Is expected that the temperance
committee will make it's report on the
resubmission matter about Wednesday.
fhe committee will have meeting, to-
day, and will vote upon the question.
1t is understood that eight of the COM
mttee Will vote TO report ought not to
pass while two will support the meas
ure. The latter will make a minority
report, and will endeavor to secure its
adoption in place of the report of the
majority. The minority consists of Rep
resentatives Tartre of Biddeford and
Kelley of Lewiston. The members of
the majority are Senators Dudley of
Aroostook, Pike of Washington and
Titcomb of York and Representatives
Thompson of China, Hill of Winterport,
Downing of Sorrento, Libby of Me-
chanic Falls and Cole of East Liver
more.
When the question comes up for de-
bate in the House, which will probably
be some day next week. there will be
some good speakers arranged on either
side. 1t is understood that Kelly OF
Lewiston, SWEET of Portland and Davis
of Waterville will speak for resubmis-
sion, while Libby of Mechanic Falls
will lead the forces opposed to the
measure and will be assisted by
Thompson of China and others.
Thus far during the session Gov. Hill
has signed IS acts and one resolve. To-
day, there will be reported from the
engrossing department 80 acts and
three resolves, and these will be put
upon their paSSa ge to be enacted. The
resolves are in favor of granting $4,000
as a special epidemic or emergency
fund; granting $500 a year to the
Temporary Home for Women and Chill
dren and $3.50 year for the Children's
Aid Society, Belfast.
Hereafter the committee on taxation
will meet in the Office of the secretary
of State, as it was found necessary to
change from the State assessors room.
The following letter from Hon. VIM.
Pugsley, attorney general of New
Brunswick, addressed to Hon. Peter
Charles Keegan of Van Buren,, will be
New Brunswick concerning a measure
now pending before the Maine Legisla-
ture:
II learn that you have been re-
tanned by number of the leading cit
zens of Northern Maine and New
Brunswick to appear before a COM
mittee of the Maine Legislature to OPP
pose such provisions of the bill ''To in
corporate the East Branch Improve
ment Company" as are intended ex-
pressly or implicitly to authorize a di-
version of waters of Chamberlain Lake
from their natural outlet, the Allie
cash river, which discharges into the
st. John, to and into the east branch
Of the Penobscot river.
Il need not state to, you what. of
course, is very apparent; that this is
matter of the very gravest conse-
quence to the people of New Brunswick
in view of the fact that the St. John
river is the most important river of
New Brunswick and, with all due re-
spect to the people of the Penobscot
Valley, has settled on it's banks far
greater number of inhabitants and
with vastly greater interests, present
and prospective, to protect. 1t should
be made plain. that, as the right to di-
vert one of the lakes which constitute
| the source of supply of the st. John
river into the PenObscot, or any 9TH
er river. implies the right to divert any
and all others situated within the con-
fines of the State of Maine and, con-
| sequently, the right to destroy the use
fulness of such river as public high
| way and otherwise, any attempt of that
| nature should, and will, be met and
opposed at it's inception, as being con-
| trary to natural justice and direct
| violation of the rights of the people of
the st. John Valley under the Ashbur-
ton treaty. The people of New Bruns-
] wick will, am sure, always be ready
| to cooperate with those of Maine in
| improving the efficiency of the st.
John river and in rendering it more
useful than heretofore as an agency
| for the transportation and manufac-
ture of lumber, ETC., but will never con-
| sent to destroy or even to weaken 1t.
To permit this would be to permanently
cripple the ST. John Valley and the
| consequences would be disastrous, not
| alone to those who now live therein,
but to future generations.
| Il have felt it my duty to make these
observations with a view to aiding
YOU in your effort to prevent the pas
sage of the proposed bill, and l would
think that a fair consideration for the
rights of a friendly people and OF the
important international question which
will be raised, if the proposed legisia-
| ton is enacted, would induce the
| Legislature of your State to at once
reject the proposed BILL / am, Yours
sincerely, WIN. POHoL-EA'
| Hon. John Costigan of Ottawa, has
also written Mr.. Keegan concerning the
! same matter, in which he says that
tho attention of the Canadian govern