Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-03-07

| contentious Of petty factions. The
| testimony OF that man in favor of
! this measure is worth good deal
! more than the testimony of the Sc
! lcctman elected by the majority and
| naturally. and not discreditably. in
+ huenced by that majority. 1t seems
! to me that if We set aside the report
: of this committee. we toss ASIDE care
| fut and considered legislation, ana
! that we might just a s well do busl-
/ ness without our committees and
| vote according to tho emotions OF the
! moment | hope the House viii vote
| against the motion to indie tinitciy
! postpone.
Mr.. CUMMINGS of Portland: Mr.
Speaker, l do not intend to take very
much time upon this question. There
is one point. however. that seems to
me is involved in the discussion that
has not been mentioned. There seems
to be no controversy over the TACT
that the Belgrade Village Corpora
ton sought this separation upon GER
tain specific promises and understand
ings. that is, that it should tax itself
for the improvements which 1t de-
sired to make in addition to those
! which the town as whole made.
There seems to be no question but
what the town takes care of the roads
and the schools, and this granting OF
the right to incorporate the village
was not opposed, for the reason. as
| understand it,-and If | am wrong
l would be very glad to be corrected.
because it was to cost the rest OF
the town nothing and it enabled them
to make whatever changes in the
village itself they saw hit. Two years
later they asked an appropriation OF
n oY II
paid the town. Now the point to
which l wish to call attention. be-
cause it struck me forcibly. is that
they put themselves in the position OF
obtaining something under false
pretcnses.
Mr. MORRISON of Phillips: Mr..
Speaker. l also hope that the motion
of the gentleman from Belgrade (Mr.
Stevens) will not prevail. AS has
been stated by the gentleman from
Portland (Mr. Hale) this matter was
thoroughly tried out before the legal
affairs committee in a hearing that
lasted over four hours, and the wit
nesses upon the one side and the
other l think were attentiveIy list
ened to by the members of the COM
mittee. Both sides We're represented
by able counsel. and the legal affairs
committeeman one OF them having
any personal interest in that matter
after a careful consideration of the
evidence submitted this unanimous
report that the bill ought to pass.
Now what is the great bone OF con-
tention in this matter? The bill pro-
vides that this village corporation
shall receive back from the town.
after deductins it's proportion of the
state and county tax. 20 per cent of
the tax 1T pays on its own property
to the town. to he used for the pur-
poses for which that village corpora.
tlon was organized. That little VIII
lase OF Belgrade simply comes here
and asks for fire protection. 1t is a
village composed of wooden Buildings
IN close proximity to each other. and
think YOU can all readily Under
stand how. il a fire broke out under
the right conditions in that village
the whole of it might be wiped off
from the face of the earth. Similar
caiamlties have happened in neigh.
oorlnS towns. and l recall now the
town Of Mt. Vernon and also the
town of Readtield, close neighbors to
Belgrade Village: and | believe, and
think the committee believed. that
"here village is LOCATED within the
poraers OF the town, paying a goodly
portion or its tax, and this village
pays rs per cent of all the taxes paid
IN town,-that it is not only for the
interests Of the town but it is the
Continued on Page 9-coI. 81