Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-30

the State of Maine $3.50 600 and we ar,
: not like the Republican party of Two year,
, ago. and we will not take a leap in tbs
, dark. No we going to put this ques-
| lion to the people of the State of Maine
, and say il shall not pass until they have
fully considered it. We in favor OF
a public utilities bill when can under
stand il enough so that we can make one
that is for the interest OF the people OF
the State of Maine. and for that heason We
have postponed it, the House did, until the
next legislature
We say as Democrats that we are not
prepared to say this shall become law at
| this time, because nobody knows, the best
! men that have looked at it, cannot tell
within $4,000 what it will cost. and for
| that reason we think it is just and proper
! that the matter shall be more fully con-
| sdered before we take that leap. For that
! reason | move that we concur with the
House in referring this to the next Legs-
| lature.
Mr.. MILLIKEN: Mr.. President:
| The senator from Knox. having made
| a motion to concur with the House, |
suppose his motion will take proceed
ence over my motion.
The question being on his motion, |
hope it will not prevail.
The senator has referred to the
question of stump speeches. 1t would
be unkind for me TO say that | have
a distinguished precedent for making
stump speeches. He asks why | have
been awakened. and why this new in
terest in public utilities? The senator
knows very we'll that | did my best at
the last session to get this Senate to
adopt an amendment giving the rail-
road commissioners more authority in
this State, and | argued for it here
because | said then ii was the nearest
approach to anything offered at that
session for public utility commission.
The senator from Knox. following his
usual course of being for the people
against the railroads. except when
they need him. voted against that pro-
position, and the idea was then that
we should not invade the sacred pre-
cincts of the railroad commissioners
for we probably would have u public
utility commission at the next session
The senator says the CALLED jade
winces." oh, how ! thank thee for
that word. If there has not been Il
good exhibition here this morning of
the CALLED jade wincing," then | am
much mistaken. The senator says that
100000 shall be added to the million
and a half | will answer that out of
Democratic newspaper of this State.
an editorial published this morning, in
which in the deficit of $l,00o.000 they
figure it $1.077.93995) the temporary
loan of $500, 900 is included so that the
81.
on those figures.
The senator has made a suggestion
about the Governor making good. l
dc not say anything about that: l do
not want to make any criticism along
that line. am not going to voice here,
il would not be proper, the disappoint-
ment | feel on that point. l leave those
things to be said in the corridors OF
the state House. If, however, the SEN
ator wishes to point out partic ular
public measure in which the Cover
nor has made good, should listen to
it With very muGh interest. He says
that whoever comes in here two years
from now Will find the treasury with
money in it and the bills all paid. He |
may find money in the treasury. but
the bills are referred to the next Leg |
islature to pay. For my part, l cannot |
see much difference between leaving |
deficit and leaving bills to be paid by |
another session of the Legislature, |
which everybody admits to be just |
bills, and to my way of thinking, what |
ever the actual amount of the deficit |
was found to be, the true business |
method would have been TO raise a |
ial 70 ann
the deficit and then let the State of
Maine so on it's way, raising it's reve-
me and paying its proper bills.
This matter of referring bills to the
next Legislature to be paid and then
counting them paid is a good deal like
a man in my county who went into
bank and renewed note and came out
and said: Thank God, that note is
paid
He says this Legislature cannot pass
the public utility bill, and he says
How much does the Senate know
about it," The Senate knows very lit
tie about it because the bill has been
kept in seclusion in the committee.
Does the senator from Knox mean to
tell me that there is not intelligence
enough in this Legislature to pass
public utilities bill; that the Maine
Legislature is not intelligent enough to
compare with the Wisconsin Legi:ia-
ture or with the Legislatures of sew
eral other states, especially when we
have the example that these states
have left us? We have their bills to
60 by. They We're the pioneers. | have
in my possession a copy of every pro-
posed bill in this country. If the SEN
atOr wishes to take the position that |
the members of this Senate have not |
intelligence enough to consider this |
bill, and consider any public utilities |
bill. section by section. and thresh ii |
out and say what is proper, he may |
take that position. shall not join him |
/ hope the motion of the senator from
Knox will not prevail.
HOUSE.
Wednesday. March 20. 1911.
Prpyer ny Rev Mr. Gibson nj AupllS-