Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-29
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
Continued rom Page Four.)

! osition that entails danger to the compa-
MES in that section of the State. l un-
dersiand there are several companies
there where this corporation now owns
n good share of their stock, and in some
of those companies the stock they hold
is said to be worth from $50 to 800 a
share. and all they offer TO the minority
stockholders is par value of about $l25
And it looks to me to be an unfair prop
oetion. think this is a proposition that
should 30 under the control of the Public
Utilities Commission, if we ever have
one, and as we are not likely to get one
this session ] think this bill should go
over to the next Legislature. l do not
think il will work any harm to the conf
pany and ii may help the minority stock
holders in this bill. There is a company
at Clinton, at Dexter, the Skowhegan
Light Company. the Ecnnebec Light and
Heat Company, the Solon Electric Com
pany and the VaSsalboro Electric COM
pany; there are several companies and
suppose we ought to class this as an
Octopus" as it is trying to swallow up
these companies and the companies con-
slider that the stock is worth from $40
To $3.50 . share.
Mr.. STAPLES Of Knox: Mr.. President,
this is an important matter and l ask
that II lie ON the table until the afternoon
session. There are some things | may
want 10 call to the attention of the Sen
late.
Tho motion was agreed In.
ON motion by Mr. Milhken OF .Aroostook
Resolve i'll favor of the Maine Seed I'M
provement Association was taken from
the table.
on further motion by the same sena
tor the resolvr was tn" finally passed.
ON motion by Mr. Milliken. House re-
port 700. An Act to amend Section ! of
Cha pter IA Of the Public Laws of 1909,
in regard to transmitting electric power
beyond the confines of the state, was
taken from the table.
Mr.. MILLIKF,N: Mr. President. as l
said yesterday, the amendment and the
statement as amended do not agree. As
nearly as | can find out, the idea was TO
repeal the provision in the original act
which allowed electric railroads to trans
nit power out of the State for the pur-
pose Of operating their railroads. It was
found that this would be too drastic and
WV pi'i VIZ >''i"S'H ~ '''''' - ''''
leaves the exemption H. ana III" Pr"FlS-
IONS Oh tilis DIN snail not Apply 10 any
street railroad no" DONG an ihterstat"
business. IN inns form II seems 10 iii'
IN" Dill Is oh)"''lofabie' ana IL siloala pc
ic1t as it is now. and permit these rail-
roads To transmit power beyond Tie nm
its Of the state only for the purpose of
operating their own railroads. II thiS
bill were to pass and any street railway
doing an interstate" business could com"
within the provisions of the bill and car
ry any amount of power beyond the Inn
its Of the state for any purpose.
| move that the bill be indefinitely post
p"nrd
The motion was agreed to.
ON motion by Ilr. Gowell of f"lk,
House Bill Go An Act relating to cvi-
dcnce in personal injury eases, was taken
from tn. table.
Mr.. GoWELL: Mr. President the bin
is short and ! will read it.
section | In all actions brought
:, r.c.ye, damages for personal in
,uri,s To or death of Il person it is not
necc. sarv to alice OF prove that the
n4rsan sa in i,,red or killed was in the
tNpfclS, al que care AT lil' tiIiIt -
sncb injury ar death. and if tn neg
Egencc at the person 50 injured or
killed is relied upon in defence OF the
action. such negligence shall BE-
pleaded"
tir. President. under the common
law rule Of this State. il is niece ssary
in recovering damages in personal in
inry eases for the plaintiff 10 show
negligence on the part of the defend
ant and also to show that the plain
tin was in the exercise of due care. 1t
WAS urgeG before the committee that
thir hill. if adopted, would conform to
tie federal rule 1t was urged against
the massage of the bill that such a law
vop,d he Il radical change in our
common Law doctrine in regard to neg
ligen,e in this STATE There seems to
he q diversity OF opinion i'll regard 10
tie Wisdom of this law.
At his .inle | Weld to the senator
from Knox.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Mr.. Presi-
toni this matter came before the jul
dioiarv committee and unanimous
ro,o,+ was made by tie committee that
il ..uel,t to pass" The common law