Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-08

have developed these great water powers
ard transportation facilities of the State
have been close and intimate all my life
l take off my hat to them all, whether
it be 20 that gentleman rather slurring-
ly referred TO who went into Rumforl
Falls and built up that magnificent city.
all unaidcd, through his own strength
and persistence and faith in the doing
of things. or in that large-hearted, big
Drained man who, moro than any man
living in our State to-day. has invited the
whole world to come here and share tn /,
hest OF al that we possess.
For the lobby l have only kind words.
/ realize how difficult 1t would he for us
to legislatc, even with what intelligence
We do, on the intricate questions with
which they mus. be familiar and with
which we are not. My criticisnl-my
grief. as regard these gentlemen, the
head of that great profession which,
while laws remain upon our statute
books, we must look to for guidance and
helr-ex- governors, eX-judges OF the SUI
preme court, leaders in all of our social.
commercial and political life. my criti-
cism and my grief is that they never
darken our doors save when a question
comes up which has the line sharply
drawn between public and private rights
and then they are here to Represent pri-
vate interests and to get merccnary re-
wards which it will take lis 10 or l. years
of legislative salaries to equal.
Here in this State today. distracted "a
We are with all the problems that con-
Germ our moral progress. trying to find
some solution Of the question how to Sc
cure temperance AMONG our people, ac-
knowledoing our inability ut time; to de-
wise fair and equitable system of tax
alton throughout the Statc--on ali these
questions we are derived Of the knOw.-
edge and advice they might give us, but
it Is only such n question as this. and
then on the side which cannot escape the
criticism of being on the side or private
interests. they appear to give us their
counsel.
cannot wonder that they have como
here on this question. 1t does not re-
main for me to repeat what is ncknowl-
throughout the State. that this very ques-
ton which we have before us-whatever
other questions we have been discussing
progress of our State-that this very
question on the simple lineup Of public
or private wants whether it is time now
for the State to step in and conserve
what little she has left of our magnili-
cent rcsourC es-is the most important
question we have had yet to consider.
For the first time in the history of
our State it is proposed to draw upon
our great lake reservoirs. Before this
we have had dams and water storage
under our liberal flowage system and
water power Of the state so created
and thus naturally created.
For the first time this proposition
has been made. The MeSunticook case
not in point, for it was practically UNI
opposed, and it involved 20 question
of tapping our great natural reservoirs.
The question cannot be hclittlcd by
putting it as a question at issue be-
tween the thousands of operatives on
the AndroscOggin ANA the few camp
owners and summer resort people in
Franklin and Oxford counties: and if
the question was raised on that issue
even if it involved the fate OF those
people and of that thriving town at
Rangeley, of half of oxford and all of
Franklin county. even then the issue
would be different and would be an
easier issue for us to meet.
The question cannot be so belittled.
| am not surprised that we have these
people down among us, represented
here by only two senator's, pleading
and begging for their interests. That
map (pointing to map OF Mooselucme-
suntic lake and vicinity which was ex-
hibited in the Senate chamber) shows
you that even as the water is today
with Il feet in those lakes, there are
four and a half acres of mud flats al
ready exposed: and when this bill pro-
videS that they can go down to mud
stills IL feet more, taking the full 81
feet of water for four months in the
year l am not surprised that these
people and all interest connected with
them, rise up in alarm and plead to us
for mercy.
Upon that map you have the lakes
practically as they are today. / do not
like to suggest that with the privilege
of draining down eleven feet more and
dredging SO far as they may to secure
that drainage do not like to repeat
the suggestion that has been made
that when that is done, there is no
guardian of the interests of the whole
State there to see that they do not
take that water, not only during the
four months of the year, but during
the summer months when they most
need it, If they need it at all. do