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

I'hLlttl llt It.llltllII't A!lit III N 4'ii' u
Ia express his general approval of
such a measure as a public utilities
hill and called attention to a clause
repeating the whole OF Section Of
CHAPTER - OF the Revised statutes ana
said that he felt sure that tt" pnrPos"
of the framcrs OF the bill was To re-
peal only part OF that section. III.
was OF the opinion that the public is
generally Interested ana that such
commissions had proved successful III
other states.
Henry Hudson Of Guilford got into
the hearing little hit ont of place.
The committee had asked tor those
who favored the bin to speak. Evil
IDENTIFY Mr.. Hudson did not favor the
measure and he made a three quarters
OF an hour speech upon the bill taking
it up section by section and pointing
out what seemed to him to be the dam
gerous points in it.
lie began by saying that he had read
that the Democrats in caucus had Not
Ell to support measure Of this Kind.
He believed that this was so. The
key note of the last campaign. which
had more to do with bringing about tn"
great political revolution in Main" was
that part Of the Democratic platform
which promised the people economy in
all things and IN equalization of taxa
ton. You may ask what has this to
do with the hill now before the COM
mittee" he said We'll III tell YOU
gentlemen. it has this To do with it.
On the outset the public utilities com
mission calls for an expenditure OF
$4,000 Il year. Is this economy? Es-
peclally when we are now receiving
service of kind similar to that pro-
vided in this bin al much less cost.
But this is not ALL" said Mr. Hud-
son, In Section Is this bill provides
that the commissioner shall examine
the accounts and books Of all public
utilities. How much viii this cost?
No one knows 1t may cost great
deal Of money, any way it will be a
big item of expense. Nor is this all.
for in section u this bill provides tina.
the commission may appoint any mum.
Der of agents to act for them at great
cost to the State. Anyway it opens
the door for lavish expenditure and no
man can tell how great they may be-
There is no immediate call for these
expenditures" said Mr.. Hudson. Who
is asking for this large expenditure Of
money, for this public utilities COM
mission? 1t ii the people? | have
heard no demand from the people for
II. Is il the corporations2 | do not
think they are elamoring for it, Is
there any complaint against the rail
roads as to excessive rates and freight
charges: / have heard Of none and
II here are the law provides that the
railroad commissioners may settle
these questions. Is there any complaint
against the telegraph and telephone
companies Ii So. where is it? Is there
&nN complaint that electric light COM
Ianics are charging too much" II
there is | have not heard it, Then il |
there Is no complaint, why should this |!
additional expense be placed upon the |
people Of this STATE"
alr. Hudson said in tie course Of |
his speech that he was Democrat |
and lad Arrays peen Democrat but |
!ie did not think that the rank ana !
lie OF thu. party demanded this law. |
They Were committed to economy, not
to- lavish expenditure or experiment..
My reply 10 those VINO say that
there is 2 demand for this law is that
the people already have Il remedy II |
'A-Sl 'tt4 - * y 9tsAr biiuti Tie CON- |
mon law of this State. The course |
are open t. them and there is "a way |
ia which they may proceed to have |
their grievances adjusted. 1t may b. |
said that II takes u long time, but |
1t should not nee agsarily.
He then Went on TO say that this |
bill providing u commission made the |
procedure more cumbersome because |
the resort was finally held to the |
court in any event. He did not believe |
in giving power 10 any agent or to |
one commissioner, as this bill pro-
yidco in some casts for that would
be even rankcr than the Sturgis COM
mission which the people had con-
delnned. He thought that this bin was
the widest departure from what had
always been believed to be the re-
quirement Of jurisprudence He went
or to pick the bill To pieces. section
by section. pointing ont how the pro-
posed commission would iii some in
stances have more power than the
courts and showing that in each case
a complainant might find a remedy
in the court in a much easier way.
.Why not use the law we have in
stead OF creating this new power"
said Mr. Hudson, We are not ready
for any such measure i'll Maine. 1t is
al we'll enough to apply il in Mass
achusetta ana New York. older states
than oar own where the resources
have been fully developed. but in
Maine our resources have not been
developed and our industries are in
their infancy. We do not need any
such drastic measure as this, and !
call il n very drastic bill which Is
before this committee. We do not
need auch Il commission TO protect the
people from public service corpora
tons The man behind our public
service corporations are known to us
and are honest and interested in the
development of Our state. This com
mission Will not help Us develop our
resources. | admit that the bill. safe
guards the people from graft. but |
10 lot think that graft exists. Let
Us creep little longer before we walk
ami not create an expensive commits
sion such AZ is here proposed.
Lewis 4. Cloudy ot Portland, after
g. ueriod ~ sil.nct. following MIR. IIud