Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-21
Balance of Senate Report
OF Tuesday, March Is, 1913.

bill, as | understand, was ffamed
that all parties might have Their
rights. Now then, the commission
has got to have the power to regulate
the rates, to say to the people that
they shall not have rival companies
without their express consent, ana
if they have any complaints to make
they should go to the public utilities
with them under a form OF proce-
dure, and that the company offending
would be entitled to answer. Now
in line ten that right may be denied
upon the complaint of ten or more
responsible people, when they present
their claim to this public utilities
commission, they can receive it, they
can say they are all responsible men
but it is not eXpedient to grant d
hearing. There is no appeal from
their decision, and they would have 1t
in their power TO say whether mat
ter was expedient so people could get
relief or not. There is no appeal
from it. Ten responsible citizens are
just as likely to be honest in their
request as the three gentlemen come
posing the board or commission, AMI
it is provided further on in this bill
50 that this might become effective
that if any complaint is made viii
fully and malieiously without reason
able ground, then that the pubic
utilities commission could make those
complaining pay the cost of the pro-
ceeding, and that is "A sufficient safe
guard against responsible men start
ing out on a proposition unless they
md
they come to this tribunal and want
this matter investigated, why then Il
should be that this commission should
lie forced to give hearing. Re-
sponsibIe men are reasonable men
nine times out of ten; If they saw
machinery being set up in a place
they would not want to force any
thing to an issue. If there was some
temporary trouble with an electric
light plant they would not think of
starting proceeding. 1t seems GER
tain that those few words should be
stricken out. You say to the people
of the State, when ten reasonable
men, responsible men come before
this commission with a just COM
plant, you shall be heard. But #
licious or vindctive. then you shall
pay the cost of the proceeding. II
seems to me that is a right that ought
to go with this bin, that the people
should have, and not make it dis
cretionary but mandatory that they
should proceed with hearing.
Mr. HERSEY: want to all the at
tention of the Senator from Andres
oggin 10 the reading of this bill as ii
is, and then to the reading as it
would be with his principle put into
it, or his language. This is the way
it reads new-the commission, being
satisfied that the petitioners are re-
sponsible and that a hearing is ex-
pedient shall proceed with or without
notice. 10 make an investigation
thereof" With your amendment.
Senator, this would be the practical
reading of 1.-THE commission being
satisfied that the. petitioners are not
responsible. that a hearing is not ex-
pedient. shall proceed with or with
out notice To make an investigation
thereof. Mr.. Chairman, we say when
there is petition made to the select
men of our town to lay out a way.
they must be satisfied of two things,
first that the petitioners are re
spcnsibIe and second that the way is
one of public necessity. or they don:
lay it out And here with this great
commission. when they find the Pc
titioners are not responsible, that the
hearing is not expedient, shall they
not have authority to say so?
Mr.. MOREY: l never made any
such statement--or the Senator clear
~ misunderstood my remarks, that
they should not be responsible.
say that that is ali right, being salts
fled that they are responsible.
didn't say that they Were not re-
sponsible.
Mr.. HERSEY: Your amendment
takes it out. Read your amendment.
Mr. .MOREY: That is provided later
on by the application of costs. that
the persons presenting a groundless
complaint should be held responsible
for the costs. In the laying out of a
way, the county commissioners are
satisfied that the persons making the
request are responsible and then they
determine whether the way shall be
aid out or not, but they always give
a hearing. And it is the question of
getting hearing.
Mr.. BAILEY: Mr.. Chairman, 1t
seems To me that we could trust Il
matter of this sort to men of the
calibre that we have on this public
utilities commission if this thing
goes through. and that they in their
discretion would necessarily lean
towards the petitioners, and if there
was any question of their responsible
| ity or not, why their ideas at least,
or their sympathy would be towards
the petitioners and they would decide
mat they were responsible. But |
| think the word ought to be in there,
because | can see how a man might
so up to the county Jail and get ten
petitioners for a petition to this COM
mission. SO | think it ought to be
formed to prevent any abuse of it.
The motion was agreed to and the
amendment was rejected.
The CHAIRMAN: The Chair lays
before the committee for considera ton
Senate Document No. SOC, Senate
Amendment O to section a.
Mr.. COLE: Mr. Chairman, the idea