Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-07
: what might be in the way.

| Now there are a few states that
have a similar law or law for lights
| On vehicles. Massachusetts, has law
very similar to the one drafted for
! this Legislature, but the provision in
/ Massachusetts makes exempt any We
llicle without expense to the applicant
! from carrying lights for any period of
time, so that that does away with or
! limits the number of vehicles which
might carry lights. New Jersey has
such law. but it does not apply to
| rcn-reSidents.
Now, gentlemen, we will take 1t, for
instance, in my country. along the
New Brunswick border. A great many
people come across the border to trade
with us and do business. Are YOU go
ing to make those men criminals as
soon as they pass the line at night?
They are not obliged in their own
country to carry lights. but when
they come across the line. they are
criminals on the highway if they do
not carry lights under this bill
Another provision in some of the laws
Of the states is this, that if you are
away from home and you perchance have
not the lights on on your vehicle you are
without breaking the law, but in this bill
You are not. The driver of the automo-
bile has Just the same responsibility rest
ing upon him though as he has in the
State Of Maine today, because he does
rot know when he is going to meet some
one on the street whose light has been
eXtinsuished in some way and who is al
lowed to so to his destination.
! There are number of states in the
| Union which have no such law as this,
ana they are progressive states four and
| I'VE times larger in population than the
| state of Maine, such as Ohio and Mchi-
gan. In those two states they have no
such law. Kansas and the great state
of Missouri have no such law that | can
find. Wisconsin, Iowa. Washington. In
diana and others. If those states, hav-
ing so large a population and having so
many teams and SO many men on the
streets and so many automobiles, have no
such law as this, isn't it fair to assume
that they don't need it?
Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen, I hope the
act will be indefinitely postponed.
Mr.. BESSE of Clinton: Mr.. Speaker
and Gentlemen of the House, think this
! Dill which Is before us is a very important
! bill and hope 1t will receive passage
I This committee considered this bill very
carefully. ] like the bill better than ! do
the amendment. I am not going to OBJ
1ect to the amendment. You have heard
the remarks from Bro. Snow that the
committee. when passing this bill. did not
have this bill take effect outside of the
a Of OF
son, that We were afraid, if we did, tina.
Bro Baxter would put an amendment
on It.
H Mr.. ALLEN of Portland Mr. Speaker.
would like to say a few words in refer
ence to this matter and l hope that the
bill as an entire bill will not be indefi-
nitely postponed. Those Of you who have
read this bill know that it contains prac
tlcaliy two classes 1t refers first to the
headlights of automobiles and trolley
/ Hnes-these large, high-power electri ,
| hghts which meet you so many times on
! the streets and on the roads and blind
you. The other class is a class referring
to the lights on small vehicles, small
hitehes. so it pertains more to the coun-
try than to the city
to every city of this State is an imnor-
! tant matter On the new highways MANY
! or which are very narrow, when these
lhlsh-po"ered cars with high powered
ights meet US. without any glare regula-
ton or anything to keep the light down.
1t Is almost an mpossibility to pass them
safely or to realize what is behind anv
one of those cars.
need not go into instances where
accidents have occurred. We see them
IN the larger cities every day. But
VIII say further that the regulation of
these lights Is matter for the Pub
nc utillties Commission to determine
that is. what shall be best for the an
tomobile driver and what shall be best
for the trolley line.
FOR those reasons T hope that tbi.
part of the bill in some form NAV no
HaVec TO protect myself at least as ono
drlver Of an automobile from other
owners and reckless drivers whom we
meet every day on the highways of tho
state OF Maine. Applauscl
Mr. MESERNE of Naples. Ar
Speaker. this Legislature has a nret+v
good and brilliant record for tho STAG
ing or farces and comic operas and
this adds but another to their brilliant
ilSt. III you want to make criminals ont
Il every man. woman and child in tho
state Of Maine. pass this bill. If vo,,
20 not, indefinitely postpone IL. (An-
plause)
cir. MERRILL of Gray: Mr.. Sneaker
} nope this bill will be indefinitely most.
poned. The DINNERS on the automohi,as
are all right. | drive an automobile .,,a
drive all kinds of light rigs. T VIII,
mat something might be preserved ~
ifeGard to the DINNERS of automohi,os
Mr. Allen: Mr.. Speaker. womb il ha
IN order to in some way test the senti-
ment OF this House or this bin beforo
taking final action, in order that if !.
shouid oe adverse. the bill might no
'ahled 50 that an amendment might he
paced upon it to save the automobile
headlight situation?
The SPEAKER: The Chair will roo
oEhlze the gentleman from Hon,tor
WHO asks permission by Unanimous
consent 70 introduce several war MAJ.
nres out Of order. If it il a vote tbat
inns motion prevail the proceed;nss ~.
TINS Dill will be interrupted unti, ~
time. The Chair wishes IN road . ~,