Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-09

Resolve in favor of George Martin
for services as clerk and stenographer
of the committee on interior waters.
Resolve for the memorial in honor of
Major General Hiram G. Berry.
Resolve in favor of T. NJ. Rollins,
mail carrier of the House of Represen-
tatives. for expenses.
Resolve appropriating money for the
purpose of obtaining information in re-
gard to wild lands for the purposes of
taxation.
Resolve providing for certain State
pensions.
Passed to Be Enacted
An Act to amend Section sixteen of
Chapter seven of the Revised Statutes,
relating to manner of voting.
An Act to amend Chapter three hun
dred nineteen of the Public Laws OF
nineteen hundred and fifteen entitled
An Act to provide for State and coun-
ty aid in the construction of highway
bridges"
Finally Passed
Resolve proposing an amendment to
Section three of Part one of the Con-
stitution in regard to the apportlon-
ment of representatives in the event OF
merger of towns and cities.
Resolve relating to the conservation
of the storage reservoirs and water
powers of the State Of Maine.
Mr. HUTCHINS of Mexico: Mr..
Speaker, in relation to this resolve, it
was a matter that came into this Leg
tslature very late in the session. 1t Is
a matter that has never been referred
hearing
upon it, 1t is matter that was
amended practically after the mock
session began last night; and I wish
| to say a few words in support OF
motion to indefinitely postpone 1t. which
| motion I now make.
This resolve as amended contains
| nothing that is not already provided for
| in the general law Of our State. 1t
provides for no appropriation and 1t
provides for. no powers except those
delegated now. by statute. The powers
| of the old Water Storage Commission
are all given to the Public Utilities
Commission Of the State of Maine I'M
der the act. The Governor and Coun-
ell can do anything in connection with
this Public Utilities Commission that
they can do under this resolve with
| out its passage. There have been sew
! eral measures before this Legislature
which were introduced earlier than this
! and they have been defeated. If 1
| thought for a moment that the passage
| of this resolve would be of any benefit
/ to the people of the State of Maine, l
would be the last person to stand upon
| this floor and move it's indefinite post
! ponement If I thought that it gave
/ them any power that the present law
does not give them. I would be the
! last to utter a word of protest
The Public Utilities Commission Is
great organization in this State and
/ it has extensive duties to perform and
is performing those duties, ] have no
doubt, to the best of its ability; but
Il have vet to see a department con-
nected with this State House that has
not taken some interest in the legis-
lation that has been enacted here for
the benefit OF the people with the sole
exception of this department. In the
fight that has been waged here, not
one word or one suggestion has been
brought to u committee or to any
member, SO far as | know, OF this
Legislature to assist in directing any
efforts toward conservation or any
effort toward any legislation provided
for in this resolve. | am more lenient
in my judgment of them than many
of the people back home. | believe,
gentlemen, it is because they are too
busy to pay attention to these mat
terS; and il they are too busy 10 90
that. they are surely too busy to put
these duties upon them that you think
they will do for you.
An Act to amend Section 8, Chapter
Now who is it, who are the men who
are clamoring for this, and what have
they represented in this branch OF the
LEGISLATURE? ! will not refer to the
other branch. Who are the men who
have been before the committee that
has had these matters in charge! ana
insisted that the Public Utilities was
the place for them to go instead OF 10
a separate commission? | will tell
Won who it was 1t was tn" re present
atiyes of the hydro electrical compa
MES in the State OF Maine, and no
man dares deny it on this floor. Ihat
Is what they want, and it is very plain
to see why they want it, to the aver
age citizen.
Now it is not an unheard of thing
to indefinitely postpone measure at
q late hour in the session; 1t mas been
done this evening and it has been done
70 q measure that has 'had a commit
tee hearing, and the friends of that
measure are back home many of them
representatives in this branch OF the
LEGISLATURE. OF course there is some
reason in it, l say to you, gentlemen,
that there is a reason for the lndet-
mite postponement of this measure.
When any man who reads the law
governing the Public Utilities knows
that not one single thing in that re-
solve outside of the beautiful pre-
amble-not one single thing In that
resolve is not provided for in our pres
ent law.
1t was intimated last evening that
the Governor of the State was in full
sympathy and behind the measure.
Now that is not SO. | am not going
to quote the Governor, but know that
it is not fact.
Now if the public utilities is too busy
to look after this, and if this Legislature
in it's wisdom has not taken action TO es-
tablish commission to look after it, l
think we had better let it go until we
can get some action that will be effec-