Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-15

amendment as to the merits Of the
bill under discussion. 1t has nothing
| to do with the opinion of the members
nor with the opinion of the occupant
Of the Chair as to whether or not the
bill itself ia a good bill or proper
bill for the State Of Maine. 1t is sim
ply an opinion by the Chair that par
ticular amendment does not belong to
a particular bill. 1t is simply differ
enoe Of Judgment, and in all cases the
House is the body that decides wheth-
err 1t wishes particular amendment
to be incorporated into a particular
bill The Chair can only state IT'S
opinion, and then it is for the House
to decide whether or not the ruling Is
correct. The same thing has come up
once before in the House, and to avoid
ruling on that point. the bill was sent
back to the Senate 1t is not question
Of individual belief about the propo-
sition under discussion at all; it Is
simply a question Of whether or not in
the opinion Of the Chair q particular
amendment belongs to a particular
bill The gentleman who proposes the
amendment might have precisely the
same view Of the bill, believe precise
ly the Same and vote precisely the
same as the Chair who ruled it out; l
say that it might happen, and it is
simply one Of the duties Of the Chair
to decide whether or not in its opinion
particular amendment is germane to
the subject matter Of the bill. 1t is. as
say, only a question Of difference OF
opinion and it has nothing to do with
the. subject matter of the bill SO far as
holt
become law is concerned. or whether
the amendment should be a part OF
the bill and become law.
The SPEAKER: The Chair lays be-
fore the House. Senate report of COM
mittee on legal affairs. reporting
fought to pass" on Senate Document
249. entitled "An Act to authorize the
county of oxford to remodel. enlarge
and repair the registry Of deeds build
ing Of the Western Registry District
of said county," tabled by the gentle
man from Rumford, Mr. Eaton, pend
ing the acceptance of the report in
concurrence.
On motion by Mr.. Eaton of RumfOrd
the report was accepted in concurrence,
and on further motion by the same gen.
tleman, the rules We're suspended and
the bill given its two several read
ings.
The SPEAKER: The Chair lays be-
fore the House Senate report Of the
committee on appropriations and f1nan-
cial affairs, reporting fought to pass
on Senate Document 256, entitled Re
solve in favor of certain private char
table and benevolent institutions for
the care, support and education OF In
digent persons and for other purposes"
tabled bv the gentleman from Portland.
Mr. Anderson, pending second reading.
On motion by Mr. Anderson OF Port
land. the resolve was re-tabled pend
ing it's second reading.
The SPEAKER: The Chair lays be-
fore the House. Senate Document No.
271. Resolve in favor of the State hos
pitfalls for maintenance and other pur-
poses, tabled by the gentleman from
Portland. Mr.. Rounds, pending It's pas
sage to be engrossed in concurrence.
Mr.. ROUNDS Of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, this will take quite large
sum of money. We heard, among other
matters discussed here yesterday some
thing about money to be appropriated
from the State Treasury, and I took
some pains after the remarks made
here yesterday, to find out whether we
had any money in the State Treasury
or not. l find that we have not the
money in the State Treasury that was
supposed to be there on the first of
January 1917, even though it was her
aided throughout this State In 1916 |
that there was so much money In the |
Treasury that our predecessors had left |
In
nation from the Auditor. want to en-
Tighten the members of this House a
little mite as to where we stand on
that subject
The Auditor states that We have
permanent school fund Of s2.72054,
the Penobscot Indian Fund OF $SS,092.44,
the Passamaquoddy Indian Fund Of $780,
297.66. the Houlton Academy Fund of
$4,000, the Foxcroft Academy Fund Of
81 900, the Hebron Academy Fund of
$1,000, the Madawaska Territory School
Fund Of $4,000, the School District No.
2. Madison, Of $1,000, the Augusta State
Hospital. Gilman Legacy. $1,000, the
Augusta State Hospital, Williams
Legacy. $1,000. State School for Girls
Fund, s10.S1e.15. State School for Boys
Sanford Legacy. $500. Sanford Legacy
for Deaf, Dumb and Blind, $500, Jor-
dan Forestry Fund. $1,000, or a total
permanent fund Of s6s6.229.79.
l find that there is no such fund
in existence. That fund was wiped
out; the Lord only knows when. and
we have been told that we had so much
money on hand. There is over s6S6,22s
dollars that cannot be found
l accuse no man of any dishonesty
but l want to show the people of the
State of Maine that we are not in as
good financial condition as we thought
we we're when we came to this Legis-
lature; and I want to say that we are
appropriating a lot of money here for
institutions. which I think is right. but
we cannot get along on the budget sys-
tenn of five mills, asked for by our
Executive II we go on and appropriate
this money. If we are to appropriate
this money, we must have the money to I
spend We have not the money. and
we are paying six per cent, gentlemen,
as l am Informed by the Auditor, on
the most Of this permanent fund. which
Is large percentage of interest
There is another fund that il has
been whispered around this State House I
we were going to make a raid on, but
seems INV !