Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-07

the people and vested them in a COM
missioner sitting here in Augusta. we
have extended aid in meritorious cases
to towns in the buildings of bridges
but We have left the bridges in the
hands of the people.
Now if we pass this bi.l-if we take
the bridges out of the hands o. the
people Of the towns and put them into
the hands of commission in Augusta
next year vii! We not be called uhoi
to take the ROADS out of the hahoS o.
the people or to take tine schools out
of the hands of the peonle alid vest
them in Il central government mere III
Augusta, or Wherever the capital may
be?
1t may be. Mr. President, that IN"
commissioners. or COMMISSIONERS, SIT
ting at the scat Of government OF inns
State may be better able to manaE"
the peoples affairs than they ar
themselves. 1t may b" true; but. MI
President, the people 90 not b"li"Ec ~
and you have got to spend sometime
in 4 campaign Of education before you
can maxi. them believe it. You hay"
got tu gc:li somrbndy around I" teach
self government ANA the management
Of their own affairs, before you take
thcst. things out Of their hands; YOU
will have to send my brother fICSelton
around the state with his convincing
tongue. to talk to the people, to teach
them that they ar" NOT fit to take care
of their own affairs; YOU Will have to
send The highway commissioner around
with him that he may speak briefly
upon the subject Of what he knows on
the subject Of building bridges.
But, until, Mr.. resident. you have
taught the people that they do not
know how to manage their own affairs
and ii Will require a long time to
teach them this-thcy have got an
idea that they do know how. They
have done it: and their forefathers be-
fore them ana it takes a long time to
unlearn them) until YOU have taught
them that their affairs can be managed
better from Augusta than they are in
their own hands and under their own
control. a Legislature that attempts to
take these public municipal matters
out Of the hands Of the people will get
itself into trouble
Another objection / have to this bill,
Mr. President, is: 1t is unfair. There are
two classes Of towns. There is one class
of towns which by infinite industry, by
taxing themselves by self sacrifice has
built bridges There are other towns
which have not built them but have
spent their money for other things.
Now, you are saying to those towns
that have bridges. You have your
bridgas-yOu have paid for them: you
have taxed yourself to pay for them
now tax yourself to build bridges in
Other places.
This unfairnCss. Mr.. President is ac-
centuated iii the case of towns, ana
there many Of them that have built
bridges and have not paid for them and
which have notes and bonds outstand-
ing. There are towns that have built
bridges that have notes and bonds out
standing upon which they are paying
interest ANA principal and are taxing
themselves to pay the principal and in
tcreSt year after year. Will You say
to those towns: You have built yGur
bridge s-you owe for then; We proroar
10 take them away from yOu or take
their title and mana cement away from
y
notes and bonds and besides that you
must tax yourselves 20 build bridges in
Portland ana to build bridges every
where in the state of Maine"
Again, Mr.. President / object to the
bill on principle because il seems to
me unwiSc to incur obligations that are
to be met within the next year with.
out providing for them by appropria-
ton.
We are by this bill mourning obliga-
tions TO be met during The next year of
from three to six or seven hundred
thousand dollars.
Bridges under construction will add
some hundreds Of thousands 70 that.
and new bridges i do not know how
much more; and we are Gf ! under
stand the amcndment) approuriatin.s
Fl3t 900 10 take care &c from three 20
four hundred to six or seven hundred
thousands dollars Of obligations.
/ object the bill on the principal for
all these reasons. ana then, Mr.. Presi-
deEt, object to ii because in detail il
is bad. The bill, being very important
should be carefully drawn it should be
drawn 50, as far rs possible, to contain
no antiquities. This bill in every sec
'i'ii ~ 'N'ly IdIdSIdlIll-ln every Inc
is ambiguous and fruitful Of Law suits
IN saying this J am not in any way
Rejecting upon the committee which
past 81 it for J know very well that
bllS Frequently pass through my COM
mlttcc which | have not examined in
detail which may be as faulty as this.
Brother Heselton mentioned some of
the defects, and there are many Others.
ana | have not time to mention more
~ IL stands, the first part is Ill right.
There is no glaring error until Won
come to tn" second word in the fire.
line Of Section l. That is all wrong.
From that on, the bill is pretty nrariy
all wrong.
Besides the amendments Suggested
hy Brother licsclton, let mo suggest q
few others.
There are many others.
| have not noticed that he made any
change in tn" last part of Section
winch says THE commissioner Of high
ways Of the Stat" Of Maine shall dcsi-
{" by sign. number or otherwise each
and every bridge in the State over over
40 feet in length"
Why Shpul1 Stato