Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-19

lnOllOn ny tue SAME SeHlicilidil IL Nf'o
referred to the committee ON forestry
and water supply.
On motion Of Mr.. Hartman of
Bucksport, resolve for publication of
index of private and special laws, was
taken from the table.
Mr.. Hartman presented statement
of facts to accompany the resolve. and
then moved its indefinite postpone
ment.
Mr.. MCKINNEY of Bridgton opposed
the motion, saying that the senator
from Hancock (Mr. Deasy) had stated
before the library committee that it
was very important that this index
should be published as it is almost i'm
possible for a lawyer to go back and
find an act because of the imperfection
of the indexes. The librarian has pre-
pared a perfect index of all the special
laws that have been passed by the
State of Maine. He claims that he has
prepared them on his own account be-
fore he was State librarian, and on his
own time. The resolve calls for the
publishing of 1000 copies to be taken
by the State, which l believe will cost
$4,000. l believe they can be published
for about $3.50 less than the amount of
the appropriation called for, which is
$4,000. He claims it will cost $3.50 to
do the typewriting necessary for print
ing. That would leave him something
like $3.50 for the labor of preparing
this index, and such profits as he
might get out of the sale of copies OF
the index to the various lawyers
throughout the State who should de-
sire them.
This resolve does not interest ME in
the least, but 1 thought that to have
it called up at this time and indefinite
~ postponed without some statement
would not be just to the librarian,
neither would it be just to the COM
littee. AS for myself 1 voted to re-
port favorably on this resolve because
of the statement of lawyers that were
on the committee who said it was very
essential for every lawyer to have a
perfect index of the various private
laws that have been placed on the
statute books from the time the State
was first organized.
Mr.. HARTMAN of Bucksport said
he had had a talk with the librarian
a few days ago for the purpose of in
vestigating this matter The plan as
laid down now by the librarian is a
far different one than was presented
before the library committee. He stat
cd to US then that he asked the State
to appropriate $4,000, the State to take
1000 copies. He said he had been to
the public binder and the public printer
and they had estimated it would cost
$4,000 to get the book out There was
nothing said at that time about an
expense of $3.50 for typewriting. And
he further told me recently that there
would be further expense for proof
reading. And further, he says now
that he expects the State to print and
pay for the whole 1900 copies, and that
it Will cost $3.50 more for cxpressagc
to get them to the various towns and
places where they are to be sent. There
is nothing in this resolve to tell where
these books are to be disposed Of but
the librarian says that he intends to
send copy to every board of select
county seats, and that that would take
about 900 copies, which would leave
100. l asked him who would be bcne-
fitted. who We're demanding the pas
sage of this resolve. He said the law
yers principally, the corporations some.