Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-25

to wait for couple OF years. NO Seri-
ors Panic will take place in the town
of York if we let them talk it over
and think it over and report at a sup
seouent session of the Legislature up
on this matter that must be conceded
OF considerable importance to the peo-
pie down there. l do not want to vote
upon something that may cause nara
shin and be an injustice to the people
concerned; l want to know a little
more about the matter. Mr.. Speaker,
move that this subject be referred to
the next Legislature. and move tnat
when the vote is taken on the question
it be taken by the yeas and nays. CAP
plause)
Mr.. SMITH of Berwick: Mr.. Speak
err. I had supposed that this matter
would be York county matter ana
that Washington county and Aroos-
took county would let it alone. The
,,rononents of this bill come before this
House in good faith. 1t has Deen
threshed out, pro and con, IN commit
tee. in the lobby, in the House; we
have had it under consideration now
for an hour and a half The people
down there think it is of conslderapie
inheritance that this matter should De
settled: but, gentlemen, it can never
he settled until it is settled right. is II
reasonable to suppose that the House
which assemblies here two years from
now will be in any better positioli ~
settle the matter and settle IL rlsn.
than the present House? we nave near"
this matter talked from the time we
came here and before that Time
think there is no question In the hlho
of any one, or in the mind OF the gen
tleman from Jonesboro. but what -e'-
ery member of this House knows exact
Nv what he is voting for; they know inc
conditions as we'll as they can know
them. | have the honor to come from
York county. 1 know something or the
conditions surrounding the town OF
York. I know something of the condl-
lions surrounding the proposed town oA
Gorges. I think that every gentleman
in this House knows something con-
corning the town of York and can never
be in any better position to know ABOUT
it than they are today. 1t is a well
known fact, to attorneys at any rate,
that the matter of towns is entirely IN
the hands of the Legislature. They are
created by the Legislature, they can be
wiped out by the Legislature, they can
be re-creatcd; they are the children or
the LEGISLATURE. If the Legislature
sees fit to cut off a piece from one OF
them they can do it; and this Legisla-
ture is as competent and as careful as
any Legislature that can be elected Dy
the people of this sovereign State and
70 hnnnr-
able gentlemen of this House to ask
them to shirk their responsibility ana 10
put this over onto some other LeSlSia-
ture. What are we here for II 1t is not
to settle the matters which come before
us? This matter of referring, referring
to the next Legislature-it seems to me
that we would be cndeavOring to Shirk
our responsibility. The matters are be-
fore us. Let us settle them. and. gem
tlcmcn, when we have settled them here
they will be settled right. This House
is not going to do a wrongful act KNOW
ingly. There is sufficient intelligence
in this House to settle question and
settle it right: and think the motion to
refer this matter to the next Legislature
should be rejected by the House.
Mr. ALLEN of Joncsboro: Mr.. Speak
or, | want to call attention to the fact
that if the other counties would keep
their hands off this question Washing
ton and Aroostook would also be glad
to follow suit. 1 think that the question
raised by the last speaker. that the
members of this House know what they
are voting for. may be agreed to in one
part and we may differ from it in an
nth VI ip1 EpnU that
be voting to divide a certain town. and
l agree with all that the gentleman has
said in regard to the power that we have
as a Legislature; We can vote town in
to existence or we can destroy that
town. But the gentleman has not sat
isfied me as to whether we have a right.
without considering the opinions and
wishes of the people in that town, to
perform an act so radical as that. We
have no moral right to do it and all the
plausible arguments that may be pre-
scented by the gentleman to the contrary
notwithstanding We have no moral
right to do this thing; it is wrong
Let me say another thing. and that is.
notwithstanding the assertion to the
contrary We do not know what we are
voting for in this respect We do not
know what those people want down
there in that town Have you heard
from them have they said to you what
they want? Is there any great injus-
ticc to be done in this matter if you
wait IL couple of years? Are there any
vital interests that are to be sacrificed
1T seems to me that the very haste i'm
this matter argues against it. There
is no danger for right cause in a lit
tie delay. The right will prevail event
ually. 1t is only those who are in the
wrong who need to hurry a thing
through without looking into it care
fully and testing it in its merits; and /
hope that this matter will not be de-
cided today. There will be no harm in
putting it off: and l ask, Mr.. Speaker
that the members waive this matter
before they decide so important ques-
ton.
The question being shall the yeas and
nays be ordered
The motion was agreed to-
The SPEAKER: All those i'm favor of
referring this bill to the next Legisla-
ture. when their names are called, will
answer yes; those opposed will answer
no The clerk will call the roll.