Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-18

that should be passed. But by ris
own statement that hearing had been
held under the present statute, l think
that proves that it was not necessary
to make the bill too cumbersome.
AS you have noticed by the chapter
from the statutes read by the gentle
man from South Portland, there are
already laws on the statute books Civ
ing the railroad commissioners abso-
lutte authority to fix the rate, both as
to passengers and as to freight, but
the point seemed to be in the minds Of
the committee that some method
should be devised, some addition
should be made and some amendment
should be added, whereby the people,
the shippers or the receivers should De
able to get hearing more easily. Under
the law it appeared to be necessary that
every such hearing should be held here
in Augusta, and on that basis after very
carefully considering the matter and az
ter giving the gentleman from Houlton
such opportunity as he desired and asked
for to make the necessary changes IN
the bill. we added this one section that 1t
seemed to us absolutely and amply ANA
completely covered the entire ground
The original section gave the necessary
power, and this amendment makes it pos
sihle to have the hearing in the county
where the complaint is made,-"And said
hearing shall be held in the county where
the complaint originated if requested by
the shipper or the man who makes the
complaint"
The bill or the amendment is now on
: hi. tn, fpr
up tomorrow or next day for action by
the House. in the minds of the members
of the railroad committee it absolutely
covers the ground, protects the interests
of the people of the State. If it passes.
which we hope it WILL the bill as unfa-
vorably reported by the gentleman from
Houlton will be entirely unnecessary, and
consequently l trust that his motion to
submit the bill for the report will not
prevail.
Mr.. HERSEY: 1 just wish to correct a
few matters. One is the statement of the
gentleman from South Portland that
had said anything rejecting upon
the members of that committee. 1
have stated simply the facts as
they were If the facts reflect
upon the committee / am not RESPONSE
lie Tor that l have stated, and | state
again that I did not charge the conf
mittee with any bad faith in the mat
ter I simply say that the gentlemen
have been deceived and they are still
deceived. Tho gentleman from Calais |
(Mr. TrimblC) in his remarks just
made a moment ago still seems to Dc |
deceived. They say that that saying |
that the railroad commissioners may |
hold their meetings in the county
Mht re the complaint comes from is
enough. l say, no; you cannot make
il work. and every lawyer knows that
YOU cannot make it work And what
provision is made as to what not'c2
they shall give and who they Shall
give il to and where they shall hold
their court? Whether they shall have
any authority to summon witnesses
aud hear the evidence: whether it shall
be taken in writing or not; and 10
authority given them to summon and
examine witnesses, and to hear evil
denCr, or to oblign the common car
ricr - produce anything al all. And
after YOU had that hearing. what are
YOU gong to do? Then there is .,inS
to this bill at all. | suppose the gentle
hill they put in thor. was nothing
whatever to force the cu.:nlon carrier
to do anything, nothin.; to provide
any penalty, nothing whatever in the
ILL to say that after all this is Zone
that they shall take charge of the rates
and lclls and obliga them &c. post ten
in public places, and give the pablo
a no.ice of what are til" rates and tolls
and fares. They may go into some
of the counties and ho,l meetings, but
after that what does it amount to?
They come here with this amendment
and the thing goes on just the same
rs it was before.
l say, gentlemen, thcIc cannot bc
any objection to the bill which have
presented because outside Of tho fact
that they shall hold meeting when
it is called for, the res, is all necessary
machinery to carry out the purposes
and iutting it in force, and why should
the committee object to the measure?
Ii you hold any other kind Of q cour.
or commission you have to have The
machinery for 1t. This IS the same
machinery as is contained in the New
York law, and this same machinery
is the machinery for the regulation of
fares by the Interstate Commerce
Commission, the same machinery there
is in Vermont, law enacted the other
day relative to public service commits
sons. the same machinery you will
have to have in this State, and why
should TIE committee object to the
machinery? Because they some little
ret scheme in here that can accom-
plish nothing. Why don't they say
Eve are wrong and we are willing
your bill should go through"
Mr., CHASE of York: Mr.. Speaker:
I would like to inquire of the gentle
man from Houlton IL his bill does not
include transportation by water as
we'll as by rail?
Mr.. HERSEY: 1t does; wherever
there is carrier that uses both.
MIR. CHASE: So you would regu-
late freight in vessels in the same wayc
Mr.. HERSEY: The bill says a car
rier using land and water both.
Mr. Spear of South Portland moved
the previous question.
Va Ian