Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-23


Mr.. WING of Auburn: Mr.. Speaker:
resent the implications cast upon
the great profession Of which l am
membel. l am a lawyer and am
proud OF 1t. l am the son of a law
yer and l am proud of it. l have
been in the courts ever since | was
lad and l canot sit here and hear a
man cast aspersions on the profession
Of which l am member:
Now. Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen,
propose to say a few words on this
question relating to Androscoggin
Valley. 1t is well to consider facts
before you consider fancies. think
it is a fair proposition to consider
the question over period of ten
years, and the reports of the census
will show that agriculture in the
State OF anime has declined, it's pop
ulation has decreased, it's tax rate
has more than doubled. and it's tax
able wealth has not Increased in pro-
portion with it's tax rate. l think
that is sound proposition. that is
susceptible Of proof. The farmers OF
Aroostook are here at this Legisla-
ture saying that they are practically
bankrupt. The greatest industry in
this State upon which the prosperity
of everyone Of us rests, faces bank
ruptcy. Its shares sell for less than
forty cents on the dollar. They are
owned by the people of Maine. They
are in every savings bank in Maine.
Every depoSitor in every savings
bank has an interest in them.
Now then, the only bright spots in
the State of Maine are the two COM
munities-and l wish to give credit
to the city of Lewiston-are the COM
of CT
and upon what does their prosperity
depend? 1t depends upon great
storage dam, built at the headwaters
of that river, and we are happy and
prosperous. and at work, earning
wages. doing our best and willing to
do more, and that is what the stor-
age dam at the headquarters of the
Audroscogsin has done for the cities
of Lewiston and Auburn. You can
go up and down its valley and the
people are prosperous and that is
about the only prosperous place in
the State of Maine, as near as | can
find out.
Now. then. / am perfectly willing
that the kennebec Valley shall be
developed; that the cities Of Augusta
and Watcrville and the town of
Skowhegan shall have more power,
as we'll come down to facts. We are
in Il position here now where we are
either going to advance with our
natural resources or we arc going to
let them flow idly, gently, down to
the sea through the mists. and back
again to the woods, and down to the
sea again. Wealth is only produced
by the labor of men and I sincerely
hope that this measure will receive
practical. common sense treatment.
Mr.. GAGNE of Lewiston Mr..
Speaker and gentlemen of the House,
l am not lawyer but | am great
friend to the lawyers when those
lawyers are working for the benefit
of the people of this State. We need
something like my friend from Au-
burn. Mr.. Wing. said. in Androscog-
gin Valley. The gentleman from
Portland (Mr. Cummings) said that
the state of Maine depends on the
, farmers. Well. the farmers in And
roscoggin Valley are getting their
living from the people of the cities
and when the people of the cities
have to pay their bills they have got
to set the money from the mills and
factories. and if those factories have
to shut down half of the year, those
people are cut down ip their earn
and by their not paying their bills
the farmer would not be able to sell
their crops. l would like to see the
people of Kennebec get what the
people of AndroscoaC have got. and
all over the State the same.
Mr.. PIPER of Jackman: Mr.. Speak
or, Mrs. Pinkham and Gentlemen of the
House: ] want to- say | am not law
Yer. | am lumborjack. (Applausc)
I wish to say a few words in favor OF
Senate Bill No. LAG. also known as the
Kennebec Reservoir Company. as |
feel that it is my duty. knowing the
matter under consideration to be of
great importance to the constituency
which ] represent. and 10 the industries
of the kenncbec river.
Similar reservoirs have been con-
structed on the other great rivers of
the State. proving to be greater sue
cess even than those who constructed
them considered they would. There are
reservoir dams on the PenobScOt and
Androscoegin rivers. and those who
know say that they have been of great
value to the various industries on the
same.
Tho mon named as incorporators in
this bill are men of the highest stand
ing in this State. men whose ability
Can anyone in this House say that
these men. and the companies repre-
scented by them. have not kept faith
with the State and with the people in
the history of Names industrial ac-
tivites? These companies represent all
the water power development on the
kennebec river So far as know.
Section gives the company the
power to issue stock. not to exceed 81.
COO. 900. Section gives the company
power to build dams and construct
booms. side dams and other necessary
things for the economical driving of
logs.
think it will be we'll for
me me to explain at this time
he matter of log driving. Perhaps
there are few il the House
who have driven logo. and know about
log driving: but there arc many who
do not. ! have driven logs in various
streams and rivers for several years.
and perhaps my experience will be of
some benefit to members of this House
who have never driven logs. | want to
say at the start that log driving is
wholly matter of judgment, and, if
this company did not have the power
to drive logs this charter would be of
little benefit to the incorporators. If
this storage Gam was constructed and
every firm or corporation had the right
to use that water rs it liked it would
be of very little use to anyone. l have
seen men who have had charge of a
drive use five times a s much water as
was needed. which would leave the
storage dam empty before the drive
was half out. while other men, with
good judgment, would drive large
amount of logs on very little water. /
presume that is the reason why this