Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-23

of this House deprived of his seat UNI
Justly as much as | hate to see any
member retain his scat unjustly. |
am going to make motion which will
have tendency to shorten the debate
upon this question, although this de-
bate might be the means of several
members making their maiden speech
es. i recall point which was made
by the gentleman from South Paris
(Mr. Wheeler In his remarks, the 9TH
er day, wherein he stated that any
fair-minded man who knows tile Eng
fish language might be able easily to
understand what the Constitution pro-
vided and just what was meant by
the Constitution; and, therefore, Mr..
Speaker and gentlemen, I wish to
make this motion, that all speeches
be limited TO five minutes.
The SPEAKERS The House hears
the motion of the gentleman from
Lewiston, MIR. Morneau. Is the House
ready for the question?
Mr.. SMITH of Presque Isle: Mr.
Speaker. on that motion | think we
had better have the yeas and nays
The gentlemen upon the other side
have had a great deal of time allowed
them in debating this question, and
ask for the yeas and nays.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
from Pressure Isle, Mr.. Smith, demands
the yeas and nays on the question,
Mr. NEWBERT of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker
The SPEAKER: VIII the gentleman
from Presque Isle, Mr.. Smith, yield
10 the gentleman from Augusta, Mr.
Newbert2
Mr.. SMITH of Presque Isle: Mr.
Speaker. l do.
Mr.. NEWBERT: Mr. Speaker, We
are here, tonight. with nothing else
to do and, personally / can assure you.
gentlemen that | have no disposition
to discuss this question. l had under
stood that my friend, Judge Smith of
Presque Isle, has prepared himself,
and lie was sick the other while the
rest of us were debating; and i will
say that L should think it a great
hardship to this House at this time to
shut off anything which Judge Smith
has prepared. l do not think we need
to be arbitrary here. That is Just
my feeling about the matter individ-
ually, and | think there are other men
wish to speak upon the question
Mr.. SMITH of Presque Isle: Mr.
Speaker. the gentleman from Augusta
(Mr. NewberD is absolutely mistaken
about my having made any prepara-
TONS 10 make any speech here, to-
night. There is one contingency which
might arise where l might feel called
upon to make few remarks, but I
understand there are other gentlemen
here who may want to be heard: and
| submit that the five-minute prop
osition is unfair considering the length
of time that the gentleman from Au-
gusta consumed in his discussion the
other day
The SPEAKER: The Chair would
suggest that it takes about 20 min
utes to call the roll, and it might be
possible to arrive at the judgment of
the House by means of a division.
Mr.. SMITH of Pressure Isle: 3Ir.
Speaker. 1 withdraw my motion call
ing for the yeas and nays. The ques-
ton is upon the motion of the GEN
tleman from Lewiston, Mr. ATurneau
that all debate be limited to five min
utes
a division being had, the motion was
lost by vote of to s.
The SPEAKER: The question is
now upon the motion to reconsider
the vote whereby the seat of the GEN
tleman from Ripley was declared
vacant under the order introduced by
the gentleman from Augusta, Mr..
Newbert
Mr.. SMITH of Patten: Mr.. Speaker.
because l rise in my seat do not
want the members of the House to be
alarmed. l am not going to make a
speech, nor any part of a speech; but
in view of the fact that in the de-
! cate the other day | presented here a
letter from Professor Little of Bow
doin College, giving a definition of the
word post Officers taken from a new
English Dictionary which is now in
press, Notwithstanding that fact two
or three gentlemen following the read
| ing of that letter insisted that nobody
! had produced here and could not pro-
duee, and defied ANYBODY to produce
| any book containing definition of
that sort
Now, through the courtesy of Pro-
fessor Little of Bowdoin College /
have brought here, tonight, a copy of
! this new English Dictionary, and /
| have here a letter written which ac-
companies this dictionary. | will read
only sthe part of the letter which is
pertinent: ga
The fact is that thousands of read
ers in this country as well as abroad
united in asking the storehouse of cita-
lions from which the editors have been
| making the best dictionary any mod
ern language possesses. 1t is every
where regarded as the authority on
the historical use of words" This let
ter is signed by Geo. T. Little, and
addressed to Mr.. Norton of the Port
land Evening Express.
Now, from this book which is re-
1efred to by Professor Little, / read
TINS definition: Post officer Obso-
| lete. An officer or official Of the post.
1869 London Gazette. No 1854, The
Post-Ofticers which were sent from
hence into France to confer with Mon
sleur de Louvoy the French Postmas-
ter, are this day returned 1888 King
IN Swift's Lett. Q76S) ". 223 Whether
those post Officers really thought me
| a man of imDOrta nice 1242 Calact