Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-01
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued from Page Two).


proposition was voted down at the reg
ular town meeting, at special town
meeting held during the summer or fall
they voted to build q certain bridge. They
voted to appoint a committee of four to
act in conjunction with the selectmen for
the building OF the bridge. There was not
dollar appropriated for the work, and
while preliminary steps were taken prob
ably all right it looks to me as though
the selectmen were justified in delaying
the matter until that appropriation was
made and could be voted by the town.
1t seems to me that was reasonable
proposition; I may be mistaken, but if I
am so mistaken 1 am willing to be set
right. Now, as matter OF fact these
four men went on and built the bridge.
They built 1t without q dollar Of appro-
prtation, and after the bridge was built
the difficulty arose in regard to the pay
ment for it. There are in the courts at
the present time several suits, the de-
Gliding OF which by the courts Of our
State will solve the problem of the wran-
gle in the town of York That is the
only way in which it can be solved.
that dividing the town will settle any
thing; 1t will only settle this thing. that
this branch of the Legislature will lend
Itself to do an act which is a rank in
justice both to the town OF York and to
yourselves. You cannot afford to do it
and IL means too much to you yourselves
Let the matter go to the courts; it is
being threshed out there now, and all in
settled right because in the jury of T.
men that are appointed to try that case
there will be no condition Of prejudice
there will be no chance for a lobby to
get IN their work, there will be no chance
for injustice to be done. The case will
be settled and 1t will be settled right. it
win be settled finally, and it will be set
tied whether you divide the town or not
Dividing the town will not settle that
case. 1t looks to me as though this pro-
cedure may properly be termed rather
small. 1t looks to me as though there
are some things connected with this
movement that are not worthy of our
attention.
There are some reasons why this town
should not be divided. and want to state
them briefly. The people do not want it
divided. You cannot draw line across;
the town, no matter where or how you
draw it. where you will satisfy the people
on the other side. My seatmate has a Pc
tition signed by almost 1000 men, and
letters from about 100 more, nearly the
entire number of voters of that town
have taken this their only way of being
heard In relation to the matter. The Sem
ate said: You can't go down there and
put this case to them and let them vote
upon 1t themselves. The only thing for
them to do is to come here" And they
have come here, and this is the only pos
slb'e way. by sending these petitions, no
committee for them to go before. but the
committee OF the House as a whole, no
chance for them to be heard in any fair
ana square way, but they have come here
with petitions and letters representing al
most every voter in that proposed sec
ton. Haven't those men 4 right to be
heard? Are you going to say to them
20 back. we don't care what you think
or what you want in this matter There
Is q fight in the town and we are going
TO divide the town and thus settle the
night The town OF York is an old his
toric town, and the history of the town
Is sacred. There is one man who has
5000 in that bridge and I am Informed
tfat he says he would rather lose every.
dollar of it than have to have the town
divided. You cannot divide the town
without doing an injustice. and we ought
to hesitate before we do it, I hope the
House will refuse to concur with the Sem
ate. (Applause).
Mr.. BIsBEE of Rumford: Mr.. Speak
n m bat ho,
great deal Of history in connection with
the town of York and have heard both
sides. and now move the previous uues-
ton.
Inc motion was agreed to.
The question being. shall the main
question be now putt
Mr.. MOORE of Saco: Mr. Sneaker
ana gentlemen OF the House. | want to
say Just n word in regard to this matter
and won't delay you long, and / know
that l am under the five minute rule
do not want to speak for Josiah Chase
or any other individual; want to speak
word for the town of York 90 years
ago it was my privilege to live there for
three months. and 1 say that the town
or York should never be divided; 1t
should be kept together, from the Nub-
Bile to AgamenticuS. from the harbor to
cape Neddick, it all belongs together
The people there don't want it divided
The people down here loopylng this WIN
ter when they stop and consider for a
moment will say they do not want it
divided AS one gentleman talking with
me last night said. II don't want the
old town divided" and none of us do.
The Senate has refused to concur in this
amendment which it seems TO me should
appeal to every member of the House as
the fairest thing possible, leaving 1t to
the people of that part of the town
which Is proposed to be set off to de-
termine whether they want it divided or