Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-02-26
DAILY KENNEBEC JOURNAL, FRIDAY FEBRUARY &c, 1915.

Sso,Goo in bills that they have reported
| ought not to pass and resolves that
nave been cut down. Now they are US
Ing due consideration in all these mat
ters. They are not trying to force any
thing upon the State that is not fair
| or not reasonable and right. They
nave reported as to these three that
have come up ought TO pass '-these
| 10 men in whom you have placed con-
fidence in to put these measures be-
/ fore. Now the Governor says they are
nieritorious bills to which there is no
objection, and, if he thinks they are
/ wise. why should they be turned
down?
| Mr.. PLJMAIER of Lisbon
| Mr.. Speaker. there appears 10
me to be much reason in what
has been said by all three Of the
gentlemen who have already spoken;
but there is this point for the House
TO consider in this matter which was.
l think. raised by the gentleman from
Bingham tMr. Dutton.) The situation
I is that, while the Governor thinks thai
S125,000 is all that the State can afford
! to expend for these purposes, the com.
mittee on ways and bridges has set
different limit-a different amount
some $4,000 more, amounting to
100000. Now it is up to the House
and the Senate, the Legislature all to-
gether, to decide whether eitha-
! the amount lies somewhere between
them, or possibly above or below
either; but until we come to some de-
| clSion as to how much can be eX
pended, until we act. as it were as a
referee between those two amounts,
we are not in position to pass any
Of those bills, and they should all be
laid upon the table. They SHOULD all
be held together until such time as we
can decide how much we can afford.
and then so far as possible we should
sort from those that are before us the
/ ones which seems to US most deserV
ing of the appropriation. For that rea
son, gentlemen. and not because | have
any prejudice against these resolves
l have no doubt the committee has
worked faithfully: l have no doubt
that the propositions are meritorious;
| have no doubt, perhaps, that the
entire S600,000 that has been asked for
may be all meritorous propositions;
but the situation is that we can at
fcrd only just SO much. and we should
hold them all. together until We can
. decide which ones we shall pass. T
therefore trust, Mr. Speaker, that the
House will stand by the Governor.
Mr. CONNELLAN OF Portland: Mr.
Speaker. in the discussion of this mat
ter, would it not be we'll to inquire
what are the motives of the Governor
L:
Section % OF the House Rules it is
provided that when a bill or resolve
shall be presented by the Governor
with his objections the question shall
he stated by the Chair: Shall this bill
become law Notwithstanding the OBJ
Jcctions of the GOVERNOR" This qucs-
ton may be postponed not exceeding
one week, or may be committed. Now
do not understand under that sec
ton that these resolves may be laid
upon the table at this time; but l 10
understand that, under that section.
they may be committed. The word
committed having been used, and not
"recommitted." | understand that that
means that the bills may be COMMITTEE
10 any committee. Lad the word
'recommitted' been used in the sec
ton, il probably would have meant re-
committed TO the committee frorl Wn!cN
i came. l understand that. with ref
erence to the Wakefield and Dresden
matters. the Governor vetoed those re-
solves for the purpose of getting be-
fore the House and Senate his ideas
upon the subject. which were. if am
correctly informed. substantially as
follows: that he wished to know the
entire amount. the aggregate amoun-
that the committee would repol I
ought 10 pass upon, and then. b
some means or other as between him =
self and the committee, or with the
committee, or in some other manner
determine Just how many of these
bills would be finally passed within the
amount which he in his judgment
thought would be we'll spent on ways
and bridges. 1t has been said here
IN argument by some of the preceding
I speakers that the Governor by his
4 veto intends to substitute his jud--
4 ment Tor that OF the committee, and
+ that by so doing he practically mega
f! tlNes the work of the committee: but
II | understand correctly the Cover
nor's position in any state, he is nut
there for the very purpose of over
/ looking the work of the House and
senate. Otherwise, the veto power
: would not have been given him. He
! IS given that power of Veto 50 that
Y ne may act as he sees fit in the mat
! ter when i'll his best judgment he
/ thinks the House and Senate have err
I ed and so in this case. believing in
! ms best judgment, and perhaps be-
ing more familiar with the amount of
I money that can be raised, he thinks
That 1T is best TO have the bills rest
until all bills are reported, and then
TO find out how much can be appro-
priated. and arrange some method
whereby those most necessary NAV
receive the benefit to the full amount
| OF the appropriation.
! In morning paper, the kennebec
journal. it is said as follows: "A
| Democratic caucus was held Tuesday
evening and it is probable that Gov.
| Curtis learned from it that his vetoes
! would be overriddcn.' I can state.
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen. that T
was present at the Democratic eau
| Gus; and If it is to be inferred, or if
| 1t Is the intention that it should be
| inferred from this statement, that the
Democratic in, CHI