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

least calculation. By that time We GER
ainIy would not have 1t covered in be-
fore winter. This is a matter that has
been discussed very thoroughly by the
previous members of the Portland dele
cation. and / do not wish to infiict any
further upon the time Of the members
of this House. / sincerely hope with
all respect to my friend, Mr.. Rounds,
that the House with support the major
ity of the Portland delegation.
Mr.. ROBBINS Of Fort Kent: Mr..
Speaker. before voting on this matter 1
would like little light on the subject.
AS / understand it. the act il approved
canont take affect before July 1. 1t
seems TO me if this is left to a referen-
dunn and vote Of the city of Port
land they have plenty of time to take,
a vote upon it before that act can take
effect anyway. July LIST. I canoot see
any reason why this amendment should
not be adopted
Mr.. BIGELOW of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, like the other gentleman from
Portland 1 wish to apologize for taking
up the valuable time Of the House for
the consideration of this matter, but in
answer to the question of the gentle
man AipHi VII heHt relative TO re-
ferring this matter to the people before
July 3rd. I wish to say that to call
special election of the city Of Portland
is very expensive proposition. 1t in
wolves large expense and I am sure
the Legislature does not wish to make
our burdens any heavier than they are
now. The Marshall bill. so called. real
ly has nothing whatever to do with the
City hall proposition. The people have
passed upon that, and if they are not
satisfied with it now they still have the
opportunity of preventing the erection
OF City hall if they SO desire. The
Marshall bill merely corercts an act Of
the Legislature passed in 1875 which
prevented the city of Portland from ac-
curing any more than 100000 worth Of
property The act has been violated
many times. The city has issued bonds
regardless of that act until last sum-
mer, when it was suddenly discovered
by some of the bond attorneys in Bos-
ton that this act existed, whereupon
they refused to advise their clients to
accept any more of the .city's bonds; and
the result is that the city finds itself in
a position where with maiiy bills to pay
Tor schoolhouses and for other Buildings
winch have been conStructed: it cannot
issue bonds and obtain good rates 3ef
interest for the payment of those debts.
Today the city Of Portland is, and has
been for some time on account of that
act. paying per cent. upon money it
could readily obtain at IL per cent.
The City hall proposition is before the
people of Portland today If they want
to prevent the erection Of C,;t,, l,,;J.l
ing they can do So We have the city
council, for all it may appear here.
think the people of Portland are fully
capable of handling this matter them
selves. But this is an act which the
Legislature passed in 1875. and the pur-
pose of this bill is merely to correct
that mistake which was made at that
time and the City hall proposition has
nothing whatever to do with it,
Mr.. ROUNDS: Mr.. Speaker: 1
would like to correct some few state
ments which have been made here by
my colleagues. The gentleman from
Portland. Mr.. Redlon, says that $40, 700
will be saved each year. claim, gentle
men, that with the city building where
it should be. on the location of the
old city building and built on the same
lines. not only $4,000 year but $40, 900
year could be saved The gentleman
is very anxious to save the city Of
Portland $4,000 year, but he wants
to throw away $4,000 a year. That is
not very consistent. l think.
He also speaks about the mayor who
was honOred by one of the largest
majOrlties ever known in Portland
spoke in number of places in sup
port of the mayor and did all could,
and worked as hard for his election
as ever | did for any mans election,
and went as far as anybody did to
get the votes to the polls. l was OPP
posed to the building of the city hall
The Democracy did not want the city
election at that time. They put up a
man that the laboring men to a man
were against all over the city, and
they wanted him SO that in year
from now they would fall into just such
pitfalls as they have fallen into at the
present time, and then in two years
from now in this House of Repre-
scntatives would be seven Democrats
where there are seven Republicans to-
day. That is what they wanted, and
that is the reason for the large ma
jority of which the gentleman has
spoken. 1t was to let him fall into
these pitfalls, and then bring him out
so that year from now you would
have a Democratic city government
That was why that large majority was
piled up. 1 think that answers that
question. f.'- ".
Now, in regard to the Ropes, Gray
and Gorham bill, 1 will say that the
committee on judiciary had the bin
before them. or the legal affairs, one
or the other, and they voted ought
not to pass" That committee OF law
yers found something in that bill and
they voted unanimously that that bill
ought not to pass. But it is brought
up here this morning.
Mr.. MARSHALL: What bill was
that?
Mr.. ROUNDS: The Ropes Gray and
Gorham bill. I am speaking. They
say that we have to go to Commercial
street for police station. The police
station, gentlemen, is the same today
as it was when I came to Portland
only there have been few changes,
and came there in 1868; and it is the
same today as it was then, only the
roof got burned off Of If and fhnx,