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

! based upon no evidence or authority.
USED? Docs it not justify the conclusion
mat the makers of this act thought, if
they could only get a favorable consider
, atlCn OF this scheme ard the building
started, they were safe, no matter what
the future expense was3 Is there doubt
IN your minds that the bill was drawn
! to deceive?
Again the bill cunningly provides by its
last section that it goes into effect at
once for the appointment of commission
ers, that the part allowing the erection
CT a new building goes into effect when
Portland pays in her money, but the pro-
vision that the seat Of government shall
go to Portland on Jan. 1st, 1917 has no
condition to it. Under the last section
| that goes into effect at once. no -rlat:cg.
how the people vote.
Mr.. CLARkE-Query, has the senator
noticed section S. the first line of
| which says: This act shall in no
effect be in force or effect except to au-
| thorize the appointment of a commission
| er or commissioners, as provided in tho
| section as to holding special elections 2
etc. The act itself is an entirety: and
you cannot single out section as a sep
1
| into effect until the provisions of the
| WHOLE bill have been complied with.
| Mr.. HESELTON-I have carefully and
prayerfuily thought over the whole bill
| and l Will submit to the judgment of
| any intelligent man this proposition:
| Docs not the bill contain exactly what
| ] said2 1t has different sections which
| provide for different contingencies, va
| riously concealed in those sections; bu.
| it provides that the seat of governments
| shall go to Portland on January LIST, 1910,
| and that is n condition which the senator
| from Lincoln cannot find
| Mr.. CLARKE-Is not that part of
| the whole act?
| Mr.. HESELTON-JTndoub But it
is a condition that controls that rart of
the act.
| Mr. CLARKE-Does not the previous
section provide that no part of the act
shall go into effect except upon certain
conditions?
| Mr.. HESELTON-I haven't the bill in
front of me and cannot answer the SEN
ator correctly.
| Mr.. CLARKE-Read the bill and see.
Mr.. 1IESELTON-I shall have to or ask
the man who drew it. I will leave it tc
the Senate to say if it does not amount
| to what ] say.
| Mr.. CLARKE-That is what ] have
been trying to draw from you.
Mr.. TIESELTON-Lct me repeat: Tho
! provision that the seat of government;
shall go to Portland on Jan. list, 1910
has no condition to it. Under the las:
section that goes into effect at once, n
matter how the people vote.
i A favorable vote in June Their
means success to the scheme OF
changing the capital to portland
whether the gold brick is called q
'guld-hrick" or not, and whether tho
$1,000 is raised or not. Can't it be asked
fairly and conSrwatively, is there any
part of this bill that is honestly drawn
Further. these rcsourceful gentlemen the
agitaturs of This scheme and authors OF
this bill. have batcd their trap with q
theoretical and fair proposition but in
reality delusion and II snare l refer
to the proposed referendum. of this meas
ure to the PEOPLE.
| Consider d moment what caused this
agitation. 1t WAS through an order i'll
PRODUCED by a Portland citizen Their
was no movement from any section Of
the State prompting this action.-not
even from Portland itself. 1t waS thrust
upon the attention of the Lcgisla tur'
through no petitions; it was aroused by
no public complaints Of the press. or oil
the legislators themselves. 1t WIS pure
ly n persona! act OF Il few individuals
and by them, and by the press of thcil
city, it WAS forced upon the attention Ct
this Legislature. and every means known
to man. to arouse feeling and create pre-
iudicc has been rcSOrt"d to by its advn
| Gates with the members of this legisla
ton 10 bring it to this present crisis
This work has received the feeble in
dorscmsn mt of 1G3 petitions, from five diff
fcrcnt countes--Nndroscogg Cymber
p, lard. Sagadahoc. Washington and York
signed by only 612f petitioners.
How many petitions from Androscog
gin? Three Signed Ly one hundred ant
eight individuals.
How many came from Cumberland
. Fifty sCvcr, signed by only BIOS.
SaGadahoc presented one petition sign
cd by twcnty-three Individuals. Wash
inctcn presented seven signed by % in
dividuals York presented 50 signed by
SIS individuals.
!, 1heSc snow the result OF the aGltauOl
, which has been raised in the State o
Maine in favor of this scheme and how
large has been the Endorsement of til,
order Of the senator from Lincoln coun
ty. from the county which he on thi:
| question SO effectively misreprescntS.
| M. CI.AEKE-Were they voters?
Mr.. HESELTON-I presume they were
Mr. CLARKE-May 1 inform the sena
tor from Kenncbec that | have received
but one communication from my count!
| in regard to this matter: and that com
muncation was prompted by a petition
sent down to u particular man with {
request to circulate it; and that ne wa.
mislod by the caption of that petition t
which ] have already called your attcn
| ton That does not seem to be very
strong rcmonstrance on the part Of tn
people of Lincoln county in regard to m!
attitude on this question.
Mr. HESELTON-I accept, and bcliev'
the statement of the senator to be abso
: lutely correct. l do know. however, tina
before this Legislature there are thirty
seven rcmonstranccs from the county o