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

| ents Of this bin. | am not gong 10 uiH-
| cuss the general provisions Of TINS Dill
view much until ii shall be pointed out
| nv someone on the cOmmitte what IN"
! troubl. about il is and what there Is
| that is not fair; but | am gong 10 say
| that the amendment which | under
| stand was proposed by the railroad
| committee simply adds to the present
| or, vision Of the statute, provision
| that a hearing shall be had in the
| count where tho difficulty originated.
| There is no objection to that. That IS
What the railroad attorneys SAID tNHy
would object to, and they DO not OBJ
| iect to that, but they do object to TINS
| bin. | think the main reason they have
| in obiecting to this bill is that the bill
| IS detective Put. ! am not going 10
| say anything more about the proVi-
| sionS Of the bill, except In the general
| Wav which | have pointed ont. 1t does
| give the commissioners general author
| ity t. do what the statutes give them
| now. 1t does not give them any new
| aut hOrity 1t was argued in the House
| the other day, | understand, that be
| carse the word 'eStabliSh" was in this
| bill that it gave the commissioners
| some new authority. That was argued
| by a lawyer, who. if he was making
| that argument with a real desire to be
| frank. must have seen from reading
/ the Statute that the Statute which |
| read gives them precisely that author
| ity. 1t gives them no authority to make
new rates 1t does provide all the ma
| chinery for examining witnesses and
| for having hearings. but it does not
provide l believe. any more machin-
cry than is necessary. 1t does make
| one other important provision to which
want to call your attention. and that
is this, that the cost shall be paid out
| Of the state treasury.
| Now. why is that reasonable? Be
| cause in a civil action the costs are
paid by the parties-the parties that
| lose pay the costs and everybody
| knows that the average man is de
| TERED from suing a large corporation
| from the fear that it will cost him so
i much. Unless he has got money and
is prepared to stand q long litigation.
| he thinks twice before he sues a rail
| road. Now this provision is intended.
first. to take away that fear and to
| they think the rate is wrong, to have
q hearing. ana that the necessary ex-
penses for the attendance Of witnesses
shall be raid out of the state treasury
Why Is that done? Simply because it
is for the public good and for the good
of the whole State, that any hearing
which shall result in a more equitable
adjustment Of the rates of public ser
Iicn ions shall no mid nv
state. That is one very important pro-
vision of this bill and one | think
which you will see the roasonableness
Of
There is another thing | want to say
Arguments have been made against
this bill No 742 because of certain de-
frcts in it, certain things which ought
to be changed. ! want to say that, if
You believe in the principle of this
bill. it is your duty to vote on the sub
stitution of the bin for the report ana
| afterwards. if YOU think it should be
amended. to offer your amendment:
and, if the amendment is voted down
which represents your view. then YOU
have Il right to vote against the bill:
and for that reason the objection If
voting against the bin simply because
mad" in it. is not exactly fair OBJ
lection.
! want to say Just word about the
objections which the railroad com-
ranieS have to this bill. I want to he
fair to the railroad companies. just as
would be fair to anybody else. | do
not think any Of You will accuse mo.
whatever else, of any desire to be nm
1alr. | want to say one thing. and
that is that no attorney for a railroad
corporation and no attorney for any
other corporation. here before this
Legislature. or anybody else, has a
right to come around to you and urge
objections or arguments upon a bill.
Whlch are not the real objections or
reasons Of his client for opposing or
favoring the bill
l have sometimes had experience
about this Legislature of having gem
tlemen Interested in certain bills come
around to me- am glad to saw it has
not been done at this session-but in
the past, especially at my first session
i have had these men come around
me with a very tender solicitude in
their heart for the farmers in Aroos-
took county; and | knew perfectly we'll
that their motives were not from anv
tenderness for the farmers in Aroos-
took county, but because of the inter-
ests of their clients who hired them TO
come here before this Legislature. Now.
it is entirely proper for anybody in
this lobby-an attorney or anybody
else-to come here and state the posi-