Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-27

to take lust moment TO recaH ~
the recollection of the Members "a
the House the brief history OF mat
ters in regard to the charter OF the
City of Lewiston so far as they are
in this Legislature today.
/ would say that this bill is the
one which was introduced by me
and was referred by the Committee
on Reference of Bills to the Judiciary
Committee, and | wish to remind the
Members of the House that perhaps
three or four weeks before that.
bill affecting tie charter OF the city
of Lewiston was Introduced by my
colleague, Mr.. Gagnc OF Lewiston,
and was ordered referred to the
Judiciary Committee by the Com,
mittee on Reference of Bills, and
then, upon motion of my colleague
tMr. Gagne) this House overruled
the Committee on Reference of Bills
and referred the bill to the Commit
tee on Legal Affairs.
BY reference to the calendar Of the
Senate which lies on the table this
morning, we can see that that bill,
the one introduced by my colleague,
(Mr. Gagne). then went to the Sen
ate and is there lying on the table on
the question of its reference. Short
ly after the vote on the first bill. the
referred to the Legal Affairs Com
mittee, overruling the Committee on
Reference OF Bills, several of the
Members of the House told me that
in voting to refer 1t to the Legal At
fairs Committee they did not intend
to vote upon the bill as they were
not informed as to it's merits. but
were actuated by the desire to De
courteous to my colleague because it
G{ IL Ia
pleased to be told that by members
because 1 think we will all agree on
this, that we hope the time will
never come when any member of
this House will fail to receive the
highest courtesy from the House.
That is one of the great traditions of
the Legislature of Maine.
But in order that the House may
not think that / am asking fors
courtesy in this matter as a personal
matter, l wish to say, Mr.. Speaker
and Members, that although this bill
bears my narle-because 1t must
order to be introduced-it is, in
fact, a bill prepared and drafted by a
Committee of non-partisan citizens
in Lewiston called 1.-The Mayors
Non Partisan Committee" and in
troduced by me at their request and
| think that ! can say. with fair
knowledge and a quite reasonable
degree OF certainty. that that Com
mittee would like to have the
House sustain the order Of reference
of the Committee on Reference Of
Bills. which Committee has referred
1t to the Judiciary Committee.
Mr.. GAGNE Of Lewiston: Mr..
Speaker and Gentlemen. in reference
to that bill, l knew before hand that
my colleague from Lewiston, Mr.,
Holmes. had nothing to do with the
drafting of that bill because that bill
was drafted by the same people who
were opposing the present ruling Of
the city of Lewiston. and we do not
intend to have any confusion. That
is my reason, and my only reason,
for sending that bill with the other
because those two bills going to-
gether would make it clearer to the
members of the Committee on
Legal Affairs. And I hope that every
member, If possible. will sustain me
in this.
,, Mr.. HOLMES of Lewiston: wish
to ask that when the vote is taken it
be taken by yeas and nays.
Mr.. ROY Of Lewiston: Mr.. Speaker
and Members, so far as the reference
of that bill is concerned, really can
| not see what difference it makes
whether 1t goes before the judiciary
Committee or the Committee on
Legal Affairs. 1t seems to me that
we have faith in both of those COM
mittees that they will act on this
! matter in all justice to all parties, and
as far as am concerned 1t makes no.
difference to me, but since it has
been already referred to the Judiciary
, { NJ 1n
not temain where it is. and why that
committee cannot act justly on it as
to whether it shall pass or not. 1t
seems to me that in all fairness it
ought to go to the committee to which
the Committee on Reference of Bills
referred it,
Mr.. CUMMINGS of Portland: Mr..
Speaker. ! have no personal interest
whatever in this matter. but it occurs
tc me that the difference of opinion
between the two gentlemen from
Lewiston is this: The bill presented
by Mr.. Holmes of Lewiston, and re-
| ferred by the Senate. as | understand
it, to the Judiciary Committee. would
appear before a committee of which
Mr.. Holmes himself is q member, and
while ! may be mistaken-and if |
am ! would be glad to have either OF
the gentlemen correct mel feel that
| Mr.. Gagne's objection and hts desire
to have 1t referred to the Legal
| Affairs Committee is based largely
upon that fact, that the man pre-
senting the bin is on the committee
before which he desires the bill to
| have hearing and lie feels that n
more impartial hearing would be
given if 1t went to the Committee on
Legal Affairs. Now. If | am wrong
on that l viii be glad to be corrected,
but that is the way it appears to me
and that is the way ! understand it.
Mr.. HOLMES of Lewiston: Mr..
Speaker, / rise to q question Of per-
sonal privilege.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
from Lewiston, Mr.. Holmes. will state
his question of personal privilege.
Mr.. HOLMES: AS the gentleman
from Portland, Mr. Cummings), has
| raised the question of my personal
presence upon the Judiciary Com
| mittee, | think 1 have the right to say
that at the instance of one of the
senators from Androscoggin, Mr.,
Lane. | wrote n letter to Mr. Lane, in
rming him that when these two
| matters introduced. one by Mr.. Gagne
| and one by myself, came to a hearing
before the Judiciary Committee, if
| they did, l would retire from the COM
mittee and take no part either in the
hearing or in the executive consulta-
ton afterwards, and that Mr.. Lane
might make whatever use Of my let
ter he saw fit.
The SPEAKER: The gentleman
from Lewiston, Mr.. Holmes, has
| asked that when the vote is taken,
it be taken by the yeas and nays.
For this to occur there must be a
| desire on the part of one fifth of the