Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-28

or supply gas or electricity in any city
or town in or to which another com
pany are generating or supplying gas
or electricity or authorized SO to do.
The amendment cuts that out. Under
the present system a company which
goes into a town is protected in its bus
mess. BY this proposed amendment
whenever such company is started
another company, no matter how small
or how irresponsible, may go to that
same town and set up any kind of 4
machine and compete with the COM
pany already there and say to the COM
pany, You must buy US out or we will
ruin your business" The question is
whether VIC are going to allow these
companies 10 be ut the mercy of q few
people who may want TO force some one
of them to buy something which it not
worth anything. ] submit that people
who have invested large sums of money
have rights in this matter. This is the
same bill practically which has been
before the judiciary committee and the
Same as one which has been before the
legal affairs committee. and which
were adversely reported upon. I OBJ
ject to the acceptance of the amendment.
II tilIS were stilOWtu, IL lhc ptH'I toh-
Germs arc forced to buy out these new
comeTs, the people of the State would
be the ones to pay in the end and be-
cause tile rates would go up.
Mr.. LOVEJOY Of Milo: object to
this amendment. There is a company
in my town of Milo composed of the
citizens OF that town. They have form
ed this company and have invested their
money and are doing a little business.
there in electricity. There are other
corporations in that town which are
watching their opportunity to get in
there and compete with this company.
say it is unfair and unjust. One of
the companies / refer to has got mil
lions Of dollars. and I do not sec why
that company under this amendment
could not get in there and force our
people to the wall: and I hope that this
amendment will not prevail
Mr.. HILL of Machas: 1 endorse the
remarks Of the last two Speakers. This
amendment ought not to pass.
MIR. WELD Of Old Town: This bill
without this amendment is wholly in the
interests Of corporations and not in the
interest OF the people of the State.
1T is this provision. which caused
one of the bitterest fights between rival
corporate interests Of this Legislature
session The Bodwell Water Power
Co, and Pcnobscot Chemical Fibre Co,
on the one side and the Bangor Railway
e. Electric Co., on the other side were
pitted against each other and with the
aid Of powerful lobbies were striving for
supremacy. 1t is this law which gives
to tho Bangor Railway & Electric Co, |
a virtual monopoly in and throughout
the county of Penobscot of the right to
generate and sell electricity for any and
all purposes, and the beginning of this |
great and far reaching power had its
birth in the organization under the gen.
eral law in 1889 of the Old Town Elec- |
trio Co., with capitalization of only |
$4,000.
This company. in tho fancicd Sc
curity of its position. fortified by lcgis- |
lativc cnactments, like the robber barons !
Of old, stands behind the Legislative en- |
of its stronghold and defies |
the people and arrogantly asserts that |
to engage in the business. which 1t |
claimed was thus set apart for the ex-
elusive benefit and advantage Of this |
must come to them and |
make petition for the privilege and ar
range terms upon which to engage in
such business. rather than to go to the
Legislature. which represents the people |
md is supposed to safeguard their in
tercsts.
believe the diagnosis is fairly accu
rate in stating that at no distant day Il |
standing army will be needed to protect
the vested interests granted by the Leg
stature of our State
Mr. HALL. of Dover-I do not wish to I
attribute to the gentleman from Old
a