Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-28
Gov. Haines'a Mileage Books.

Gov. Haines and Mileage Books.
Quite naturally, the astute political
way to deal with one particular phase
of the political situation in Maine
would be to adhere to the plan of our
distinguished President - "watchful
waiting" Just now the Democratic
and the Progressive leaders are play
ing to the galleries on one string
"Haines and the 500-mile mileage
books" It catches the eheerers who
think they know all about it; that
they have been robbed; that Governor
Haines deliberately and brazenly
served monopoly and stole from the
poor" etc, etc, as they have been told
by such "disinterested" leaders as w.
r. Pattangall and Oakley C. Curtis, as
Hal Gardner and George w. Heselton.
The effective way to deal with this
matter would be to let them make
much of it for the next few months, to
the exclusion of other issues, and then
quietly give the public the facts, ana
make them plain. But we believe
our readers are entitled to a little
memory-jogging. They have forgot
ten why Governor Haines vetoed the
mileage bill, and how they tried to
put over" another mileage bill that
was, if anything more than meaning
less. mischievous. 1t read to this eff
feet, ito sell a 500-mile book at the
same rate as 1000-m mile books are sold,"t
without reference to the price-two
cents or four cents, as the case might
be- And the Governor had sense
enough to see and courage enough TO
discount it, without showing up the
Legislative "blunder"-or purpose?
But that is neither here nor there.
The matter in which the people are
interested is the Governors position.
In brief it was to defeat the purpose
of an element of the Legislature to
forestall the public utilities commits
sion which it was creating. The
platform adopted by the Maine Demo-
cratic convention at Portland reads, in
one paragraph:
I'VE denounce the action of Governor
Haines in disregarding the well defined
and clearly expressed views of the Legis-
Iature as to the issue of five hundred
mile railroad books. by failing to sign
the bill, while avoiding the responsibility
of vetoing il"
The response in jeers and clapping
was gratifying to those who had
strained their intellects to give birth
to that sophistry. Let us quote the
Governors message from the Public
Laws of Maine, 1913, pages 1929 and
1870:
Executive Department.
April 8, 1918.
To the Senate and House Of Repre-
senatives:
Gentlemen:-l return herewith San
Act to Regulate and Establish Mileage
Rates for the Conveyance of Passen-
gers over the Steam Railroads within
the State"
My principal reason for doing this
is that | have just approved IAN Act
to Create a Public Utilities Commits
sion, Prescribe Its Powers and Duties,
| and Provide for the Regulation and
| Control of Public Utilities" Had this
| last named act not been passed,
should have approved the act to regu-
late and establish mileage rates, but it
| understand the matter right, the bill
creating a public utilities commission
was enacted for that very purpose,
that is, the control of public utilities
coming within the scope of that bill,
and particularly the regulation Of
rates and fares Of railroads.
The act creating the public utilities
commission will go into effect in Sep
tsmber next, and the act to regulate
and establish mileage rates does not
| DO into effect until July. Without go
| ing into any extended discussion OF
the merits of the question OF the regu-
| lation and establishment of mileage
rates and the issuing of mileage books
by the Legislature, or by the public
utilities commission, under the au'
thority conferred by the act referred
to, think il is important that a.
such matters, with reference to public
service companies, should be left to the
commission. 1t is a proper part Of
their work. Before such commission
opportunity can be given both to ths
public and to the public service com
panes, railroads included, to be heare
upon all sides of such questions, ane
the fullest and most complete justice
can be done to all concerned, and aftei