Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-20

Mr.. HAMILTON of York: Mr. Pres
ident: Day before yesterday, in the
morning, the minister prayed that we
should be true to the interests of the
State of Maine l am afraid that he
was a little late for his prayer to avail.
l laid upon the table some bridge bills,
for two reasons. One of the reasons
was that | did not believe that we
ought to take the money of the State
of Maine and put it into bridges in
different sections of the State. | know
! and full we'll understand that it is all
| i'll the State of Maine, and that what
is for the interest of us all; but it seems
| to me that this matter is going rather
| too far and l find that my objections
are regarded as a sort of boyish or
petulant freak. Another reason is that
| in most of these resolves you
pay to the town so much money for
| a road. Now the senator from Knox
| thinks that they might sometimes use
| that for political purposes. There is no
string to it. There is no return to be
made to anybody. but simply the
| towns receipt for this money and you
don't know where it is to be expended.
| The senator from Arcostook calls at
tention to business methods and the
way of doing business, and he has,
rather taken charge of that, so the
state may know about it. Now how is
the auditor to know anything about it:
The money is simply drawn from the
| State and no return is rcuired to be
made. Even the great Sir l Am-tl2e
| State road commissioner-they skip
right over him. / submit if that is
proper way to do business. The towns
| may all be honest and may eXpend this
money just where ii is voted but there
| is no return to be made and this money
| is poid out in the whole sum to the
| town and they can do with it just what
| they please and no returns are to be
made to the state and there is no way
| of knowing how the money is used or
| for what purpose. | call the attention
| of the Senate to that fact: and ] now
| move that House Document 36S, "Re-
| solve in favor of the town of Island
Fails in the county of Aroostook in
ala of building a bridge across the
| West Branch of the MattaWamkeag
river" be taken from the table.
| MIR. MILLIkEN of Aroostook: Mr.
! President, I move that House Docu
ment No. 36S pass to be engrossed.
The senator from York having is
| sued a sort of general challenge to me.
l won't to read a part of the resolve. 1
understood the senator to imply that
these resolves provided only in a gem
| eral way. The resolve reads:
| Resolved. That the sum of two
| thousand five hundred dollars be and
hereby is appropriated for the purpose
of assisting said town of Island Falls
| in the construction of a steel bridge
across said West Branch of the Mat
tawamkeae river, and that the same
be paid when the county commission
ers shall certify to the Governor and
Council that said bridge has been com
| pleted at a cost not less than five thou
sand dollars
J am ready to argue that question if
the Senate desire, but think the SEN
ator from York is somewhat in the po-
sition Of the darkcy who attended the
dance. The dance being in full pro-
gress and everything going along
nicely, he suddenly got out in the mid
die Of the floor and proclaimed in a
loud tone of voice: "This dance am
/ stopped" Proceedings Immediately
ceased and someone wanted to know
what the trouble was about. Having
secured quiet, the darkey then SAID:
"rhis dance may now go on, I only
wanted to show my authority" ] do
not think the Senate is really opposed
to this resolve
Mr. DONIGAN of Somerset: Mr..
| President, | want to state as 4 member
OF that committee that in every case
think there has been a statement of
facts accompanying these resolves
carrying appropriations for bridges
and highways and that in every case
they are under the supervision of the
commissioner of highways. or some
body appointed by the Governor and
Council; and in every case. while |
was in the committee. we looked them
over very carefully and turned down
a lot of matters that we We're asked
to appropriate money for; and those
that We did not turn down were under
supervision as ] have stated
Mr.. HAMILTON: I want to say in
the beginning that this is a business
proposition. Replying to the negro
dance story, I may say that l have
never known the time when ARGOS
took county stopped dancing. Now if
they will stop dancing. | will with
draw all objections to it and we will
cut the strings of the fiddle and stop
the proceedings
on motion by Mr., Milliken of Aroos-
took, House Document SOS was passed
10 be cngrosSed.
On melton by Mr.. Hamilton If York.
House Document No. 306 "Resolvc in
favor Of road for town of Brownvillc
to Katahdin Iron Works. was taken
from the table.
Mr. HAMILTON: This is simply a
l plain resolve as I stated If there is
anything there | wish to beg Senator
Donigans pardon.
Mr. DONIGAN of Somerset: Mr.
President, In looking that one over |
find there is not; and I beg the pardon
of the senator from York In every case
when ] was there, I thought we had
arranged for such provision that they
should be under the supervision of the
commissioner of highways and most
of them were, and / thought they all
were.
Mr.. KNOWLTON of Piscataouis:
| will saw IN The senator from York in