Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-04

ing an Office building or an addition to
the State House. In that resolve it was
provided that commission consisting
OF the Governor and four others of which
two should be from each political party
should have this matter in charge This
resolve was referred to the committee or
public buildings and was amply adverts
ed in all the daily papers of the State
and many of the weekly papers; and
there appeared at that hearing many mer
who have been prominent in the legisla-
tive affairs of this State; and they ev-
cry one argued, recommended and urget
that something be- done to relieve the
congested condition at this CAPITOL and
there was not one voice raised in oppo.
sition to this measure.
The committee, after duly considering
this resolve have a passage; and, as you
know, it has been passed by the House Of
Representatives.
1t seems hardly necessary to take your
time to go over the situation here as tC
the need of more room. 1t is plain to
every legislator who has been here that
conditions exist which should not exist
There are only three rooms, practically
in the State House which can, in any
sense, be called committee rooms. This
Senate chamber as you know, for nearly
every day in this session, in the after
noon, is taken by the committee on ap-
preparations and financial affairs; and il
any senator has wished to do any writ
ing or reading or to go to his desk. he has
been practically crowded out. The same
condition prevails over in the Council
chamber. That chamber has been occu-
pied by a committee nearly every day in
this session. Gentlemen, is that COM
mensurate with the dignity of the State
of Maine? I say no. / say that it is APP
parent to every member that something
should be done to relieve the condition
This is not a matter for Kennebec
county, particularly. 1t is Il matter for
the whole State of Maine. We have nc
fears as to the removal of the State
House. We want to have this question
threshed out on its merits We want
every section, as we know they will, to
take an interest in this matter and mak6
it one of State pride. We are not only
proud OF our own. county, but we are
proud of every county in the State. We
are proud of old Hancock county and the
mer she has sent here for the years long
passed. We are proud of the men that
have come from Washington county, 4
county whose shores touch the blue
ocean; we are proud of old Aroostook
county, the story of which has but half
been told. We are proud of all of them
proud of Androscosgin county, the home
of Dingley; proud of the great county of
Cumberland that has sent down here q
long line of distinguished men; and as I
was in the rotunda the other day and
looking at the pictures and flags. I
thought that we had treasures here that
should be cared for. Gentlemen, that
building should be made fire-proof; and l
hope. gentlemen, that this question will
resolve itself into simple business prop
of this State to do something
to make this building ample for the
needs of the people of this State; and
I hope that the motion of the senator
from Knox will not prevail.
Mr.. DONIGAN of Somerset: Mr.
President: I will take but a moments
time in regard to this question of the
State House, but it does seem to me
that the members who favor that this
year are not sincere. Two years ago,
as a member of the House, l heard
the arguments against the removal of
the capitol to Portland and at that
time the members who now are for the
extension of the State House said that
the building at that time was plenty
large enough--that they did not be-
lieve any addition was necessary and
they did not believe in the expense of
removing the capitol to Portland, and
before the Legislature adjourned two
years ago, those same members came
forward with a bill asking for an ex-
tension, or an office building for this
capitol. Now / do not believe that that
is sincere. AS far as Portland is con-
cerned, have been in Portland within
a few weeks and / have talked with
many business men in that city and
they wondered why their members
from that city and that county favored
an extension of the capitol. I asked a
great many people about it but not one
of them believed it was necessary. AS
one member told me, the other day,
he was tied up on the matter, will
say this: That if any members are
tied up on the question of the extern
sion of the capitol. the people should
have a right to vote on it; and l be-
lieve they will.
1t seems to me that all we have done
in this Legislature so far is to pay out
and to give money to anybody and
everybody that wants it.; and every
body has had almost all they wanted
and when anything came up that wa.
a benefit to the people. they sat down
on it; and / have yet failed to see a
Legislature SO far that has beer
against the will and the wish of the
people as this Legislature has. AnG
all can say further is that / do be-
lieve and / hope that this Legislature
will not appropriate $350,000,-ant
that means possibly twice that amount
because all the other institutions that
have got appropriations have in every
case asked the next Legislature, AND
received appropriations added to those
of the preceding Legislature. / be-
lieve and hope that, if the members
do vote to appropriate this $350,000
that the people will vote on it and we