Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-02-19

mittee Oh judiciary on bill, an act
10 incorporate the Cousins and Lit
tleJohns Island Village CORPORATION
tabled by that gentleman February
is, pending acceptance of the report
and on further motion by the same
gentleman the bill was committed
10 the judiciary committee.
On motion by Mr.. Hamilton OF
CARIBOU it was voted to take from
the table II. d. Al, bill an act relat
ing to tax on gasoline, tabled by
that gentleman February 10, pend
Ing further consideration; and on
further motion by the same gentle
man II was voted to concur with the
senate IN the reference OF this bill
TO a Joint sitting of the committees
on Taxation and Ways and Bridges
On motion by Mr.. Nichols of Port
land. it was voted to take from the
table ii. Il. 10, Resolve appropriating
money for compilation of data con-
corning resources of State, tabled by
that gentleman February 10, pending
final passage.
now YIELD to the gentleman from
Perham, Mr.. Bragdon.
Mr.. BRAGDON: Mr.. Speaker. nav
ask what the pending question is?
The SPEAKER: The pending ques-
ton is final passage.
MIR. BRAGDON: 1T had not been
my intention to speak upon this mat
ter, but YOU know that we are not
always able to resist such tempta :
ton as this. | have sat through this
Maine legislature for several sessions
calmly, quietly and peacefully listen
ing to all of the different brands of
sllver-tongued oratory with whoch
our great statesmen are in the habit
OF indulsing, and in that time / had
become convinced that our rules
should be amended so that when a
member desires to speak, he should
first be required to announce clearly
and distinctly whether he is speaking
for or against the measure so as to
avoid the confusion that may arise in
the minds of the members when the
final vote is taken; and for fear that
my control OF the English language
may not be such az to enable me to
make my position clear to YOU today,
| will say now that | am speaking
against the measure.
/ think I am safe in saying that
worse condition than they have been
at any other time in the last fifty
years. This is especially true of the
rhral sections, and. as bearing upon
this point. wish to state that only
this morning | picked up news
paper, one of our country Weekiies,
and in it I counted twenty-five no
tees of Sheriff'S sale of real estate on
executions for taxes within the limits
of one medium sized town. and, in
addition to that. there was column
after column of such notices of sale
Of real estate for debts other than
taxes. | think that comment on that is
unnecessary.
l feel that our taxpayers sent
us down here this year hoping
thatwe would do something for them
rot to them, and when they ask for
bread they will feel agsrieved If they
receive a stone and when they ask
for fish. they will deeply resent 1t II
we hand them ont q mean, meaSly
little fifty thousand dollar resolve OF
this kind that they realize all of the
time possesses all the possibilities OF
soon developing into gigantic NIL
lion dollar proposition, with Such an
enumerab1e array of keepers, press
agents and employees of all kinds that
our Governor and Council Will soon
feel impelled to build housing room
for them down here in the back yard
Perhaps there will be space left for
that purpose out Of what was once
our magnificent contingent fund and
which is now a hole in the ground.
OF what use would be this compila :
ton, publication and dissemination OF
data as contemplated in this resolve
Could we say anything in regard to
our agricultural conditions that would
tempt people to come to this State
Would we really want them to come
when the world is so poor ana taH
burdens as the result of the war ano
our past extravasances that it is up
able to buy the present volume OF
productso No, think our agrlcul-
ture has had its publicity already and
there is nothing in it that we are
very proud of.
Another Of our great and flourish
ing Maine Observation-Disclosures
has also received its publicity. and
now it looks as if still another. the
great black fox industry, was about
to step into its publicity, with no eX-
pense to the people of Maine; so why
should we pay out good money no"
to compile, publish and disseminate
data in regard to all of the instances
where the fool and his money have
been soon parted, and / assume tina,
if this resolve is finally passed, and
such n compilation is ever made, the
first item to put at the head of the
list would he the act of this Legisia-
ture in making this appropriations.
Our taxpayers are not anxious for
us to inaugurate new departure &c
look after their interests and pay ont
their money. What they need most
ut the present time. and what they
are praying for, is Il rest and a
breathing spell. They are insisting
that we practice reasonable economy
and. if we do not fail them III tliif
respect. the time TO begin Is fiSh'
now before the flood of resolves cali
ing for new an | growing enterprises
and increased salaries and bonuses
and pensions shall have arisen to Such
a height as to be beyond our power
of control and then to follow our
hand right through the session. IT
we attend to this duty faithfully. We
will he able TO say to the taxpayer
when next we meet him I'VE have
found that it required big money to con-
duct the legitimate established enter
prises of our State and we felt that
they should not be neglected. we let
that our school system should be
maintained up to its present standard
Of efficiency. We felt that road
program should be mapped out COM
mensurate with the wealth of our
citizens and we felt that our poor UNI
fortunates should not be neglected;
but we realized at the same time that
there was another very large class OF
poor unfortunates right here in our
midst, class of poor, down trodden
and hitherto neglected unfortunates
T think / need not say that | refer to
the taxpayers: and while we could
not do everything that we would like
to 90 for them, while we could not
grant them all pensions and bonuses
:, nd could moi lrnyidP salarleu posi-