Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Four.)

Investigation of the service and Tor a
new adjustment of its rates; and so You
will understand at once. gentlemen oil
the committee, that these three provis-
ions provide for a remedy for. and for
the investigation of, every conceivable
possible situation.
1t has been suggested in an argument
before the Subcommittee that under
Section # ten persons is too large q
number. aud that i've persons ought 10
have the right 10 go before the commits
sion or that one person ought to have
the right to set in motion the wheels OF
All this machinery; but we believe that
in the hands of a wise and liberal COM
mission the most humble citizens in our
commonwealth would have the right To
appear before that commission ana state
his grievance, and ii IT appeared he was
acting in good faith. II it appeared that
he was correctly informed as to the sit
uation. and that his grievance was real
" we'll founded, the commission of its
own motion. under Section It, would
cause an Investigation 10 be made, and
afford him a remedy
Sections 81 to 70 provide a long aud
extensive list of penalties. which we be-
lieve have heen made drastic enough TO
deter any officer agent Of any pubHe
utility from transgressiug beyond the
rules laid down in the body Of the bill.
suppose we might differ as 10 how long
n term of imprisonment should e pro-
Vided in any given instance; but We be
lieve we have established in all OF these
cases a reasonable provision in that re-
specf All the terms of Imprisonment,
or the fine. as it may be, have been
simply large enough to impress upon all
those interested IN these matters that
the law must not be violated in any
particular
In the closing sections of the bill 1t mas
been provided by. your subcommittee
that the railroad commission and the
water. storage. commission should De
abolisheds hut all the existing statutes
relating To- those two bodies have been
transferred within the body of the pub
lie service law, and all the documents,
papers aud decisions of the complicated
office of the railroad commissioners are
To he transferred to the commission Gre
ated bv document 453. While We nave
abolished in this bill the title of the OIL
flee Of railroad commissioner and While
we have abolished the title of the state
water storage commission, we have de-
tracted from their duties not one single
item The duties of those offices would
be embraced within the duties OF tue
nublie utilities commissioners. and there
would be no loss to the state of Maine
and no hindrance to the progress of the
work of those two boards because II
would be continued by these commas
sioners. j thank you, gentlemen cap
plause).
Mr.. Sanborn of South Portland: MI
Chairman, the committee has before
it some fifteen separate amehaIiieh''
for consideration and for the purpose
of more expeditiously carrying out ouf
work, ] move that these amendments
be taken mp in the order in when the
refer to or affect the consecutive sec
lions Of ,the bill itself reserNlng the
right 10 return to any section II II II
ft,ss1sasxitssirable after discussion mas
ThHSiih6tion was seconded.
ThessesHAIRMAN: 1t has been
moveti that we consider the various
amendments in the order of their APP
Injection Ito the section affected, in
stead ofnin their alphabetical order,
and that we reserve the right Ia RE-
turn and refer to any section passed
over. Is that the pleasure of the com
mittee? nu. estts
The motion was agreed TO-
The CHAIRMAN: In accordance
with the vote of the committee, the
Chair now lays before the committee
amendment H. to Senate Document
No. 453. being House Document Num-
Der SCI
Mr.. SMITH of Patten: Mr. Chair
man, this amendment was proposed by
n member of the House, DR.. Maybury
of Saco. and while | desire to address
myself briefly to n discussion of the
subject, yet, if DR. Maybury desires.
/ will yield the floor to him for thai
purpose. | make the suggestion that
the Chair inquire if anybody desires
to be heard in support of the amend
ment; otherwise | will proceed briefly
to consider the matter.
The CHAIRMAN: No objection be-
ing made, you may proceed.
Mr.. SMITH of Patten Mr.. Chair
man, this amendment goes of course
|. entirely TO the method of appointing
or electing the commissioners. 1t pro-
Vides for the striking out of certain
lines and the inserting in place there
of of the words and lines. This Leg
islature shall choose three commits
sioners. one of whom shall be a Re-
publican, another a Democrat and the
third Progressive, and the Legsla
ture shall designate which one there
of shall be chairman"
The Sub committee have considered
that amendment after its introduction
and of course considered it carefully,
as we had previously carefully con-
sidered the proposition embodied in
the bill that the commission should
be appointed by the Governor by and
with the consent of the Council. We
believed that to be the proper way
and | still believe So and we decided