Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-04
ORDERS OF THE DAY.
Rebate of Taxes on 3. e. A. r. r.

OnOEhS VT TIE SHts
Rebate Of Taxes on B. & A. r. r.
The clerk read the following order
which came I'M as a special assign
ment:
In House of Representatives, Jan. q,
1909.
Ordered, That the justices of the su-
preme judicial court are hereby re-
CURED to give to the House of Repre-
sentatives, according to the provisions
Of the Constitution in this behalf, their
opinion on the following question, to
wit: Has the Legislature the legal
power under the Constitution OF the
State of Maine to enact the following
bill now pending:
can Act to encourage and aid the
building of a railroad through the
undeveloped portion of Northern
Maine
BE il enacted by the People of the
State of Maine, as follows:
"Section l. Provided the Bangor &
Aroostook Railroad Company shall, in
good faith on or before January l,
1911, commence to build line of rail-
road which shall begin at its present
main line in the vicinity of West Sc
bois and shall finally extend i'll a gen.
eral northerly direction to the st. John
river as the same may be legally laid
out, and shall commence to build a
railroad into or through the towns of
Washburn and Perham; thereupon
when said Railroad Company shall
commence to build such railroads, said
Railroad Company is hereby author
lied to enter into an agreement with
the State of Maine, for the transporta-
lion, over the lines of railroad which it
may build, of troops and munitions OF
war in times of war, insurrect1on or
civil cor1motion, free of charge other
than as herein provided, until January
[. 1921, and to receive therefor from
said state annually for the term of
said contract an amount which shall
equal 95 per cent. of the taxes collect
ed in the corresponding year by said
State upon the lines of railroad which
it is now operating and upon any 9TH
er lines of rad which it may build,
and upon it's real and personal proper
ty, including it's stock and franchise.
"Whenever before January l, 1911,
the building of said lines of railroad
shall in good faith be commenced,
thereupon said Railroad Company may
execute such contract and present
t to the treasurer of said State. and it
shall be the duty of said treasurer to
execute said contract in behalf of said
State, and thereafter said treasurer
shall pay over to said corporation
each year during the term of said
contract the amount provided in this
Act"
Mr.. PATTANGALL of Waterville:
Mr. Speaker, l move that the order
have a passage.
Mr.. HERSEY of Houlton: Mr..
Speaker, l am a new member of this
Legislature and have not had the ex-
perience in it's business as some of the
older members, not so much as the
gentleman from Waterville (Mr. Pat
tangalD and therefore some things
that occur in this Legislature will
seem to me a little strange and out of
the ordinary course Of business. Out
in the country, so to speak, among the
common people, there has grown up a
notion or an idea that men are sent
to this Legislature to do the business
for all the people of the State, and
somehow they have a notion-I don't
know where they got it-that any per-
son or corporation may come to this
Legislature with a bill or measure.
present the same through any repre-
sentative here, have the same prop
erly presented to the Legislature
through the proper channels, referred
to the proper committees, have a hear
ing advertised and at that public
hearing have full, free and impair
tial hearing on the merits of the bill.
and after such a hearing have the
committee report to this Legislature,
and after full and impartial hearing
in the House and Senate have the bill
passed or rejected; and they have the
idea that up to that time no person.
at least no representative in this
House or 10 member of the Senate
shall interfere or in any manner shall
attempt to prejudice the full and free
and complete hearing of that measure
or shall in any way try to anticipate
the verdict of the people, to wit. the
Legislature, upon those measures.
Now, knowing this, was somewhat
surprised when the gentleman from
Camden CIR. Montgomery a short
time ago presented a bill in this House
called the Bangor & Aroostook re-
bate bill and had it referred in the
usual manner and through the proper
channels, that that act of his should
have caused a great deal of excitement
among certain politicians and have
been the occasion of certain party
caucuses engineered by the gentleman
from Waterville. Now I have known
the gentleman from Camden q great
many years. He says. understand,
that he believes in that BILL in its mer-
it's l understand that he claims that
his people who sent him here believe
in the merits of the bill. and therefore
he presented it.; and l believe that he
presented it in good faith and that he
at that time perhaps forgot in con-
sulting the interests of the State. the
interests of his constituents, in the III
terests of fair play, he forgot for the
to consult the gentleman from
Waterville Qaughter) and forgot to
play the game of politics The gentle
man from Camden often forgets to do
that. He has been known to favor even