Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-18

Ilar from his own county, anu L nave iiAN
il on good authority that in the last TWO
weeks the gentleman from Houlton mas
reported that the railroad committee dld
not dare to do other than report favor-
bly, upon his bill, and yet few moments
Ego he stated that he believed the rall-
read committee were honest. III we are
honest and have done dishonest tliiiis
we are idiots or worse. l had hoped that
ANYTHING of that nature would not De
acain brought up in this House.
The bill introduced by the gentleman
from Houlton was a noble production. 1t
has been printed; probably you have read
IT. It had about six pages of statutes to
cover one point and one point only. A
hearing was held on the bill 1t was
surported by the gentleman from Houl-
ton and two others None OF the eehtie-
men appearing before the committee were
;,l,,e to say that he personally kne" any
thing relative to the charges OF UNJUST
rates or tolls. They appeared to know
rGthing of the fact that the statute al
ready covered that. Subsequent to that
meeting I spoke with Senator Mllllkeh,
man who mostly ably represented the IN
terests of Aroostook with those or the
whole State in the House for the past
two sessions and who is now IN the Sen
ate "a shipper over these foadS, anu
suggested to him the amendment proPos-
Cd and the present statute covering reSu-
!ation by the railroad commissioners. lie
said. "Why, Mr.. Spear, you ought TO
l.row better than to offer a sop like that
ia mo The railroad commissioners or no
other body have any right to even IN
euire as to railroad rates. Section OF
cbanter 80 of the Revised Statutes enti-
tied 1.-The management and operation of
steam railroads. says: ANY railroao
coronation may establish and collect. for
its sole benefit, fares, tolls ana charSes'
upon all passengers and property convey
cd and transported on its railroad pE
such rates as may be determined by the
directors thereof, and shall nave Zen
on its freight therefor; and may from
time to time by its directors regulate the
,se Of it's road: provided that such rates
of fares, tolls and charges, and feSnia-
tions are at all times subject to altera-
lions by the Legislature. or by such OIL
GERS or persons as the Legislature may
appoint for the purpose, anything III 'ne
barter of such corporation to the contra
" nOtwit hstanding: and PROVIDED lulthei
hat. upon what shall, at any tlme' De
,-aened by the railroad commissioners a
srfficient complaint, by interested and re-
srorsible parties, that the tolls are I'M
va. sonablv high, said commissioners may
revise and establish them after due no.
tice and hearing, for a time not exceeding
one wear. But the commissioners before
c1,a11 pi 0DD0r
tunity to the company complained OF 10
rerly to the charge Ana senator -liii-
kent said to me: Il never kne" .neiV
was such a thing in the statute ana
don't believe anybody else in Aroostooh
county, knew it," I am willing to admit
,bat the gentleman from Houlton did. be-
cause he had to introduce part OF II III
10 nil, one provision of his bill called
ro,. 1c arbitrary courts in all the counties
whether there were any comIiali''S VI
not. whether there was any call LOT ti'ei'i
or not. He did not provide that any no
tice should be given to the companies
complained of in advance, simply th't the
railroads should go to every county anu
not know what they were to meet. fol y
further justification of the committee
refer YOU to the report of the hearing IN
which the gentleman from Houlton said
that he frankly admitted to the commit
tee that he was simply after the Bangor
6, Aroostook Railroad that the Maine
central was all right as far as he knew.
We did not feel justified in estaofs'il'is
1s arbitrary courts to hit the county OF
Arcostook.
am not going to take up the tlme oi
the House: | do not believe 1t is neceS-
sarv. I simply say that the conlhl''ce
gave a fair hearing. The remarks or tIe
gentleman as to this matter being report
ed at this late day are certainly uhlar'
1t was held for the last three weeks
pending negotiations with nm reia'iNe
to his acceptance of what seemed TO inc
committee ought to be done ana ohiN
what ought to be done. and perhaps ihoie
than is called for. and that is that tleN
wished to get an idea of what was want
cd and how much it was needed, ana ~
was simply no more or less so far as thH
committee could find that if there were
anvwhere in the state, in ArooStook on
any other county, any man, corporation
ar firm. large or small, who felt an OPP
pression. who felt he was being unreas-
was given to a competitor, whether that
man. corporation or firm was entitled to
have an opportunity TO have that feeling
of unjust oppression removed; and for
that reason the committee suggested 7"
the gentleman from Houlton that they
amend the present statute to make 1t
as easy as possible for any man to nave
that feeling of oppression removed; ana
the committee have reported this bill
unanimously amending the statute which
[ have read, land said hearing shall be
held in the county in which complaint
originates if requested" Now, gentlemen,
it is unnecessary to say that the COM
uittee have acted with entire honesty in
this matter. They might possibly have
thought that it would be a good political
movement in AroostoOk county, but the
committee are not here to favor political
schemes or measures. They have acted
fairly and conscentiously, they have done
that which it was reported they did not
dare to do. They have suggested that
anyone who feels that he is being unjust
ly oppressed and unfairly treated, that
M 10