Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-15

l;siatur2 kno,,, that order has been de-
MED 4 decent and respectful hearing,
and On the face of this transaction the
action which this Senate logically
owes to Us oHn self-respact is appar-
| cnt.
! mat ord, I. II 1t were ridiculous, ma
! licious or Infamous. would deserve ex-
actIy tn" treatment which it received
! in the lower House; and there is only
/ ono motion hich would cover it with
more contuHeiy and that would be 10
refer it 20 the committee on insane
hospitals as sometimes has been dona.
] think that no member o. this body
will class this order with such an or
der as l have described. On the face
of it the action Of the House would
show, that it either but did not want
word uttered in the way Of discussion
on the question Of free passes, or else
that it was quite willing to come hc-
You'd the limits If d;srespect to this
lo!y in the disposition Of that order.
but on an investigation of the condi-
tons under which that motion was
made. ana under which it prevailed i'll
the lower House. ! except the body OF
| L
do not do this merely because such q
charge would be unparlimentar.-
or improper as coming from
| me as II member Of this
body: and | DO not % it because Of
my great respect for that lover body
which | have mt vet lost not With
standing the ravages Of The last cleo
ton. I have styled it over there as 4
body close to the prnnir Of The Statc-I
stii! think it 50; but ! except the House
from the charge { otherwise would
| make. because investigation OF the
| facts would not warrant the charge.
The charge might apply to this, but
not - the body of the House,
| ] Introduced that order without con-
suitation Of the representatives. Of the
corporations which would naturally be
greatly interested in the matter OF the
agitation Of the question Of free
passes. | dill not-pcrhars unfor-
tunatcly for mysclf-consult members
of either body, who would be most af-
| fectcd by it fnancely--not the
| members from Ar0OStOok county. 1t
has been pointed out to me how great
! the mileage is to members travelling
from the Aroostook and it has been
pointed out also that mileage cou,l b."
utilized in any way they saw fit.
can quite understand how members
| from Aroostook county would resent
| the passage of this Ordor-I had in
mind particularly members of both
hnGirs who were placed In unpleasant
! situations. | had in mind members OF
this senate who live at some distance
| from the Capital. who without osten-
tation or publicity returned their pass
es. had in mind others who
had retained their passes but
! would not draw their miieages,
and had in mind also the
/ great body Of all of us who will retain
the passes ana draw the milcages as We
/ arc entitled t. DO under the law, which
rlaces any Individual under no person.
al criticism in the matter. But l did
think. since this was the situation right
/ upon us, and unless the committee on
! salaries and fees should take
| some action in iii" matter, that II
would be a decent and satisfactory
solution, to pass over I" the rdll-
| ,.,asls the money I" which W" We're
entitled when travelling ~ a pas and I"
ALLOW ~ "a use III" rIsecg "" peasant"
rendered to US. without any obligation
whltcvrr IL the corporations which m!ght
come before rs seeking Hesitation.
| IT is no. fanciful-;his subject az t"
legislation regarding passes. When Sec
! r,tarv Taft came into the state III the
late campaign l had the good fortune to
lie with him for some time. and noticed
4 that he raid his railroad fares and
asked him: "Why do YOU DO so?' II"
said: "a is not because | want 10, Ter
am a poor mainland he is poor man,
comparatively speaking and in compari-
son with his associatcs-but he said: II
do not nay the money ard refuse the
passes because OF any idea on my part
that my fellow citizens will think am
u0dulv influenced by these corporations
with which | am brought in contact; but.
he said. anyone placed in other relations
of life in the relations in which | am
placed. in accepting passes would expect
to be subject to criticism; and | would
profar not TO be-" and that is exactly my
position.
I would bc the last man in the world
to sit in judgment upon any fellow mem
Der in Legislature on this subject Of tn"
disposition and treatment of passes. II
| is not for any Of US, to question the indi-
vidual act.
One of the pleasartest experiences |
have ever had in this State Capital. going
back over legislative session of three