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

x@eoa1LAne. rA,ns. -
| ship out Of the state OF Maine. Now the
ruling of the Speaker is on the PROPOSE
ton that Amendment A or B or or y
or Y or Il, whichever one it Is, shall be
considered not germane to the bill. The
bill provides that the Oxford Electric
Company is authorized to purchase, and
that the trustees of Hebron Academy are
authorized to sell, the poles. rights ann
franchises of the Hebron Electric Com
pany; the location Of poles, wires and FIX
lures of said Hebron Academy are con-
firmed and made valid; and the trustees
are authorized to sell under the provi-
sions of Chapter 2O5 of the Private and
Special Laws Of the year 1903, which pur-
chase shall be subject to the approval OF
the Public Utilities Commission, as pro-
vided in Section thereof. 1t Is vio-
lent stretch of reason or the Imagination
to see how the amendment which has
been read to us is sermane to this bill.
and l hope the ruling of the Speaker
will be sustained
Mr.. HARRINGTON Of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, it has been really a surprise
to me, as these { various amendments
have come in and have been adopted on
different bills, that there has not been
any question raised before today. | am
not at all interested in this bill and do
not know anything about it; but l feel
that it is only fair to me to say that l
believe the Speakers ruling should be
sustained here. There are any number
of precedents in the National Congress
to this end. Rule SO that has been cited
would seem to cover it in itself; but in
the National Congress this matter has
come up repeatedly. An an example, a
bill was passed in the National Con-
gress giving the right of way to
railroad company; and there was an
attempt to place upon it an amend
ment that the Government should De
unable to buy that road, and it was
ruled that the amendment was not
germane. AS have said, 1t seems
strange that this point has not been
raised before. I shall feel obliged to
support the ruling Of the Chair in this
matter.
Mr.. PrRINGTON Of Mechanic Falls:
Mr.. Speaker, this situation as de-
scribed in that bill am quite familiar
with. The gentleman from Houlton
(Mr. Barnes) was not quite correct in
his statement. The oxford Electric
Company. under an act of the last
legislature, was allowed to buy the
franchise and property Of the Mechan-
ic Falls Company and it assumed all its
contracts and there is no danger of
their selling any power. The only
power that they own is developed from
a power about q mile from my village
and from the power in Norway spoken
OF by MIR. Barnes. They have no DOW.
or to convey out Of the State. Now the
Mechanic Falls corporation did not feel
able to build it's line and extend its
wires to Hebron: so the Trustees of
Hebron Academy wanted light so much
that they build their own line and
equipment and leased power from the
Mechanic Falls Company. They have
now become tired of that 1t is a bur-
den on them and they cannot take care
OF the wires so easily as the Oxford
Electric Company, and they are simply
carrying out with the Hebron people
the contract that they entered into.
There is not the least danger of their
transmitting any power out Of the
state. [ understand the gentleman
from Bangor (Mr Baxter) has modified
his original amendment in some cases
and can see no particular reason whv
it should not be in this case. 7 hone
the ruling Of the Chair will be sustain |
cd. We are simply carrying out a CON- !
tract entered into-a contract 7 drew
myself: simply changed it at the re-
quest of the Hebron people.
Mr. GURNEY of Portland. Mr.
Speaker. one of the most important |
questions that confronts the State If !
Maine is whether or not a limitation !
such as is found in Chapter Sc. forbid |
ding public service corporations from !
transmitting electricity ont of the |
State is constitutional or not Tbora
are decisions in other states that such |
a restriction upon the right Of co,,-
nerce Is unconstitutional We have the
law in Maine. as 7 have said. forbid
eng the transmitting. without special
permission. of any electricity outside
the limits of this State. IT is apnre-
hended that that particular section of i
our statute is unconstitutional. Mr.. Bax-
ter has attempted to introduce a policy
for the benefit Of the entire state to
limit each charter when 1t comes he
fore this body asking for an amenment
to limit each charter by special
amendment so that it shall no longer
nave the right. even if that law be de-
ciared unconstitutional. to send cleo
tricity out Of the State. The point Is
precisely that the courts will
say in the future to any cor
roration that may ask the pow
although our law Is demonstrations,
YOU have, by amendment which the
LEGISLATURE after due delheration has
Continued on Pare 8, Column y