Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-02

shin in the Maine House; it was also,
am persuaded, with the conscious
ness of the responsibilities placed upon
us by our constituents. l am fully
persuaded that the moral and material
interests of the State have held a larg-
or Mace in our plans and thoughts,
than have private enactments. If in
some cases, the plaintiffs have been
awarded verdcts which belonged to
the defendants, on the whole, justice
has prevailed in large measure.
Secondary education, higher educa-
tion State charities and the public
utilities have all been carefully con-
sidered in the committee. and in the
House, as a whole, and if any of thse
interests have suffered at our hands, it
is because the common treasury has
been Inadequate
Fairness in debate and absence of
nartizanship have particularly charac-
terized YOUR proceedings in this cham
her While the minority party, to
which I am proud to hold allegiance,
regrets the loss of numbers which your
action in the early days of the session
subjected us to, still l am persuaded
YOUR act was, from your standpoint,
and with the evidence obtainable, de-
signed to further the ends of justice.
The thanks of the minority party are
due the House for consideration ana
Appointments on many important COM
nittees, and to the Speaker for I'M
falling courtesy and fair treatment;
and | am persuaded that 1 should not
do Justice to myself, nor to my party
if | neglected to express our high APP
probation of this attitude and course.
The rulings have been manifestly fair
and just, and now we come to the
good byes." We return to our homes.
to our plows. to our shops, to our
stores, to our mills, to cur offices, TO
our several vocationS and avocatlons.
AS we return, we carry with us new,
and | believe lasting friendships.
We shall frame and hang in memo
rvs picture gallery faces that will not
grow old, but faces that will, the rath-
err. through associations and times
transmutation, become our cherished
treasures. -
And now, Mr.. Clerk, | offer for the
consideration of this House, a resolu-s
ton to which no amendment will be
offered, and which will be accorded one
united action; and when such action 49,
taken, 7 move that it be taken by ris-
ing vote.
Resolved that it is the unanimous
opinion of this House that through
out the entire encumbency OF the
Sneakers chair, no officer has served
with a higher sense of the dignity of
the dignity of the position, than has
Speaker Fellows; and that tits now the
pleasure of this body to record its
hearty appreciation of the uniform
courtesy, efficiency, impartialitySand
Just rulings, which during long ana
tedious session have marked in Such
unusual degree his official course. and
which have justified the choice OF the
House. (Applause.)
Mr. BARKER of Bangor: Mr..
Speaker and members of the House.
the deep interest / feel in these resolu-
tons must be my excuse at this late
moment for trespassing longer upon
your time. Since l first took my seat
in this body, the youngest of your num-
Der, scarcely qualified by years to take
part in YOUR deliberations, it has been
my earnest endeavor to listen and learn
to be instructed, not to seek to instruct.
But we are gathered here today TO
finally close the Seventy-flrst Leglsla-
ture of Maine, and ere tomorroWs sun
shall set we shall part. some to meet IN
happy reunion two years hence, many
to meet in business relations, some OF
us never to meet again. We meet for
the last time as political body, body
made up of all kinds and conditions of
men, OF men of all professions and oc-
equations and of all ages,-doctors,
lawyers, merchants, farmers and me-
chanics, varying in age and experience
from those like myself in the golden
sunlight of youth whose life is but COM
mencing, to those like my friend the
gentleman from Brunswick, Mr.. Slower.
who served in this hall with my grand
sire nearly half century ago, happy
in the December of his useful and up
right life. And here we have labored
together, here we have built bridges
that shall outIast ourselves, here we
have aided needy colleges and waged
war aginst the fretful porcupine, and |
we shall go out the younger of us am
sure, better able to meet the battle OF
life; and as the frightening shadows |
draw closer about our final delibera- !
tons, no time can be more fitting to call |
to mind the universal kindness and |
of him who has so ably |
presided over us, no time more fitting |
to thank him with heartfelt thanks for |
his patience with our shortcomings and |
his universal consideration for all our |
failings. And in advocating these res |
olution, as | do, I do it not as a Repub |
lean, not as a brother member of the |
Bar not as IA friend of some years
but as the youngest and least
Of those to whom he has extended his
kindly hand during this session.
His has been a hard and difficult as
well as honorable position to fill since
he first days in January when with
universal fairness and satisfaction to
Ill he named his committees, to the last l.
lays of March when we We're almost
constantly in session. Trained to the
of the law he is eminentIy /
tilted for the great responsibilities that
rave been his eminently has he carried
hem out. Great indeed, gentlemen,
rave been the names of the men who
lave occupied that chair prior to the |,