Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-01-04
THE 781H Maine LEGISLATURE
Stenographic Reports of the Sessions of Senate
and House of Representatives


were picked for those honorable po.
sitions. A well known example. OF
course, was the senators of Rome, and
as Ions as that great commonwealth lis
tened to the advice. and took the coun-
ser OK the senators. it fourished and
prospered, but when it became an alb
solute empire or monarchy. and the
emperors held full sway, then it fell
to decay and decadence.
Now the people of our state, regard
this as the senior legislative body of
this state, and they have chosen us be-
cause they think that we have some Pc
culiar qualifications for the office. Some
of our brother legislators at the other
end or the corridor no doubt will have
a peculiar or local interest. And per
haps some of the senators, when in the
House at that time had a peculiar local
interest. 1t seems to me that the peo-
pie OF our state expect senators to take
a much broader and more eomprehen-
sive view than one merely local. The
fact that you represent a county speaks
for that. And in the legislation pre-
sented to us it seems to me that we
should adopt that broad and compre-
| ueHSlNe view.
man said to me, a business man,
a flnancier OF my city. that it would be
a good thing for the state if the legis-
lature only met once in five years. Now
we can take a cue from that.
But the reason that the legislature
has to meet every two years is on ac-
count of the progress of the arts, and
the discoveries Of science, the evolu-
ton of the moral conscience. and the
progress of civilization. New" circum-
stances new ideas arise. and we must
have laws to fit those conditions and
those evolutions, and therefore we are
called into convention once in two years
to bring our laws up to the advance in
science, the arts. and moral develop
ment. But unnecessary or egotistical
| laws do place a burden upon our law
yers to study them, upon our courts to
interpret them, and our commercial and
business interests to get accustomed
to them.
Senators, especially. are judged by
those acts or laws they pass, because
they are supposed to have this broader
and wider view.
| You have chosen me, not to rule over
YOU but to serve you. And that is my
purpose. l am your servant, not merely
your presiding officer. The state has
| furnished me room at the left here.
ana 1t VIII always be open during BUSH
ness hours. Any senator, who has
any questions of ORDER or procedure
| or who wish any council or advice will
receive it very gladly. to the extent Of
the Chairs knowledge.
| The wisdom of our English states
men, and the experience and great in
tellectuality of the law makers of our
own country. have formulated certain
rules for procedure in parliamentary
bodies. And some of those rules have
been crystalized by the legislature Of
this state by formal acts.
| There is no game, Senators, YOU can
! play fairly unless you have some rule
and there is no important and forma,
action which can be carried on without
rules. In court all lawyers know that
we have rules of procedure and rules
| OF evidence, and the Chair wishes n
state That of course it is his, duty nm
der the oath that he has taken. to en-
! force the rules of procedure that have
been crystalized by our DISTINGUISHED
statesmen of this country. and espec
tally those adopted by this Senate and
this Legislature. And if in the dis
charge OF my duty may seem a little
marsh IL Is SIMPLY part of my duty,
ana tnat Will have no personal feel
ing IN the matter whatsoever.
win these few remarks. and again
thanking you for the honor YOU have
conferred upon me, the Chair awaits
the pleasure of the Senate (Applause,
Mr. FULTON of Aroostook: Mr.
president. I ask to have the privilege
OF correcting mistake in voting for
the President of the Senate. Inad.
VertentlY in the hurry, and my glasses
not fitting me well I made a mistake
and voted for Mr. Hastings 1 now wish
TO have my vote recorded for the Hon.
orable Taber d. Bailey.
1t was so ordered
On motion by Mr.. Holt of Cumber.
land, that Senator with Messrs. Stan.
ley of Oxford and Peacock of Wash.
ington, Were appointed a committee te
receive, sort and count votes for sec.
- eic totLdlS. L ne committee
reported 30 votes cast. William +,
Lawry had "a. Charles p. Lamairt
had 5.
The report was accepted and viii.
liam r. Lawry was declared elected
secretary of the Senate. The secretar,
retired to the Council chamber anC
TOOK the necessary oaths of office be.
fore the Governor and Council.
On motion by Mr.. Swift of Kennebec
that Senator with Messrs. Googin O,
Androscoggin and Butler of Franklin
were appointed a committee to receive
sort and count votes for assistant sec.
rotary of the Senate The committee
reported % votes cast. l.. Ernest
Thornton had "a votes. Charles s
Watts had 4.
The report was accepted and l.. Err.
nest Thornton was declared elected
assistant secretary of the Senate. The
Chair stated that Mr. Thornton beine
sick in the hospital at the present
time, he would appoint Percy Crane
to serve at present. Mr.. Crane there.
afterwards took his oath of office.
On motion by Mr.. Burleigh OF
Aroostook that senator with Messrs
Hastings of Androscoggln and Conan-
of Waldo were appointed a committe,
to receive, sort and count votes 70,
messenger.
Mr.. BURLEIGH of Aroostook. Mr.