Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-31

discussion? not, the Chair will state
the question. The original resolve APP
propriated s1S05.25 to be paid the town
of Prentiss. The committee on claims
reported new draft under the same
title and that it ought to pass. This
new draft provides for the appropria-
ton nd payment of $790.50 The SEN
ator from Penobscot, Senator Thombs
moves that the original resolve be
substituted for the report of the COM
mittee. 1t is obviously unnecessary
for the Chair to state that those vot-
ing affirmatively vote for the payment
of the $1S05 25 If the first proposition
be defeated the question will then
come before the Senate on the other
matter.
A viva voce vote being taken and
the Chair being in doubt, a rising
vote was had. Ten voting affirma-
lively and IA in opposition, the mo-
ton to substitute the oroginal re-
solve for the report of the committee
was lost.
The PRESIDENT: The question is
now on the acceptance of the report
of the committee.
Mr. EMERY: Mr.. President, I move
that the report of the committee be
accepted.
The motion was agreed to.
The PRESIDENT: The Chair at
this time lays before the Senate a
matter especially assigned for this
morning, the mjority report of COM
mittee on redistricting the State, and
will recognize the Senator from York
Senator Spencer.
Mr.. SPENCER of York: Mr. Pres
ident, 1 move the indefinite postpone
ment of the resolve and the accom-
panying apportionment under it.
The PRESIDENT: The pending
question is on the acceptance of the
report of the committee. The. Chair
suggests that we deal with that in
some way. The Chair will state for
the information of the Senator, the
report may be accepted and the. re-
solve then disposed of. The Chair
feels that some action should be TAX
en- with reference to the report of the
committed that it be accepted or not
Mr.. SPENCER: Mr.. President, do ]
understand that I have the privilege
of speaking on it at this time?
The PRESIDENT: Yes, it is debat-
able.
Mr.. SPENCER: Mr.. President, as a
member of the redistricting commit
tee who did not sign the report to
submit this proposition to the Senate
/ feel that it is incumbent upon me
to say something with reference to
it. l believe this is momentous
hour and I believe that this resolve is
vicious. I want, however, to appeal
only to your judgment, not to your
feelings.
This resolve is identical with one
which was presented at a Senate
conference last week, and it was in
troduced at this time to obtain Off
cial recognition. l hope that it OBJ
tains such ercognition as l believe il
merits.
1t H intended under this resolve tc
increase the membership of the Sen
ate in Maine to 80. l have no doubt
if this resolve is successful, that there
will be another resolve introduced into
the Legislature at this time to increase
the membership in the House of Rep
resentatives. However, that may be.
feel that this is an expenditure of the
States money for an object which is
unnecessary. 1t will add about $4,000 to
the expenses of maintaining the Leg
islature
This is a peculiar resolve 1t pur-
ports to be based upon population rs
one of it's fundamental bases. 1t also
claims it is only based on one fixed
basis. But under the resolve the
bases Of apportionment according to
population are all different. The two
extreme cases are the apportionment
Of Cumberland 31.094, the apportion-
mCnt of Lincoln 1850. Is this under
population at all? l had case i'll
the library which discusses this mat
ter much more fully than the Ameri-
can & English Encyclopaedia of Law
but someone has borrowed it and
am unable to procure it at this time
However. / will read from this author
ity what is known as the Wisconsin
act of 1891 and its construction under
the decision of the court THE Wis
tricts varying in population from 49,
GO to 6S.604 and Assembly districts
varying from 6S23 to 3S,S01, the nu-
merical unit of representation by the
census Of 1890 being LIZ in the Sen
ate. ard 1865 in the Ass emily, was
held to be in violation of the constitu-
tional provision that the apportionment
inhabitants.
Now those are the identical words
''apportioncd according to the number
If inhabitants" which are used in this
resolve. Counties as such have no
vested rights in State senatorships.
They are simply parts, and subordinate
parts of the State sovereignty; they
are simply the machinery of the State
county is not as important in many
instances as a city in matters of pop
ulation and valuation. The present
constitution provides for apportion-
ment according to districts and does
not recognize counties wholly but in
cidentally speaks of the apportion-
ment as to be made according to coun-
ty. lines as nearly as may be. I be-
lieve that no senator here VIII take
any issue with me on this proposition
that State senator, be he elected from
York, from OXforA, from Cumberland
or any other county. in this State is
State official; that he represents the
whole State. not his county alone, and