Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-01-18


Mr.. PETERS Of Ellsworth Mr..
Speaker, it strikes me that the propo-
sition of the gentleman from Water.
Vile is good business judgment. I
SEQ, as my friend from Yarmouth says.
no politics whatever in this PROPOSE
ton. 1t should be approached, of
course, from the standpoint of bust
ness man. 1t seems to me- however,
instead of being matter of procedure.
in the final analysis it comes down to
be more a matter of policy. 1t is per
fectly clear that we are to be flooded.
as the Legislature is almost always
flooded, by requests for Il large num-
Der of appropriations for private and
semi public institutions throughout the
State, all more or less deserving, all
deserving probably. Now if, as here
tofore, we are likely to grant the prin-
cipal demands or requests Of these in
stitutions, these hospitals, institutes,
schools bridges and so forth, why,
then, | agree with the gentleman from
Yarmouth that there is no necessity
for changing the procedure: but ii the
members think, as do, that those APP
preparations of that class have any
how either got To be cut out entirely
or have got to be seriously reduced.
then it seems To me a matter Of good
judgment to hay" all these requests
| lined up before us, as this order would
result in doing, so their merits can be
discussed and so they may all be treat
| ed fairly. 1t won't do to pass the APP
preparation for instance which the
| gentleman from Augusta has already
asked for, fer aid for his hospital here,
| and then find that our money is giving
| out and that We cannot afford in the
/ present condition of the finances to do
| the same thing for others. 1t won't do
| tn treat one man generously or one in
stituton literally and another one Mig
| gardly; we have got to treat them all
alike.
Now it sccmd to me from what /
| have observed and known of the finan-
| cial condition of the State that ii was
| necessary for us To retrcneh, and /
see no better place to do so than by
| cutting off these gratuities, at least to
a large extent and if we are to adopt
that policy of cutting them off, L see
| no other way to get at it than to have
them lined up and see what their
claims are, what their needs are, in
order to adjust their rights equitably
before this tribunal; and if | con-
tinue to favor as do a serious cutting
out, if not an entire cutting out, of
these gratuites. ii strikes me that there
is nothing for us to do but to postpone
consideration or final passage of that
sort OF thing until a day certain, so
J we can adjust and know the rights
and proper demands of all these insti-
tutions: and for that reason | person
ally favot the proposition of the gem
tleman from Waterville that this order
have a passage and that this class Of
legislation be finally postponed until
after the first of March.
Nh HERSEY OF Houlton: Mr.
Speaker consider that there are
many serious objections to the passage
of this order. | want to mention one
| or two. In the first place the gentle
man from Waterville Offering the order
SAYS that it shall apply to this House
only. 1t is not joint order of both
Houses, it is an order OF this House
only. The Senate proceeds with its
Legislation in the ordinary way with
the passage of its bills and its re-
solves. We take different course,
;
| ness To be sure. acts and resolves
calling for the appropriation Of money
come into this House the same as any
other bills or resolves. They are read
by their title, they are referred to the
appropriate committees of the Legis-
lature, notice is given, public hear
irgs are had and everybody is heard
for or against the measure in COM
| mittee. Then the committees make
their report for or against the measure
10 the House and to the Senate. Dis
cussions are had, we consider the mat
ter in the light of the evidence of the
committee. in the light of the public
, hearings, in the light of the discus
sions on the floor OF the House and
Senate, and after fun discussion,
when the matter is fresh in our minds
and everybody has the privilege of
voting and is present, it seems to me
that that is the time to pass or reject
the matter. Then it is that the bill or
the resolve must stand or fall upon
its own merits. 1t is not antagonized,
not prejudiced, by any other matter,
by any other bill or resolve before the
House: II does not depend on some
other measure to pass it or any other
alliance. Bat this order SAYS that
when you arrive at that point. when
! the bill is To he put upon its final pas
I sage, before a final vote is taken, YOU
MIR. Speaker by virtue of this order
must necessarily lay these bills and
resolves upon the table until after the
first Of March. 1t seems to me that
such proceeding as that on the part
/ OF the House only. not Joint order.
will confuse the business of this Leg
stature, to start with; and that is one
Of its most serious objections.
The gentleman from VAUDEVILLE in
introducing this order. in explaining
1t. ssNs-and | read the record-"Tte
purpose of that order would he to
assemble all appropriations and re-
solves before this House so that any
one could 1t the total amount ;tppro-
priated before we had appropriated
any money. and then he SAYS further,
should the House adopt that order
these appropriations would lie upon
tie table pending final passage until
each member Of the House could de