Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-04

alton that he had shown for the min
GRITTY. Like a child on Christmas
morning, we are waiting to see what
Bill will do when he gets It." declared
Mr.. Murray amid laughter and applause
as he walked up to the Speaker and
placed in his hands the watch. From
the boys on the floor to our pal in the
Chair. Bill Bonney the Speaker"
Speaker Bonney was too much moved
to speak for a moment but when he
found his voice he declared that the
members of the House had been good
to him. far better than he deserved. He
said that he had tried to be fair and
spoke Of the present relations that he
had had with all the members Of the
House. He paid special tribute to
Rep. Baxter of Portland who he said
had always been fair and gentlemanly
and this tribute was received with great
applause. The watch was of gold, the
standard Of purity. the IL figures on
the dial were typical Of the 12 weeks
in which the Legislature should have
been finished had It not bean for the
impending swar. the budget and the
other matters. The hands represented
to him the hands of every individual
member Of the House.
Rep. Chaplin of Bridgton said he be-
lieved every member of the House ia
vored the conservation of the States
water powers and in such manner as
to work for the benefit of all. This bill
comes right home to my community
and it is a question as to whether 1t
would not work an injustice to some.
The Western Maine Co. is interested
largely in my section and contiguous
territory. We have a company furnish
ing a partial schedule service. having
water part of the year and for the bal
ance burning coal. The Western Maine
seeks to come into our town and give
continuous service. 1t would be well
come, and some would get a service
they cannot now. But suppose the
Western Maine had this amendment
hitched on, II would be all tied up
should the 1909 law be decided uncon-
stitutional and its two competitors
would benefit and might drive it out of
business and its stability to serve us
might be defeated. The amendment and
the situation is like trying to fit No.
boot to every foot that passes the
door. And l am not considering out-of-
the-S State transmission so much as the
effect on my own people.
Rep. Clarke of Randolph said that
since he previously stated his position
on this matter he had been approach
ed by men from every one of the four
towns he represented, who had said he
had done right and not a man had said
he had done wrong. He could see which
way the wind was blowing. 1t is not
the farmers and business men who
| think we are wrong, the opposition is
and has been for weeks right here in
these corridors, but until a better ar
eument can be furnished, l shall stand
right here and vote for the interests
of the greatest number of the people
Rep. Harrington said he should vote
| against the Baxter amendment be-
| cause he believed that the 1909 law
would be declared constitutional and
| that would care for any emergency;
in fact, under that he didn't believe
any electrical firm would dare to at
tempt to send electricity out of the
State. He couldn't see any benefit in
| attaching the amendment.
| Rep. Barnes of Houlton opposed the
Baxter amendment in a strong speech,
in which he said that he was interest
| ed in the square deal" between the
| State and the electrical companies, but
| that he thought that confusion had
arisen and that some thought that a
| vote against the Baxter amendment
| was a vote against the interests of the
| people.
Rep. Hutchins of Mexico said he saw
the large numbers of small companies
along the border and elsewhere and
this move would enable the Western
Maine Co. to absorb them, as it had
from the beginning, and soon it would
! be a case Of high cost power in Maine
and low cost power sent out Of Maine.
If they don't intend to take the power
out Of the State why 90 they object?
Able lawyers have conceded the 1909
law unconstitutional. why not place in
their charters that which will prevent
them doing what they should not do?
The Chair-The Chair must rule that
according to his new watch. the speak
er's five minutes have expired.
Rep. Meserve Of Naples-I wished to
speak on this measure, but will yield
my time to the gentleman from Mexico.
Rep. Hutchins stated that corpora
tons which appeared to be small ones,
like the oxford Electric Co. We're real
| ly connected with larger companies and
that the Oxford company was really a
part Of the Chisholm Cobb Maynard
Bird Macomber interests. All were
either big companies or connected with
them. If electricity was transmitted
without the State, nothing would be
gained.
Rep Gannett OF Augusta declared
that the statements made by Rep. Bax-
| ter Of Portland. Rep Hutchins of Mex
| leo and others were untrue so far as
the Central Maine Power Co. was con-
cerned. In response to inquiry by Rep.
Hutchins, Mr.. Gannett stated what
were the companies out Of which the
Central Maine Power Co. was formed
and what were the companies with
which it asked to consolidate in the
bill before the Legislature. He explain
ed that the act asked for was simply
for matters Of bookkeeping as the Cen
trail Maine already owned the stocks
! and bonds OF the other companies. II
made no real difference as to existing
conditions whether it was passed or
not
Rep. Rowe Of Yarmouth said that a