Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-13

The situation in just a word to my
mind is this. We are in an emergen-
cy which demands, in my opinion, ac-
ton at this session. To commit the
State to the general proposition of
renovating the State House so that 1t
will he suitable for Sc years, or any
thing of that sort, Involving the ex-
pense which it would necessitate, looks
large to the people OF the State and
it involves policy which to them VIII
seem indefinite and viii arouse eppo-
sition TO commit the State to the 9TH
err definite proposition involves prop
osilion. that is definite and can be def
nitely determined and the people will
understand it; and Furthermore, an
appropriation of that amount for that
purpose will not prevent and will not
preclude further addition or further
appropriations at the next session
even, or at succeeding sessions, but
carry out further specific and definite
alterations and additions to this
State House.
For the reason that in my opinion
the present amount is larger than the
people of the State feel we ought to
expend for the purpose. and that the
proposition in their mind is too IN
definite-for the reason that / believe
the proposition of the senator from
Cumberland will take care of the emer-
sency- and will put it in definite form
so that it will be more agreeable TO
the people of the State, and not arouse
their observation-disclosures in my own
Judgment it seems to me the thing 10
de- favor the amendment of the SEN
otor from Cumberlnd and hope that 1t
will meet with the approval of the Sen
ate.
Mr.. LOONEY of Cumberland: Mr..
President: The decisive vote just tax
en- by the Senate demonstrates beyond
peradventure that in the judgment OF
this Senate, the highest interests or the
State imperatively demand that either
the state House should be enlarged or
that another building should be erected
which will meet the present require
ments of the situation. Now. if / un-
eerstand correctly the remarks of the
DISTINGUISHED Senator from kennebec,
Mr. Macomber, in his address, it is his
opinion that if this resolve which is be-
fore US is carried this morning, that the
commission can use it's discretion in en-
ploy1ng the $350,000 mentioned in this
resolve either to enlarge the present
State House or to erect another build
ing; and if am incorrect in my interpre-
tation of his remarks, / trust he will
set me right.
The resolve reads, For such an en-
largement and alteration of the present
State House and such an office building
adjacent"-in other words, the tnterpre-
tation which I place upon this resolve,
and which in my judgment is the only
proper Interpretation to be placed upon
it, is this: that If this resolve passes,
then the Senate, and if 1t is passed by
the House. the Legislature is committed
to enlargement of the present State
House. SO that the $350,000 mentioned
in this rsoive must be devoted-it may
be devoted partially to building anoth-
err building-but primarily it must be
devoted to charging this State House.
Now I desire to call the attention Of the
Senate to the very clear, cogent, bust
nesslike statement of my colleague from
Westbrook. I say this because he is
recognized, not only in our section of
the State but also In this Senate, as
one of the ablest and most successful
OuSAiiCSo AiCAl VI Lie 0ldlc, anu lIllIlh
you Will agre with me, that in this
matter, as III all other matters he is
absolutely disinterested and single
minded Now, he tells this Senate that
in his judgment-and he speaks from a
full mind a mind enlarged and
illuminated by experience-that is the
present State House is enlarged, it will
mean not $350.O00, but perhaps few
million. In other words, it is like put
ting money into a bottom1ess pit-you
cannot tell where it will end. Now. I.
for my part, cannot in duty to my con-
stltuents and to this State-I cannot
embark on such an unknown sea with
out any chart or compass to guide me-
L will not vote here to place money for
such an indefinite, vague. shadowy prop
osition.
I remember when was in the Legisla
lure IN 1889 The proposition then came
before the Legislature appropriating the
sum of sl5O,OOO for the enlargement of
This state House. The men. bers of the
House and Senate at that time were told
that if that $4,000 was appropriated it
would put this building in such condi-
ton that no more alterations or enlarge
ments would be necessary for so years to
come. Now, what was that? 1t was
simply continuance for the nonce, and
this is exactly the same as that. Twenty
years have rolled by and here comes a
proposition for $350,OOO more-not only
sS5O.OOO but, as my colleague has intimat-
ed it may amount to million or mil
lion and half more. Now I, for my part,
cannot and will not vote for any such
proposition. But here is a definite prop
osition before us in the amendment of
my colleague and it is, first, that we con-
suit and consider what engagements are
necessary and what will be the expense
of those engagements or alterations for
the State House. That we do not know;
but his proposition is to appropriate
sum of 100000, which will meet all the
requirements of the situation, probably
for the next 10 years. Now I ask the
members of this Senate, as business men,
as conscientious, careful men, as men
who have the interests of this State at
heart, which Of these propositions they
can the more conscientiously follow.
am very glad to see the change of heart
that has been shown by the distinguished
senator from Kennebec and the distin-
guiShed senator from Androscogpfn ic