Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-14

III this same Portland mass meeting?
| L again read from the report of the
meeting in the Portland Daily Press
Il. y. Cloudy said he wished to be put
| on record as being i'll favor of the pro-
! ject. He denounced the Grange for TAX
I ing the action it had in not favoring the
change of capital He said that he was
4 member of the Grange and that it was
composed mostly of women and children
There We're not fifteen thousand voters
! belonging to the organization. The Co.
/ 000 signatures of romonstrants against
removal were for the most part not vot-
; ers but minors and women. He said that
! the members of the Grange were good
enough fellows but they were being mis-
led in this matter. He was wildly APP
| plauded at the close of his remarks
! Mr.. Cloudy is well known to us all. His
great knowledge and large store of In
formation on all public questions has en-
t lightened many of the people of Maine on
more than one occasion, and the men,
| bers of this Legislature, many times at
the present session, but this particular
/ information will undoubtedly be received
with great surprise, not only by the
members Of this Legislature, but by the
! Grange itself. 1t may furnish to us the
reasons why Portland. wrapped I'D in the
| pride of her own greatness and wealth.
| is steadfastly opposed to any legisla-
| tor at this session of LEGISLATURE look
| ing towards equalization of taxation ask
| cd for by these patrons of industry. They
| do not view with alarm the 1000 voters
| in these rural counties and they do no.
| care for the opinions of these women and
! children toiing there. There is little
wonder then, that these remarks of l.. 4.
| Goudy were wildly applaudcd in the
! meeting Or that statements, a.. like those
! which | have quoted and which you and
| l know are Groundless, there met warm
| approval for the purpose of frowning
| down opposition which there appeared, or
| that the suggestion of referendum was
| hooted down, which is so plausbly pre-
scented here to secure your votes to force
this measure to public election, and thus
| pit wealthy Portland against Augusta.
| Does it not furnish reasons for us to re-
turn the same treatment to Portland
which she has metcd out 70 her citizens?
Finally, III reviewing the whole ques-
! ton. where does justice lie in this case
OF Portland against the State Of Maine:
Portland or for the State of Maine?
The case now rests with us, the Sena-
! tors of this State and the first arbiters
Of this important legislation. Tie impOr-
tancc Of our decision cannot be over esti-
mated Mindful OF the responsibility
resting upon us / cannot but feel that
'will decide unbiased by prejudice or
| uniniluencod by chimcrical promises,
promises. with the interest Of the State
ard the majority of its citiZcns at heart
and that that decision will be right
right for us, right for Portland, right for
the State and right for those who arr
now or who shall hereafter be citizens Of
the State of Maine
Mr.. STAPLES Of KnoX-AIr. Chairman.
I did not intend to discuss this question
but I simply desire to define my posi-
ton. | have no comments to make upon
the great mon who have graccd the halls
of legislation from Cumberland county
whose services belong to every county
OF the State, and / recognize the part
which Kcnncbec county has played.
But there is but one question befor,
the Senate which 1 regard as important.
that is the referendum. l believe that
should be left with them. 1t is a great
question and standing here today l feel
that Cumberland county having offered u
million ana half of dollars has a right
to the ballot of the State
I do not know how L may vote upon
this question when it comes to refer
CnGrm; but I do know how I viii vote
on the pending question. because / can
trust this matter to the people Of the
| "a, IL. r J1oJ1 1-A+,
yea whatever | may vote in June or i'll
December.
MI. MERRILL Of Cumberland-Mr.
President. | will not dotain you but for n
few moments in reply to some OF the re
marks made by the senator from Kenne-
bee. This is no unsoemIy scramble OH
the part of tho citizens of Portland as
he seems to think asking for Legislative
action to move the seat of government
from Augusta to Portland 1t is. as far
as we are concerned, a simple business
proposition. What is that proposition? 1t
is this: That the citizens of Portland
offer to the State of Maine $150000 and Il
site for TIE State House. provided that
State House is built in Portland.
What is the basis of that offer? Gen
itlemcn, there is nobody within the sound
Of my voicc-and / have listened to the
| arguments before the committee and t.
the argument of the senator from Ken
| netcc-who will deny that the present
facilities Of this State House are grossly
inadequate or that the State of Maine
has outgrown them.
| In addition to that, there has been a
} feeling land you need not refer to tho
: petitions to ascertain that fceline) that
the accommodations afforded by Augusta
to the citizens of the State attendant
: upon the Legislature are not what they
should be.
Now, gentlemen. what are tho argu-
melts which have been adduccd? Hds
there been n single argument showing
that that basis is wrong? Not one; but
on the other hand we hear the word
: gold brick" AMI that the citizens OF
Portland cannot raise this money if they
want to do SO. I do not come here to
apologize for the citizens of Portland
We have passed through fire and we
have been devastated by railroads: but,
: gentlemen, up to the present time we