Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-01

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motives which actuated --6ur brave
boys OF. '6t TO die upon athcsba ttleflcld
that they might preserve their country
undivided: they are the motives of one
who considers the wishes and feelings
OF the many. Gentlemen, as you would
hate to see the county disme1nbered.
disintcgrated and divided, / ask you
to support the majority report of this
committee: and know that your sense
of justice will prompt you to do 50 and
believe you will keep Hancock coun-
ty undivided
Mr.. OTIS Of Rocllland Mr. Speak
er / apprehcnd that the most difficult
task in connection with this matter
will be to untangle the maze of facts
and grotesque .fancies which have
been woven about it BY th" gentlemen
who have been opposing these meas
urCs. These seem to have swept n
majority OF the committee off their
feet. and judging by the chorus Of
yes on the viva voce vote this morn
ing. It would seem that it has affected
the House also; but gentlemen l wish
you would bear with Inc while bring
this thing right straight down to the
question at issue which is simply the
matter of the convenience and material
interest of the people at Stoningtou
and to their political situation, whcth-
or 1t Is one county or the other.
The opponents Of the division have
brought themselves to look q the mat
ter-or pretend to do sol do not
question their snccrity--thcy have
brought Themselves to look at this
matter as If 1t were a contest between
Knox county and Hancock county for
these two towns, the same as two
countries might contend for IL bit vi
territory without the least interest in
the Welfare of the people of that ter
ritory, simply for their aggrandizc-
incnt, the same as France and Ger
many have for 70 years quarrellcd
about Alsace and Lorraine and espe-
cially as one becoming stronger has
assimilated those two unhappy prov
nces without attempting to do any
thing for them but simply to fix the
matter as they pleased.
Now the gentlemen look at it In the
same light. II is nothing of the kind.
Some of them even have talked as if We
expected to tear up from their granite
foundations these two towns and carry
them Off somewhere. Those towns are
going to stay right there just the same
If they are in Knox county as il they
remain i'll Hancock county. All their bus
mess and social relations with their
neighbors will remain exactly the same
And there is nothing sacred about these
county lines any more than there is
about district lines. or about our repre-
sentative district or councillor districts
There is nothing sacred about those lines.
Every time the census is taken the con-
gressional districts are reorganized 50
are our legislative districts reorganzed
reapportioned. and not simply with rela-
tlon TO the population as shown by the
census but in regard to their continuity,
and their community OF interest ard
their commercial interest those things
are all taken into consideration and that
is done once in ten Years. The law re-
quires il should be done All of these
changes are made without wrenching
anyoody's heartstrings and without Great
ing any feeling that they have been disin-
tegrated. The opponents Of these bills
say that we are disintegratins Hancock
county. Now with regard 10 the county
| lines they are necessarily more perna-
nent, but yet they are founded on precise
| of the people. The representative from
| Stonington has stated the situation.
| There can be no question about it. there
| is no question. All the reply that is
| made to this is, True it is inconyenIent.
| but it may be announcement for other
towns" and they say if you put In this
entering wedge as they call il by setting
off these towns. other towns will ask ID
III.
other towns are similarly situated thcg-
certainly haveNa perfect right To come
before the Legislature. and If they make
out their case as we have made out our
case there is no reason why they should
not be changed. But, Mr.. Speaker, I chal-
lenGc anybody to find case IN the State
of Maine that is anywhere near approx
matcly like Stonington and Isle au IIaut.
Now III most that has been salJ-l am
abiding now to the discussion in the
| lobby. for there has been very little dis
cussion on the part of the other side in
| The House here-they have not fully de-
Nrlupcd their case. ! am going 70 as
sumo that they talk tire same as they
have in the lobby and as they did before
the cominittce-the only thing that they
say is that there is something about IL
county that every citizen in it owes an
allegiance to it. that they must fight to
the death against any change in their
lines. The proposition to set off these
two towns appears to affect the gentle
| man from Hancock as if We were plan
! ming 10 do them some material injury
| Now speaking for the people OF Knoi.
! county. and l think l may say for the
| people of Stonington. for l know them
| we'll. and of Isle au Haul. / say there
| can be no more friendly feeling than that
which we entertain for the people Of
! Hancock county; and at this stage of the
| debate if these gentlemen will show me
that the county of Hancock is injured il.
any material sense, or if any man. wo-
| man or child in Hancock county is TO b.
| injured by the setting off Of these towns
| and annexng them to Knox county,
| Will lay right down and give up the fight.
/ might. gentlemen. except perhaps 4 few
| lawyers in Ellsworth, few hotel and
| boarding house keepers; they might say
| that their interests are affected. but GER
| tainly not the county of Hancock, be-