Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-03-01


State or private ownership thereof
The SPEAKER: Does the gentle
man from Portland. Mr.. Baxter. wish
20 make reply 20 This question" Il
this will hasten the solution Of this
matter We viii take the time for this.
otherwise it seems time not well
spent. Does the gentleman care 20
make reply through the Chair,
Mr.. BAXTER Of Portland: Mr.
Speaker. not wishing to delay or ask
for is repetition without reason.
did net quite eaten the gentleman
question.
The SPEAKER. VIII the gentle
man repeat his question
Mr.. COWAN Of Winrerport: Per
aaps I can boil down the three re-
naming questions. Mr.. Speaker into
one.
The SPEAKER: The Chair would
suggest to the gentleman from Win
terport Mr.. CowanJ. that he boil ii
down. Applause
Mr.. COWAN Of Winterport: Mr.
Speaker, l think before go any far
ther,-as my purpose may not be clear
TO the members and Pc haps I am in
frtaging 7 the good nature OF the
House and the gentleman from Port
land Mr.. Baxter by this quasi ex-
amiracion.-I VIII submit Amendment
A TO House Documen- No. 2-5 a. the
present time.
The SPEAKER The gentleman
from Winterporr. Mr. Cowan. pre-
sents Amendment A 10 House Doc
unlent No. o16 which 10 as follows:
Amend the first paragraph Of House
Document No. rs by striking out all
of said paragraph after the word
ordered IN the first line. thereof
and by substituting therefor the fol-
lowing that the House members Of
The Committee on Reference Of Bills
be and hereby are instructed 10 ap-
point a special committee on wnict,
they them elvas MAJ serve. II they SC
desire, consisting Of eight members OF
the House who are lawyers. who shall
report their opinion 10 the House
within one week from the time Of
their appointment. or. with the con
sent Of the House. at a later time
after iiavjn. made a careful investi-
CATION OF he Iaw pertaining to The
following questions;
NJ, COWAN Of Wirterporr: Mr.
Speaker, move the adoption Of the
amendment ana | would ike TO ad-
tress The House briefly on the subject
before a vote IS taken.
The SPEAKER = IS n order
Mr. rOWAN of Win export: Mr..
Speaker and gentlemen Of the House.
my .l.!!ViG Ia opinion Is hat any ex-
1stIng uncertainty as % The future
noilcv - the State Of Mdine With re
>ptc- 20 he ownership ana develop
lnenr of her water power resources
should be settled As soon IS possible
ana + ms Legislature can determine
VIVA, -hewlll 0 the state Of Maine Is
with regard - his great quest on
ana formulate. iTaagurate and set III
motion a definite policy b. which We
may know what 20 expect from me
future N this regard. We snail sava
accomplished gr@a- thing. I am
Ver'- sIre hat here - no one here
Who wOL.4 dispute that proposition.
We nave great water power resources
here II me State Of Maine 10Th de-
EelOp.4! ana GnuevelOpe1 a. 4 matter
Of fact Ne ,ava more developed wa
Ter power here IL this STATE han n
any other state OF h Union. there
Being SIX -tent1s Of 4 horse power per
laplIa. TIE Question OF pubic own
Hrs1ip OF these water powers has
been aglta1ed n 1ha minds Of the pub
&c for several years AMI The reason
for this is par'iy because OF The pre-
sentiment I.fora tiie people Of con
d!-Ions existing II the province Of
Ontario. 20 not want TO go INTO
tie lIe-t.or OF comparison Of con
.t.ors there and here, but | appre-
bend -hat The PRIME Motive IN the
minds OF people who wish pubic cwn-
ersAip Of t.l& water power resources IS
nat hey believe they can get cheap
er rates thereby. Is rot that reason
able L IS oeca use they think they
can get cheaper rates and better serY
Ice. There y gentleman IN the
state. one who sends OUT literature
on tlls SUB iec'. from the standpoint
OF state ownership. t1at We and on
our ,!esks mornings. who in d hearing
on this question at one time was
shown. Or. If he would not admit he
vas shown. vas told. that II his place
Of residence was situated n the prov
nee Of ontario in the same relative
position rs 10 the source Of hydro
electric power as It is here at the
present time in the State Of Maine.
his electric light bill for the year past
would have been four dollars more
than he actually paid, and he was
asked what his idea was as to that
He said that he would rather pay the
four dollars more and have the public
own it, Now IL the advocates OF pub
lie ownership go on that theory. why I
Think say il part Of the advocates
OF public ownership are following
that theory there must be a diverg-
/ ence between these theorists and
those who are guided by the dictates
+ Of common sense. Now I am willing
have nothing great involved in the
( n1atter-I am willing to leave lr TO the
good sense Of the people Of Maine who
( have determined all our policies here
/ tofore in developing our State from
the prineval wilderness 20 the con-
! ditions which We now have. I am not
! one of those people who believe. gen.
J tlemen. that all our forests that used
( TO cover al this territory were
/ scuan6ered away. thrown away. In
/ looking over the history OF our State.
relative to this very question which is