Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-20

not directly or indirectly by the trade
you are constantly receiving from
them helped to build up your cities and
helped in the prosperity which you
now enjoy. If this is not so, gentle
men, you are under no obligation to
help them, but, gentlemen, do you wish
to live wholly within yourselves and
could you continue to do so providing
that all these farming towns were
stricken off the map? l say no, for l
believe one is essential to the other.
1t may be fact that you are amply
able to take care of your own bridges,
but do you not often use ours, who
are less able to keep them in repair?
l speak of this, gentlemen, showing
the selfishness there is in the opposi
ton to this bill. We do not oppose
you when you come year after year
asking for appropriations for the many
institutions clustered around your
cities. We are only too glad to help
you for l believe this to be right, but
l don't think it right for you to oppose
q measure which is of so much i'm
portance as is this one 10 so many
towns in the State. There are a great
many men through the State of Maine,
and many of them are within the hear
ing Of my voice. that are continually
crying out against the wild land owner
because he doesn't pay taxes in proper
ton to other property owners, and all
the time asking what can be done to
reach him. Do you expect to reach
him by reducing your State tax which
is all the tax he has to pay? l say no,
let the State tax be q little higher and
let the State have more money to work
with ard give them more to do, and l
assure you that the money could not
be expended in more satisfactory
manner than by repairing our bridges,
thus relieving the burdened towns who
have to raise SO much money for the
building and repairing OF their bridges
and thus leaving them the more for
the building and repairing of their
highways. which YOU will all agree
with me are in sad condition
throughout the State. and especially
in the towns where there are as many
bridges as there are in the town of
Rowland. This town raises 1920 a
year and eXpends S525 a year on its
bridges alone, over 43 per cent of the
amount raised for its roads and
bridges. Do you think this bill would
not help us? l think so.
Why, gentlemen, this bridge bill. to
my view. is the very key to better
roads throughout the State of anime.
Why. have heard it repeatedly said
by those people that if the State
would maintain our bridges, we would
ha
we do now for roads and bridges. and
use it on our roads. and in this way
soon have good roads. / know this
would be the result in all the II towns
winch | represent. and gentlemen. I
plead with you to not try to turn down
one Of the most considerable and bene-
nclal measures that was ever brought
before any Legislature in this State
OF Maine. unselish in its motive and
only aiming at tho best interests Of
our State at large. Weigh well its
motives and let us all work unselfish
~ as one man for the best interests of
our state at large. We are here in a
common cause, and let us do away
with party lines AMI work honestly
anu uilselhshly for the best interests
Oh our state. so that when we go home
TO our constituents they can saw of
US well done, thou good and faithful
servant"
Mr.. FLAIIERTY Of Por.,and-Mr
speaker, l wish to say that it dies no.
necessarily follow that. by CONSIDERING
THIS bill a little longer, we are onnosa5
l" Il This matter is of vital importance.
70 every large city as well as every plan
talion III this State. and think 1t viii b,
wei 10" the members to get little moro
hSnt on the subject. I agree with III.
gentleman from Portland (N1r. Tolman) in
MS motion and I trist thar the members
VIII give us chance to look further into
me matter and to get this report fror,
the highway commissioner. 1t does not
necessarily follow that we are opposed t.
thls bill at all but va would like a fur
Their time for its consideration.
Mr.. DUNTON % BelGast-Mr Sneaker.
would ask II the question now before
the House is not on the amendment rro
posed by the gentleman from Island Falls
To the order introduced by the gentleman
from Portland (Mr. Tolmano
The SPEAkER-Ths question befor,
the House is on the motion of the gen.
tleman from Portland CMr. Tolman) to
lay nn the table the original bill together
with the amendment offered by the gen
tlemian from Old Town.
The question being put. division was
had and the motion was lost by a vote
OF a to &C. (Applause).
The question then being on tho odon