Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-18

re piled that he could see no reason
for an appeal to the supreme court
t. adjust freight rates.
Mr.. Hersey read letters from Aroos-
took potato shippers endorsing the
hill He also read letter from S. W.
Hill OF Machias saying that all the
Changers in Washington county were
in favor of the bill He submitted
schedule of freight rates from North
ern Maine junction to AroostoUk
points and cited cases where shippers
had to pay SIG per car for a twomile
haul and SIS for 12-mile haul.
Mr.. Blsbee asked Mr. Hersey if he
thought it would be possible for the
railroad commissioners TO do the work
required under the Hersey bill in ad-
dition to what they have now at the
present salary. and later in the dis
cussion intimatcd that if the railroad
commissioners did not give them d
fair deal new ones might be appointed.
Representative Chase of ScDec anG
Commissioner of Agriculture Gilman OF
FoXcroft testified that freight rates
On the Bangor & Aroostook were on
Tie up grade.
Hon. Forest Goodwin in speaking iii
opposition to the measure said that
there was law enough on the subject
II present. He said that the Hersey
kill would make the commissioners
the virtual managers Of the railroads
Of the State and that II" board or com
missioners no matter how intelligent
could make freight tariffs He argued
that 4 simple amendment to the pres.
l,,,
ings could be held in the county of tbs
shipper making complaint would ac
complish all that Mr.. Hersey wished.
TO this. however, Mr.. Hersey would
not assent.
In speaking in opposition to the bill
MIR. Chaplin said that q railroad could
not move. could not think. and could
not of itself inaugurate any attack on
the people. "And yet there are some
people who seem to think that q rail
road is a great Shiny creature that
Gre wis over the face of the earth. Seek
ing whom it may devour and that the
more victims it gets the louder il
shrieks.'
He then sketched the history OF the
interstate commerce commission and
the history of the Bangor < Aroostooi
Railroad. contrasting the liberality of
the Canadian government subsidies to
the roads, which compete with tn
Maine railroads in ArooStooh. He said
that the suggested Goodwin amend
mcnt to hold the hearings in the coun-
" Of the shipper making the COM
plant would serve every purpose of
the Jersey act. and declared that the
Jersey act would put an end TO the
borrowing power of the railroads. He
also questioned the legality of the bill
asserting that the Legislature alone
bad the power to fix rates and that
this bill involved the same principle
which the courts had just declared ull-
constitutional iii the Sturgis act, the
attempt to delegate to some commits
SIGN the power to legislate.
In commenting on the difficulties of
trying to keep pace with the rulings
Of the interstate commerce commits
sion Mr.. Chaplin raised a laugh when
he said: IF any of you gentlemen
think it's fun to operate a railroad I'M
der that law and keep out of Jail and
make friends, YOU go ahead and try
il. that's ALL
Hon. Seth NJ Carter of Auburn rep.
rcsentluS the Boston & Maine and
Maine Central Railroads. spoke brieny
against the measure. noting what he
termed some of its weak points In the
course of the hearing Hon Herbert NJ.
Heath Of Augusta asko d what reason
there was for including trolley ROADS
and Mr.. Hersey said they might need
attention some time
Joseph +. Hall Of Springvale ap-
peared in behalf of the measure to re-
Gujre railroads to build sidings to man
ufacturing plants located within a mile
Of the man line of any railroad. Tho
bill WAS opposed by Mr.. Carter
The hearing IN the bill recurring
street railway car to be equipped with
al" brakes was postponed Tor one
week.