Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-20

Gals Ought to pass in new draft and
Ought not to pass"
Mr.. MILLIkEN Of Island FAILS: |
move that the majority report he ac-
ccpted. The bill provides that free
passes or tickets OF any kind sold at a
less rate than to the public in general
may not be issued by railroads to State
officials nor received by State officials
except in the case of those who are
agents, officials or employees of rail-
road companies. This bill is practically
the same as the one reported by the
committee appointed by The last Legi5-
laturc. l think this bill is a response to
very general feeling throughout the
State, that this whole free pass bust
ness should be done away with.
Mr.. HALL of Dover: AS member Of
the House two years ago | supported
the order for the appointment Of a com
mittee to investigate and report ly bill
or otherwise in regard to this matter 10
this Legislature. Early IL the session.
feeling that there might no some doubt
as to getting a report | introduced q
bill myself relating to the tr.tnSpOrta-
ton of State officials, That bill does not
suit me 50 well as this bill. I be-
| lieVe this is the proper measure:
so L have sacrificed my own bin
to the support Of this bill. ! be
lieve this Legislature is in duty hound
and in all honor, to itself ana to its
successors, to pass this bill without
dissenting vote. The system of free
passes as used by members Of the
Legislature | believe reflects upon US,
upon our honor and upon our indie
pcndencc. Whether it does or not we
have the credit of it. l hope the bill
will receive a passage.
The question being on the motion to
accept the majority report, the mo-
ton was agreed to.
The bill then received its two read
ings and was assigned for tomorrow
morning.
Special assignment: Report of COM
mittee on railroads and expresses. re-
porting on Bill for twO-cent mileage
on Bangor and AroOstook Railroad
Ought not to pass
Mr.. MILLIKEN of Island Falls: The
report of the committee is unanimous
against the bill. This bill does not
seek to establish a new rate on the
Bangor and Aroostooll Railroad We
have a tWO-cent mileage ra te there
now. We do not ask for the rate to be
changed. The books now are now con-
fined to the use of the purchaser and
his wife only. We ask that the re-
striction be removed, that the same
book be issued at the same price, but
that it be open to the use of anybody
who cares to ride upon it. We ask
to have done lawfully what is now done
illegally by a great many people who
ride on the railroad and who now use
those books in violation of law when
their names are not written in them.
That seems to. be a fair proposition.
What are the objections to it? 1t is
said that the proposed law is uncon-
StitutiOnal. 7 do not. think that OBJ
lection is well taken. ] do not under
stand that it is seriously proposed by
the counsel on the other side. The
only way in which that legislation
could be unconstitutional would be if
the railroads could show that the Leg
islature deprived them Of proper re-
turn on their investment and there
fore that il was in fact confiscation
of property. If it would be unconstl-
tutional an efficient way of disposing
of it would be to allow such a law to
be passed and declared demonstrations
al. A second objection is that the
Legislature has no moral right % in
terfere with anybody's business. 1t is
said that if you or I run store or any
enterprise, we would not like to have
the State say we must sell sugar for
so much a pound, or any other arti-
Gle. But you and I are not given by
the State the exclusive right to run our
store or our sawmill: we are not given
the right to take our neighbours prop
erty without his will. The railroad is
a public service corporation. 1t is
given the power of eminent domain
1t is given the exclusive right to it's
own territory. The contract between
the railroad and the man who rides
over it is a public contract: and the
only question for us to consider is
whether it is fair for US to make the
proposed distinction. There is no
question Of the moral right to do it
if it is fair. The third objection is
that the railroad cannot afford it. I
want to say for myself and my con-
stituents that nobody would desire to
injure the Bangor and Aroostook Rail-
road. But what is the fact in regard
Ito transportation on the railroad.