Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-04-02

bers of the Senate on this bill. have
not asked a single man in this Senate
to vote on this bill for my sake or for
any reason, unless, on hearing 1t DIS
cussed, ne should consider it fit and
proper bill. | have not asked, and l
never Will ask, man to vote on a
public measure on any other ground.
] am going TO advocate this bill be-
cause l believe it is fair and right tor
the people and fair to the railroads.
/ want to say another word about
the railroads. The railroad that is in
my particular section, namely the
Bangor & Aroostook Railroad, is my
constituent just as truly as the hum
blest citizen Of ArOostook county is
nv constituent; and it is entitled to
precisely the same treatment from me
that any citizen iS entitled to. Any
railroad that is in a county which any
Of you gentlemen represent. Is a con-
stitucnt which YOU represent and is en-
titled to the same treatment that You
would accord to airy other consttu-
ent-no more and no less. | Will not
vnt.- for any bill here in this l-eglSla-
ture If the bill is unfair to the rail-
roads, no matter how many constltu-
entS want me to vote for it. ! will
not vote for anything the railroad
wants that IS unfair to any constitu-
tl.t of mine. | pre- sent this bill to your
consideration as a bill that, to my
mind, is fair TO my other constituents
and to Your constituents.
am not one Of those who are Gp-
csed to railroads or to railroad men
because they are railroad men. | am
going to say that it fair to suppose
that n railroad man is made of the
same sort III clay that other business
men are made of. It is fair to say
that, take Them as n rule, they are
able men, ana are ADLER men than the
average men Of business, because the
affairs they have to do with are large
affairs and are affairs that demand
much ability. 1t is fair to say of the
railroad attorneys. that they are atler
attorneys than the average attorney is,
for the same reason-that they have
to deal with larger affairs. But. as
said a moment ago, they are no better
and they are no worse than the rest
Of us. Human nature is such that We
are all inclined to be selfish.
do not want, Mr. President and
Gentlemen Of the Senate, TO have all
OF TIL. lumber business in Maine COM
united to me and to have it said to
me, without any further regulation.
that ] am To do all of the lumber bust
ness that is done. Those of us who
are in the lumber business, or in any
other competitive business, have our
selfish interests controlled by compe-
tltion. w" cannot ask successfully
any more for our lumber than the 9TH
~ fellow asks for the same quality
of lumber Any member Of this SEN
ate who is q lawyer is covered by the
same rule We are all governed by
the same rule in the very nature of
things. The business Of railroads can
not be governed by that rule. An at
tempt to so govern it is unscientitic
We do not want two telephone lines
in section where one company can
do the work better and cheaper than
two companies. We don't want two
gas companies. We do not want two
electric companies These things are
naturally monopolies. They are turn
ed over under the sanction of the
state. and properly turned over, to
public service corporations. But it is
evident and perfectly apparent that,
human nature being as it is. all bust
ness men being more or less inclined
to b" somewhat selfish, if these mo-
mopoli"S are to be turned over to pub
lie service corporations there must be
som" way of limiting the lengths to
which they may go for the service
rendered. There are only two ways in
which that can be done. one is by q
direct regulation by the Legislature of
the rates which those public service
corporations may charge, and the 9TH
or is by providing that their rates may
be regulated IN some way by a public
service commission. That has been
recognized in this State and an at
tempt has been made by the Legisla-
/ ture to provide for it; and no other
Intention was ever had by Legisla-
turc than t" have that provided for in
III" case of railroads. In answer to
the que stjOn of what we have now on
that subject, l am going to read Sec
tion ! OF Chapter 50 Of the Revised
St"tut"S, which gives all of the pro-
visions of the statute law at present
with regard To the fares and tolls Of
railroad corporations:
tablish and collect, for its sole benefit,
fares tolls and charges. upon all pas
sengers ana property conveyed and
transported on it's railroad. at such
rates as may be determined by the di-
rectors thereof, and shall have a lien
on its freight therefor; and may from
time to time by its directors regulate
the use of its road: provided that such
rates of fares, tolls and charges, and
regulations are at all times subject
t. alteration by the Legislature or by
such officers or persons as the LegiS
laturn may appoint. for the purpose
anything in the charter Of such COR
poration to the contrary notwithstand-
ing; and provided further that, upon
what shall, at any time, be deemed by
the railroad commissioners a sufficient
complaint. by interested and RESPONSE
BILE parties. that the tolls are unrea-
sonab.y high, said commissioners may
revise and establish them, after due
notice and hearing, for a time not ex
ceeding one year. But the commission
ers before directing said hearing. shall
give opportunity to the company COM
planned of. to reply to the charge"