Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-25

! 'na| the action upon the con-
ference committee report has pre-
ceoence over the motion Of the gen
ueman from Orono (Mr. Perkins).
NO question Of higher import arises
IN the deliberations of the Senate and
the House of Representatives than
actlon on conference reports. If the
Nhalr Is correctly informed. or re-
members Alright the House indef-
niteiy postponed. Acceptance of the
conference report is open to the
House and rejection Of the confer
ence report is open to the House.
rejection of the conference report
would amount to indefinite postpone
ment, the House having once so
voted. The gentleman from Port
land. Mr.. Rounds.
MI. ROUNDS: Mr.. Speaker s a
members of the salaries and fees
committee, We discussed this mat
Ter think longer than any other we
nave had before our committee. My
nrst inclination was for six thou
sano dollars. The fact that the chief
Justlce OF the State of Maine is not
settlng any more than the clerk of
the school committee in the city of
iortland seems to me ridiculous. My
loea would have been that they
should receive more than this con-
ference committee has reported: but
as they have come to decision, l
nope that decision will stand.
Mr.. WEATHERBEE of Carroll:
Mr.. Speaker, l would like to ask the
! chair If that report was signed by all
the members of the conference COM
mittec
The SPEAKER: The report is
signed by five of the six members of
the conference committee.
Mr.. WEATHERBEE Would it be
permissible. Mr. Speaker to speak in
regard to that at this time?
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
has the floor Would you desire to
Know what amendment B is?
Mr.. WEATHERBEE: / under
stand personally what the amend
ment is.
The SPEAKER: Are you willing
to have it read?
Thcreupon on motion by Mr..
Weathcrbee of Carroll, Senate amend
ment 3 was read.
MIR. WEATHERBEE: Mr.. Speak
er and fellow Representatives:
think in considering this measure we
should bear in mind that we are not
considering unanimous report. We
are today slowly recovering from the
abnormal and unsettled conditions
which always follow a great war
The wages of all classes of labor are
being sharply reduced, farmers are
being forced to dispose of their
DrOdlctS q n 70 I,r
cost of production; our local taxes
are staggering, and yet in spite of
these undisputable facts hundreds of
Office holders are clamoring before
this Legislature for increases in sal
aries. Some of them are meritorious
and Will be so considered but the
learned mon who are today gracing
the bench of Maine are actuated by
higher and lofter motives than mere
dollars and cents. They will never
permit an injury to the state which
they love and whose interests they
protect. We trust that they will al
ways endeavor to tighten the burdens
OF taxation which mean increased toll
and increased poverty for the poor.
The opponents of this measure are
anxious to protect the bench of
Maine, but we know that there is
now and ever will be sufficient legal
ability at the Maine bar to ever fill
our bench of justices with the ablest
and tluest of her sons, and that our
high, judicial standard will never be
lowered but will ever stand with that
of any state in the Union. We be-
lieve that this increase should wait
tor more opportunc times, when the
trend is toward prosperity and con-
tentment in our land and taxes grind
less heavily upon our people. We
believe they should wait until this
increase Will meet with the hearty
appreciation of the common people
l trust that this House will not re-
cede from it's former action, as such
course will reflect upon our judg-
ment and indicate that we voted be-
fore hastily and without proper con-
Sideraton. | wonder if anybody
would be SO rude as to suggest that
the Honorable Senate has cast it's
wisdom over them until they see the
light of greater intelligence and are
ready to follow in the paths pointed
out by their superiors. 1 trust not,
Dul let liioSc WIZ lIitlI loi iiiti
action to be wrong now vote for this
increase, but those who acted before
according to the dictates of their
best judgment should continue to re-
spect that judgment and cling to
their former convictions. Legislators,
submit that we must stand. pat"
for the people of Maine, prosperity
and the progress of Maine demand
that we do so.
/ Mr.. BARWISE of Bangor: Mr..
Speaker we arc here as grown men
and hope that we will not indulge in
any boys play. We have two DELHI
Grated bodies, and each coming to a
different decision, we appointed a
committee of conference. What did
we appoint the committee of confer
ence for? The underlying reason of
all committees of conference is that
there is going to be some compro-
mise between the two bodies; other
wise we would not appoint the COM
mittee. When we appoint commit
tee of conference we tacitly agree to
give them power to come to some
compromise between the two posi-
tions. The history of conferences
from the very earliest days between
the House of Lords and the House
of Commons, and Of the different
branches Of all legislative bodies in