Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-02-09
Ex-Cov, Powers in the
Statehood Fight.
He Gives an Arizona Man Light
on Maine Lumbering.
Reception al MorreII Mansion by Vice
President Fairbanks.

Washington, D. c., Feb. S.-(SpeciaD.
"A good deal about the State of
Maine has been elected into the hear
ings before Congress on the joint state
hood bill. These hearings have been
printed in pamphlet form for the use
OF members of Congress, official stem
ographcrs having taken down what
was said on both sides. Representa-
tive Powers of Maine, is a member of
that committed, and questioned all the
witnesses who participated in the hear
ing.
The prevalence of a Mexican popula-
ton, both in Arizona and New Mexico
aEd the inability of much of this pOpu-
lation to understand the English Ian
guage, especially in the courts, We're
mentioned considerably at the hear
ings. Representative Powers asked
one of the witnesses whether an in
terpreter was needed in the courts of
Arizona now for the Mexicans. On re-
ceivng a reply in the negative he OBJ
served:
Il think l know something about
this Interpreter business. l hap
pen to live in that part of the great
State of Maine where for many years
a large proportion of the inhabitant-
perhaps 25.000-was French, and while
we use an Interpreter at every term Of
court, it does not interfere with the
proceedings. I cannot for the life of
me conceive why, if in some cOuntie,
in New Mexico they were compelled
to use an interpreter. it should effect
one of the counties where you do not
need one. 1t does not in our State.
Il talked with Judge Abbott, who
was recently sent down to New Mexi-
co, and he told me that he had just
been out to q Spanish county and held
court, and he had to conduct every
thing through an interpreter. He said
he had held quite a number of courts
in English in Albuquerque and other
places; but no court that he had held
had bpen more satisfactory to him
than tfe one where the lawyers and
jurors and witnesses and everything
We're Spanish"
AS Representative Powers was a
persistent questioner in search of facts
about both Arizona and New Mexico
the witnesses often took occasion to
hit at Maine, because they thought
they could hit at Gov. Powers thereby.
One day Gen. y. j. Sampson, ex-minis-
ter to Ecuador, a resident of Arizona,
was testifying. Like many other Ari-
ZOnanS he was prone to brag little
about the enormous resources of Ari-
IONA. and especially of its lumber re-
sources. Gen. Sampson in florid Ian
guage described the Rough Riders that
his territory produced, added something
to the five or six crops of alfalfa that
would grow on Arizona soil, not to
mention land that produces 40 to 60
bushels of wheat to the acre and read
4 statement from the Governor of
Arizona that it has the largest lumber
preserve.
Il notice, said Gov. Powers after Gen.
Sampson had talked on for while,
that you said something about lum-
bering; that you claimed the largest
lumber preserve in the country"
YES, sir retorted Gen. Sampson
proudly.
Il see that your governor puts it at
coco square miles," added Gov. Pow
erS.
Yes. SIR" said Gen. Sampson, again
proudly, where is there a larger one?"
There are $4,000 square miles in the
northern part of Maine where / live.
1t is more than 125 miles across it to
the Canadian border and more than 100
miles the other way"
The coloquy was continued, Repre-
sentative Moon. of Tennessee, a DEM
ocrat occasionally coming to Gen.
Simpsons rescue, saying as follows:
Gen. Sampson. Is your timber what
o
Gov. Powers. l will make a state
ment which may satisfy you. l be-
lieve today that Washington produces
more timber annually that we do.
Michigan was a great timber state a
while ago. We are producing about
SOC. 100000 feet year. 1 think the
production in your Territory. as given
by your governor, Is probably correct.
We have one factory that uses 10000
900 feet more than your governor says
you produce in your whole Territory.
Mr.. Moon. You are talking about the
lumber that is cut out, and Mr.. Samp-
son referred to virgin forests.
Gen. Sampson. l would like to know
whether that is the virgin forest that
you refer to?
Gov Powers. 1t is. very largely.
Gen. Sampson. Very largely? Ours
is entirely, because it is inaccessible
at the present time. OF course we
have not the amount of sawed timber
now that we will when we have better
railroad facilities.
Gov. Powers. The estimate as to
Maine is that Maine will con-
tinue to cut or can cut 700.-
00O, 900 feet a year without de-
creasing her forest reserve. We have
been the largest lumber-producing
State for a number of years, and now
the State Of Washington is the great
est lumber producing State.
Mr. Moon. What was the population
Continued on Page Eighth