349 



A. I felt that my duty was to obey the law anyhow; I can't say 

 what the other commissioners thought about it; I think they didn't, 

 like it because the amendment was lost. 



Q. You think that is the reason the law was nullified ? 



A. I don't know what the reasons of the others were. 



Q. Yet I understand you to say that the reason why no effort was 

 made to carry the law into effect was that it didn't suit you, and that 

 Mr. Basselin didn't say he liked it? 



A. He didn't say it in that way exactly; he didn't think it was for 

 the best interest. 



Q. Didn't you say he didn't like it ? i 



A. I know he' didn't like it; I don't think that was the only reason; 

 I don't know what his reasons were; I think he didn't like the bill. 



Q. As a matter of fact you made no effort to carry' out the pro- 

 visions of that law ? ( 



A. No, sir; none at all; never have tried. 



Q. The only reason you can assign for it is that the Senate amend- 

 ment you proposed to the law- was not concurred in by the Assembly? 



A. Yes, I think that had a great deal to do with it; I have forgotten 

 what was done though, what it was, but I know we placed a good deal 

 of importance upon it. 



Q. After that was out you didn't consider the law of any importance ? 



A. I consider it of importance, but it was not acted upon by the 

 commission. 



Q. Did you ever make a motion in the commission to carry out the 

 provisions of that law ? 



A. No, sir; I don't think I ever did, 

 ' Q. Did you ever suggest to the other commissioners that the pro- 

 visions of that law should be carried -out? / 



A. Yes, sir; in -the early part I said I thought we ought to look 

 into it and see whether it wouldn't be a good thing for the State. 



Q. To look into the law ? 



A. No, sir; into the offers of exchange; for instance, somebody 

 sends word that they would like to exchange, and I have frequently 

 said, after the bill was passed, that I thought we had better look into 

 it and see whether it was a good thing. i 



Q. Into what? 



A. Into the land that was offered to us; when the thing was laid 

 before us and an application made to exchange land, I would say, 

 "Hadn't we better look into it? " or something like that; I made no 

 formal motion upon the subject, only I always thought we should 

 Jook into such things every time that anything is offered us. 



