Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22

ton He speaks about the number of
candidates and men of dignity who
will not offer themselves. | do not see
what authority he has for that | be-
lieve the more men there are who
offer themselves. the more choices the
people will have
He also speaks about the appoint
ment of judges by the people and by
the Governor. Now we elect our pro-
bate judges by the people. and / will
ask this body if there has been any
complaint about the character of our
probate judges. Haven't they com
pared we'll with municipal court
judges who have been appointed by
the Governor? So much for the dan
ger of this thing getting into politics.
Taking the supreme court judges.
hasn't the appointments of the mem
bers of that bench been in politics in
this State For 30 years there We're
seven members Of that court of one
party in this State, and the minority
had but Gne member of the bench So
] say that even the appointments of
the supreme court judges which have
been made by the Governor in the past
have always been political appoint
ments.
Now, as to trusting the people to
even elect the judges of the highest
courts. Some of the states do that
now. The people Of New York eject
Ly popular vote the judges of their
highest court, and | know Of no body
of men who are superior to the judges
of the court of appeals of New York
State. Their opinions are followed in
all the states of the Union including
Maine and the best states Of the
Union 1t all comes back, Mr.. Chair
man to the question of whether the
people are 10 he distrusted9 whether
they are not competent or honest
enough to elect these public utilities
commissioners Il body which is to
stand between the people and the
great corporations Of this state. and
| shall still insist that he has offered
no reason why this matter should not
be left to the people.
Mr. SMITH of Patten: Mr.. Chair
man. | think | can offer one reason
which ought to appeal To the gentle
man from Portland, Mr.. Kehoe. Sup
posing there are half dozen candi-
dates in the primaries for this office
and assuming that the great public
utilities wanted To control a member
of that commission. Who would they
1get behind. the weak man or the
strong man. OF course it would he
the men whom they could control
rather than the men whom they could
not control. Another proposition. the
candidates are nominated-now | am
not saving that the public utilities
would do it, Int they could do 1.-THE
strong public utilities would get be-
hind the men, if they We're disposed
to. they would get behind the man
whom they could control on the COM
mission. and that man would be
elected.
Mr.. KEH0E. In reply 10 that I will
answer it in a Yankee way by saying.
who would they get behind for Cover
nor? fApplause) Who would the
great public utilities, if there were
three or four candidates for Governor,
who would they get behind? 1t would
be behind the one they wanted on
their commission; and 50 | say, leave
it To the people
Mr. SMITH of Patten: | would sug-
gest to the gentleman from Portland,
Mr. Kehoe. that the Governor does
not control the public utilities. and
beside that there is Il Council which
has a veto power.
Mr.. COOK of Nassalboro: Mr.. Chair
man, while | believe what has been
said by my friend from Portland. Mr..
Kehoe, at the same time, | believe for
the success eff this bfii that We should
stand by the committee.
The CHAIRMAN: Is there any 9TH
er member of the committee who de-
sires to be heard, and if not, is the
committee ready for the question:
Mr.. KEHOE of Portland: Mr. Chair
man do | understand that the yeas
and nays can be called on this ques-
tom
The CHAIRMAN: They cannot.
Mr. KEHOE: Can we have diVi-
sion of the committee?
The CHAIRMAN: The Chair rules
that we may have division of the
committee.
Mr.. KEHOE: l ask for division of
the House.
The Chairman: The Chair will state
that this committee OF the whole SIM
ply recommends the adoption or re-
lection of these proposed amendments
10 The general assembly of the House.
The motion before the committee IS on
this recommendation. whether the
of the Whole shall recon-
mend To the House the rejection el
d" or whether it shall
recommend TO the House the adoption
Of Amendment ID" The motion before
H. tae &c commend
the rejection of Amendment ID.
Mr. SMITH of Patten: Mr.. Chair
man. second the request of the gen
tlelnan from Portland. Mr.. kehoe, for
a division of the House.
A division being had,
Seventy-one voted in favor of the re-
iectien of Amendment ID, and 40
against.
So the motion prevailed, and the
ID" was rejected.
The CHAIRMAN. The Chair next
lays before the committee Amendment
~" House Document No. 55S.
Mr. SMITH of Pressure Isle: Nj.
Chairman, that amendment becomes
ineffective. we having rejected the pre-
vious amendment. the purpose of
which was to carry out the details
provided by Section l. and therefore
Amendment r. should be rejected in