Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-26

KnoWlton LoOney, MacOmber, Mill
ken, Minott, Reynolds. Shaw. Smith.
Theriault, Walker. Warren, Wheeler.
i Wyman (22).
So the motion was lost.
i Thereupon. on motion by Mr.. LooneS
Of Cumberland. the majority report
was accepted. Ut.
On motion by Mr.. Baxter of Cumber-
land. House Document No. 220, "An
Act to establish standard unit of
measure and standard size of can
for the sale Of milk and cream, and to
regulate the sanitary conditions under
which milk and cream shall be han
died" was taken from the table. On
further motion by the same. senator.
the bill took its second reading and
was passed to be engrossed.
On motion by Mr.. Hamilton of York,
House Document 623,, AN Act to
amend Section 10 of Chapter III of the
Revised Statutes as amended by
Chapter &C of the Public Laws of 1907,
relating to the per diem attendance of
expert Witnesses was taken from the
table. On further motion by the same
senator the bill took its second reading
and was passed to be engrossed.
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to provide for attorney general and as
sistant attorney general to take charge
of local prosecutions in certain cases,
together with accompanying reports,
were taken from the table; and on fur
Their motion by the same senator, were
assigned for consideration Tuesday,
March 80.
i On motion by Mr. Colcord of Waldo,
House Document No. {, can Act to
amend Section II of Chapter 80 of the
Revised Statutes relating 10 the sale
of milk" was recalled from the Gov
ernor. On further motion by the same
senator, the vote whereby the bill was
passed to be enacted, was reconsidered;
and on his further motion, the bill was
laid on the table.
i On motion by Mr.. Hastings of Ok
ford, House Document 706, IAN Act in
|, relation to the Limington Public Gene
!, terry Corporation" was taken from the
table. On further motion by the same
senator, the bill was passed to be ell
Il crossed.
i On motion by Mr.. Shaw of Kennebec,
j Senate Document, No. ASS, can Act to
exempt growing white pine from tax
ation,' was taken from the table.
Mr.. SHAW of Kennebec: Mr.. Presi-
T dent: I would say that my object in
tabling this bill was simply to examine
it. 1t seemed to me at first that it
would create a great deal of unnecessary
, trouble for tie board of State asses
: sors to exempt certain growing pine
trees from taxation. I thought 1 could
!, see, and 1 believe now, that there would
| | ho coc
want their wood lots exempt from taxa
ton, if this was to become a law. And
I can also see where the amount of work
!, would be very large to meet the de-
mands that would be put upon the
Board of State Assessors to meet this
, bill. l cannot see any benefit in it.; and
without any further remarks, I move
that it be indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. WARREN of Cumberland: If we
could choose but one tree among those
with which nature has endowed us, it
would, without doubt be the Oak but
We are rather above the northern limit
of Oak and it is out of our field. Next
would be the White Pine and then at
a respectful distance the Spruce, and so
our heritage includes in good measure
two of the three most valuable trees
that the world affords. Maine is the
Pine Tree State. 1t is upon our shield
we ought to do it honor. There is no
| better White Pine land in the world
than that lying between the mountains
and the sea in Maine and New Hamp-
shire, and in 4 state of nature it was
an almost unbroken pine forest from the
Kennebec to the Merrimac. Standing
alone upon the hillside or in clumps and
groups or in the larger forests, in sum-
mer or in winter, in sunshine or in
storm, the White Pine is a thing of
strength and beauty. We could not ask
for a better Emblem. The pine forest
was what brought the early settlers to
our State and millions of logs have been
f1oated down our rivers, sawed into lum-
Der and sent into the markets of the
world. In those days it was the prin-
cipal source of revenue. We ordinarily
have little conception of the grandeur of
this primeval forest. Sometimes in our
older mansions we see in the wainscot
pine boards three feet or more in width
and as clear as hounds tooth. which
shows what they had for lumber in
those days.
In Colonial times the Kings Commits
ing the finest specimens. marked them
with the Kings broad arrow and the
cutting of the trees so marked for any
other purpose was forbidden under
heavy penalties.
In the days when England gained her
supremacy on the seas, which she still
holds, she had ships of English Oak
with White Pine masts from Maine.
The primeval forests were cut long ago.
But our soil and climate remained and
obeyng the law of its nature, the Pine
began to grow again and was already
giving promise of restoring in some
measure the glory of the original for
ests. Within the past few years. how
ever the portable mills have premature
ly harvested this second crop before it
had half a chance to show what it
could do and we need some measure to
help to again clothe these cut-over fields.
Not with a chance growth but with
White Pine. Fortunately we cannot
keep if from growing, but we can favor
and protect it.
When we speak of our forests we
think of the Spruce and those may b.,
more Immediately important. but the
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