Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-31

ton would like to have these various
/ matters postponed until Tuesday. I
do mot wish to seem insistent and do
not want to force the issue at the pres
ent moment; but l wish the House to
know that am DESTROYS of doing every
thing to hurry matters along. I do
not feel like asking the House to wait
until Tuesday, but IL 1t is opposed to this
measure, Of course I should yield What
1 would really. like to do is this:
should like to have the House consider
| these various amendments. One de-
bate will settle the fate Of all the
amendments. either one way or the
other Then I should like to have the
House take up the consideration OF the
bill which is entitled "a bill to estab-
lish the Maine Water Power Commits
sion." ! should like to see that settled
today. The gentleman from Eliot, Mr..
Cole, has bill which bears his name
and which permits the transmission of
electric current outside of the State.
! would like to see all these three ques-
tons settled today if 1t were possible
to do so. There is a good attendance here
this morning, better than / expected,
and I would ask the Speaker IL he would
obtain the opinion of the House as to
what 1t wishes to do. 1 will be guided
by the result whether it is to settle the
thing today or postpone it, 1 would like
to hear from the gentleman from Eliot,
Mr.. Cole, so that everybody may have
a chance to express their views as to
just when we ought to settle these mat
tiers. Personally. as 1 say, 1 would like
to do it right here and now; but I will
yield If 1t is desired.
The SPEAKER: The Chair would sug-
gest that either a motion to table the
matter or motion to postpone to day
certain, or motion to insist, would, as
it supposes give test of the feeling Of
the House.
Mr.. BAXTER: Mr.. Speaker. in order
move you that we adhere to our former
action, with the understanding that it Is
to be open to discussion as to whether
or not we will act upon it now, or later.
Will that bring the matter before the
House, Mr. Speaker?
The SPEAKER: The Chair is Of the
opinion that there might be a little doubt
as to the effect of a motion to adhere if
carried. A motion to adhere to our for
mer action, If carried, would preclude
further action on the matter as the
Chair understands it,
Mr. BAXTER: l do not wish, Mr.
Speaker. to make motion myself to lay
1.-THE matter on the table, because / do not
want 1t laid on the table. Any way to
bring it before the House so that every
body will understand it is satisfactory to
Mr. Mr. co; yield to the condemnation. r Eliot
Mr.. COLE of Eliot: Mr.. Speaker, I do
not think the gentleman from Portland
(Mr. Baxter) and myself are very far
apart in our general purpose on thes.
matters. 1t is rather to the method Of
putting them in operation 1t is more a
matter of method than it is Of the results;
to be obtained We are both striving for
the same results. Now If the members
; will look upon their Senate calendar they
will find at the very bottom Of it tina.
Senator Davies has introduced resolve
in favor of the appointment Of hydro
electric power investigating committee.
The gentleman from .Houlton (Mr.
Barnes). as / have been informed, has
also resolution looking to the same
end but by different method, Now all
three of those gentlemen are striving to
obtain the same result but by different
methods. The bill which is known as the
Cole bill also relates to the same sup
ject matter. looking at it from a differ
emit standpoint. but not at variance with
the final result. It would seem to me that
1t would be saving the time of this House
II we could assign all of these matters
for Tuesday, because by that time the
resolve Of the senator from Cumberland,
Senator Davies. will be here for our con-
sideration. The resolve of the gentle
man from Houlton. Mr.. Barnes. will be
in by that time for our considerat ton
and in one day-one half day-we can
settle everything. If, however, We take
up the matters that are before us this
morning. when the matter of Senator Da-
vies comes back, or when the matter of
the gentleman from Houlton, Mr.. Barnes
comes up, it would be unfair to them to
settle the matters of the gentleman from,
Portland, because they would be entirely
left without a hearing if we prejudged
! their bills and at once settled ON a poll
| cy; although l have seen the House re-
I verse itself in five minutes on occasions
! before and it might do that again. The
matters of the water storage committee
| or the Public Utilities Commission or
/ Hydro-Electric Commission, or whatever
you choose to cail it, will be before US
! the first of the week with reference to
! three different measures looking to the
same end; and as the matters which stan1
in my name are all intimately involved,
! it seems to be that IT would save the time
here to take them all PIP at once rather
! than use up part of the time this morning
and then have to go. all over the mat
ter again with reference to the resolu-
ton Of the gentleman from Houlton,
Mr. Barnes. To put all these matters
over until Tuesday would seem to me
to be saving time, and Ne could then
! go on with the present calendar this
morning and be losing no; time; because
whatever time we use up this morning
will reduce the unfinished business just
| SO much.
! Mr. DEARTH of Dexter: Mr.. Speak
er, there seems to be only one question
and that is whether we shall take up
these matters today or on Tuesday
| ~..-k r sroract thot tta- roerohorS who