Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-27

| he should continue in office during lhe
present period for which he was elect
| ed. and for that reason the amendment
| which | offer allows him to remain IN
| that office until that time. That re-
| lieves the Legislature from the EN-
| barrassment which would come from
putting q man out of office who, so Tar
as the office itself is concerned II 1t IS
! to exist, is as worthy as anybody else
| to occupy it, and gives him an oppor-
| tunity to Straighten out his business.
If it goes to the next Legislature it
will be uncertain for him and for
| everybody else.
| Mr. DJ-NTON Of Belfast do not
| oppose the motion but / desire to make
| a statement on behalf of the commit
| tee. This bill came before the COM
| mittee very late in the session. Inc
| usual notice was given. AT the near
ing no one appeared in opposition. MI.
Reid was there with his attorney, ne
| made a statement and was examined,
and l think he satisfied everyone that
he was doing good work at reasonable
| prices. The prices We're fixed some
| years ago when labor was cheap ana
hours of work longer and material per-
haps cheaper, 50 that the necessary
| expenses of doing the work are con-
Siderably more now than when those
prices were fixed by the Legislature.
Mr.. Reid himself is practical binder
who works with his help and the teS-
| timony was that he is making just
] fair living wages out of it. Nobody
had interest enough in the matter to
appear before the committee and show
anything different, and under those cir
cumStanceS the committee reported
against the bill. The next day l was
informed that the gentleman from
Mexico intended 10 have been heard
but he was not notified when the hear
ing was held, and we had the report
recommitted to the committee. 1t was
too late then to publish an additional
notice and give the public notice of
the hearing hut Mir. Reid and his at
torney and Mr.. Gleason appeared, and
as the gentleman says, it was a very
hurried and unsatisfactory hearing.
We did not have the information be-
fore the committee that the gentle
man has given US today; we all felt
that we did not have that definite
act Consequently as the State binder
had been elected at the first Of the
session and had made preparations for
his work, l for one did not think that
it was just the Filing to pass an act
abolishng the office to take effect at
that time at any rate; and under those
circumstances we thought it best to
refer it to the next Legislature. The
amendment offered removed one of the
reasons upon which the committee
acted. If the members of the House
have sufficient knowledge to act upon
that. then the committee have no OBJ
lection. | do not oppose the motion.
The question being on the motion to
substitute the bill for the report,
| The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. Gleason offered House amend
iment a
The amendment was adopted
: Mr. Johnson of Watcrville, offered
amendment 81 to amendment "A"
The amendment was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Gleason the rules
were then suspended, the DILL received
its three readings and was passed to
be engrossed as amended.
On motion of Mr.. Skidmore of Lib
erty, report of committee on education
on bill relating to free high schools,
reporting Ought not to pass was
taken from the table
The pending question is on the ac-
c"rtance of the report
| Mr.. SklDMORE: Mr.. Speaker
imove to substitute the bill for the re-
port of the committee.
L wish you to bear with me while |
say few words in behalf of the chill
dren Of our country towns. Next to the
state public schools, which is intended
to reach every child in the state and
give them good common SCHOOL cdu-
cation. and this is the foundation up
on which rests the educational monu-
ment Of our State. Next come the Free
High school system, which is the next
step toward giving to our children 4
: better education ut minimum cost t
the towns and to the State.
1t costs to maintain the Free High
schools on the part of the State n lit fle
over $4,000 and I; greater part of thi-
goes to ray the tuition of scholars
who attend academies: 50 that il lnavee
only about $4,000 10 assist tie towns
ana cities towards maintaining theiy
Free High schools There were, in
1908. go Free High schools; in 1906. 235
decrease of four schools. which of it
self proves that the Free High School
act as il is now upon our statutes j.
: detrimental To the country towns and
to the Free High school.
There are in the State of Maine at
tending the Free High schools 1921
! scholars. OF this number there comes
: from the cities "G06. so you see that
nearly 10000 of the scholars come from
, the country towns md it is for then
that | ask that the '";! re substituted
for the report Of the III ,tational com