Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-14

rors and omissions which appear in
Chapter - entitled, An Act to pro-
vide charter for the city of Gardi
ner" of the Private and Special Laws
of 1911, as printed in volume of the
laws of the State of Maine for 1911.
Resolve relating to the documentary
history of Maine
The SPEAKER; There comes up AT
this time on its passage to be enacted,
bill, An Act permitting the use of au-
tomobiles in the town of Eden.
Mr.. SMITH of Patten: Mr.. Speak
ef, before this matter is put upon its
passage | desire to address the House
briefly upon the subject There arc
questions involved in reference. as we
all know. to the repeal of the act or
acts excluding automobiles from Bar
Harbor. The history of the case is
familiar to us ALL | only desire to on
over 1T just briefly for the purpose of
again liking the issue in our minds.
There were two or three propositions
introduced in the House covering the
use OF automobiles in Mount Desert
and the use of automobiles in Eden
or Bar Harbor There were long and
patient hearings given in relation to
THESE propositions before the judiciary
committee in the chamber of this
House where everybody who had
ausht to say upon that subject had
full opportunity to say it. The com
mittee considered it carefully and w,.
hope, well; and came to our conem
nsh Il
ana consented to a bill permitting the
people of Mount Desert--bin intro
dueed by the gentleman from Mount
Desert, Mr.. McBride-to vote upon
the question. That was perfectly sat
lSfactory, and appears to be perfect
~ satisfactory now. Another bill GOV.
erlng this proposition was introduced
oS the gentleman from Eden. Mr.
sherman. He came, subsequent to tie
general public hearing, before our com
mittee: and later the Honorable
Speaker Of the House came before onr
committee. and explained their posi-
tiah IN relation to il. The commit
Tee was not willing to report ought
To pass with the emergency clause ar
taehed. The gentlemen who appeared
before us and asked for a public hear.
ing, were perfectly content. as we mn.
derstood it, that that might be strick
en- from the bill. and that there might
De inserted in the bill provision tina,
on three dangerous roads they should
sun be excluded. Now there was an
understanding, and the gentleman
from Eden took these bills. vert
away. and had fI,r
ana brought us back the Mcbride bin
as IL was, and brought back draft
written by themselves which the COM
mittee adopted and reported to this
rouse. Now | say for the judiciary
committee that we are not sensitive
upon attacks upon our reports. We ex-
Peet them to be turned down if. in the
judgment of this House. they are NOT
what they ought to be: and we have
ilad our reports turned down before
TINS session We have no feeling what
ever about it. But never during the
session of this House have the judlc-
laIy committee. nor | believe. any
o'her committee. had proposition at
lacked by its proponents when they
stahted them what they asked for.
Ihese gentlemen proposing this meas
ure, the minute they got the report ~
the committee granting them what
they wanted, reached out for moro.
and went about it in this House as
every member of this House probably
oy TINS time knows-deliberatelv went
10 work to cut the ground out from
under the report reported by ten MEM
gers OF this judiciary committee M
thelr request. We say whatever re-
9ui,-ahd want to go into the
leeoro as saying that these gem
tielhen have imposed upon this
committee by their conduct 7 saw IT
TO them here. and deliberately and
flrmiN. And then their proposition was
10 get an emergency clause placed upon
tnis bill; md the gentleman III n dis
cussion. ;he other day said: Yes.
mat Act Was what we wanted but now
we want some more. Want it. why?
because our business interests are az
fected: Our financial interests are af
fecttd; and therefore we come to Won
90 get something more than we asked
lle committee for. and something
more than they were willing to grant"
Now l submit that is not fair.
And the gentleman went further and
SAID that there had been a great lob
by here; lobby here in the interests
of the summer residents. want to say
TO the members of the House that tn
Only lobbyist that has ever approached
me upon the subject-the only lobbyist
so far as / know, who has ever ap-
preached member of the committee
upon the subject-was the lobby behind
the gentleman from Eden. That is
where the lobby was; and that has
been the lobby that has tried to get
tins III your judiciary committee. But,
gentlemen. further. he said: I'VE want
this emergency clause put on" Why?
Because some wicked men. like Dr.
Eliot of Harvard and men OFF his
class who have put millions of dol
lars into this resort and rendered Bar
Harbor possible-these kind of men who
have built costly palaces there where
before there were fishermen's huts--
have interfered and he wants this
emergency clause put on because these
men are going to buy referendum
from the electors in the State. That is
what he says-that your constituents
and my constituents are going to be
bought by DR.. Eliot and his associates