Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-16
STATE OF MAINE

| islature:
return herewith without my ap-
prevail
RESOLVE for Appropriating money
to Repair the <Eastport Bridge.
| The situation which this Resolve
! presents is. "a difficult one. There can
| be no question but that this bridge
| needs extensive repairs, but the
| present tendency is for communities
| where the tax rate is high to call
| upon the State for aid. If this plan
is continued the State will find itself
i oyerburdened with bills for the re-
| pair and reconstruction Of roads and
| bridges.
l have no doubt but that there are
many bridges in Maine as much in
| need of repair as the PASSPORT
! Bridge. The Legislature has a fund
| of approximately $4,000. which it
can use 10 meet emergencies, and it
would seem to me that resolves
| similar to the one before you should
| be paid out of this special legisla-
tive fund. Even If the Legislature
! should appropriate from this special
| fund One-half the. amount called for,
on condition that the city Of East
port and the town Of Perry con-
tribute the other half, it. would af-
IOFO suUStdWlidi fellcI 10 tHOSe cOIH-
munities.
There are several bridge. Resolves
! pending before the Legislature and
no doubt the arguments in favor of
one will apply with equal force to
| the others. l am not able to dis
| criminate between them. If this Re-
solve and those similar to are pass
cd it means that considerable addi-
ton will be made to the tax rate.
The cities and towns of the State
are under very direct obligation
to maintain their own roads and
| bridges and once the bars are let
down there will be no end to the
demands made upon the State treas
ury.
Respectfully submitted,
(Signed) PERCIVAL z. BAXTER
Governor of Maine.
Mr.. CHERRY Of Eastport: Mr..
Speaker. | move you that this re-
solve be passed Notwithstanding the
objections of the Governor, and
! would like to say just word or two
in connection Herewith. The first
thing l would like to impress upon
the House is that this is an emer-
gency of the first water. Some of
you may not know that this bridge
| is the only connection that we have
with the mainland. PASSPORT being
an island This question, as usual,
went before the proper committee
and the entire situation was
thoroughly discussed. being support
| ed by some of our influential men
| who do things because they have
| merit behind them. We conclusive
| ly showed the committee on Ways
| and Bridges that the State, by ap-
| propriating this sum of money.
| would save to the treasury in ten
years the sum of 100000. l will not
| attempt to do that to you because
| expect you to take my word for it.
| or. if / am in error, some Of the
f, members OF the Way and Bridges
| committee can correct me. The
| story is long one. to go over the
whole situation, and I do not believe
| 1T is necessary for me to go through
| the whole matter and recite to you
! the situation of Washington county,
| to say nothing of Eastport. l do not
! believe there is a man in this House
who would consider for a moment
| that we would come here and re-
| quest assistance Of this Legislature,
| going before one of your important
committees. on a proposition that
had no merit in it. Some of the
| members of that committee said to
| me during the recess after that re-
| solve was heard that that was the
| second request or resolve that had
| been presented to them this season
that was water tight, that was a
sensible.f reasonable feasible propo-
| sition, and would save the State of
| Maine money as well as protect the
| public that has to use that bridge.
| Members of the House, I do not
| believe 1t is fair for me to take up
! your time with this matter. and
do not believe it is necessary l be-
| 1ieve you will see the justice of our
| cause. and that you will pass this
! Notwithstanding the objections of the
Governor.
Mr.. GRANVILLE OF Parsonsfeld:
Mr.. Speaker. and Gentlemen of the
| House: Replying to certain portions
| of this message as to why this five
| thousand dollars was not taken from
our special resolve money. would like
to say this: that during my first eX-
perience in legislative work in 1919
| We had very long and bitter contest
| as to whether there should be any
| money for the use of the ways and
| bridges committee for special resolves
We had some very heated arguments
and had to pass this matter oyer the
Governors head. the same as We are
| seeking to do now.
We have $4,000 year to meet the
needs of the poor towns all
over the State of Maine. Now
| those needs are every great:
J and the pressure upon our COM
| mittee is very great. to the extent this
year Of 2So special resolves, calling
| for over million dollars. You can
see from that that we can grant only
a very small fractional part of what
! is necessary. and only to the most de-
| serving cases If we should take from
| that money such an appropriation as
| this for the PASSPORT bridge and an
| other one which we heard Yesterday, it
| would leave nothing for the intent and
purpose of the legislative resolve; and,
| gentlemen, l viii second the sentiment
of the gentleman from PASSPORT (Mr
| Cherry that l think this should be-
come q law Notwithstanding the objcc-
! ton Of the Governor.
Mr.. GARDINER Of Gardiner: Mr..
| Speaker / would like to say just
| word in support of the gentleman from
| PASSPORT tNr. Cherry. l think. per-
sonally. that as matter of principle it
| is correct that the State should give
to certain towns or localities where
there exists long bridge, brldEe
expensive to maintain, some assist
ance. and particularly when that as
sistance is badly needed AS long as
we can accept that principle. the only
body that we have connected with the
Legislature which can examine into
the merits Of the different bills before
it is our committee on ways and
bridges. All these matters come before
them for full hearing and they are the
ones best qualified 10 determine which
appropriation should receive the sup
port of this House; and / hope that the
House will sustain it's action.