Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-08-22
As Newbert Saw Peters.

On the concluding day of the last
legislative session stoeky, smiling,
little man arose from his seat to the left
of Speaker Peters desk and was recog-
nized as the gentleman from Augusta.
His remarks, taken from the shorthand
record of that days proceedings. are
self-explanatory:
I Mr. NEWBERT of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker and gentlemen of the House,
were il not for the lateness of the hour
and the pressing business of the joint
convention soon to assemble, 1 might say
many things which will forever go I'M
, Mr.. Speaker, ii was my high privilege
, to conduct you to the Speakers chair,
and after this strenuous winter when We
, have lived under high tension here,
and in the closing days of this long ses-
sion | esteem it, sir an honor to be
chosen by the members of this body 10
bring to you message from the House
over which you have presided so We'll, a
message of respect and regard.
l again repeat. Mr.. Speaker, that i
esteem il an honor that the bad man of
the House. should be chosen by your
fellow members and mine to bring to YOU
a message of respect and regard. You
have been the Speaker of this House,
sir, and We all have known it, and
we know ii now. This has not been
an easy matter, for this House in its
party lines is without precedent in the
history of this State. 1t has required a
strong hand to WELD the gayel. We re-
call many things here during these
long Is weeks. / recall that there have
been more points of order raised here
than in any previous legislature or
which / have been member or which
have been fair, and We like to say 1t
TO you today. tApplausel Only once
, did the exigency occur for an APP
peal to the House, and then the Speaker
I sustained M other appeal has
been taken. 10 other question raised
after YOU have decided questions here,
: because the House has seen the fair
ness of your attitude and the ability
behind your rulings. Nor can any man
recall once even in all these 10 weeks
of session, when you, sir. have departed
! from this attitude of fairness, in the
recognition of a member on this floor of
high or low degree. 8Applause.)
Nor have You once left your hign po-
stion to descend upon this floor III all
these hours of debate and contention TO
address this House upon any partisan
question or any other question:; and be-
cause of this YOU have kept the respect
of this House, and you have earned TINS
high regard which today this House ten
ders to you.
We have come together from many
parts of the State to work together, ana
today after all the contention we are
members of the House. your fellow
members and mine, not only message
of respect and regard, but DrinS 10
you in their name a simple gift. 1t IS
a gift of gold; you have earned it, Many
men of ability have preceded you in
this State in this high office of Speaker.
When the roll is made up, sir. and your
name goes among the rest, We say this
and we say il from the heart because we
mean it, that you will be considered IN
ferior to none and the equai of any.
Mr. Speaker, | say this is gift or
gold, type of what is least furnished IN
this world and most enduring: it marks
the hour, sir, and SHOULD teach you and
us that life goes on by the tick of the
clock, and that no man of us lives In
yesterdays, nor yet in tomorrows, but
We all live in today, nor should you nor
we borrow trouble from the great past
through which we have come nor from
the unknown tomorrow which spreads
before us. You will bear this gift, Mr..
Speaker, to your home; il should abide
with you throughout your life, and
when you look upon its face, whether
at midnight or at noon time, we would
have you remember, sir, that scattered
over the hills of Maine, upon the farms
of Maine, and in the cities and villages
of this State there are at least l50 men
| who are your friends, they are your
| friends because you have made them
| your friends by the high and honorable
| and able attitude which you have as
sumed here in these 10 weeks behind us
| Don't forget this, that the hearts OF lot
| men will beat for you, though We may
never gather together again to look into
the faces of each other,