The Portland daily press., 1869-05-29

PORTLAND & ROCHESTER RAILROAD. We
understand the Directors of the Portland &
Rochester Railroad Company have decided to
commence the extension of their road from
Alfred to Rochester as soon as additional sub
scriptions to the stock to the amount of fifty
thousand dollars are obtained. We are glad
to learn that the friends of the enterprise in
the towns through which this line will pass are
taking hold of the matter vigorously, and that,
with the aid of the towns in their corporate ca
paeity, the necessary amount will be secured,
and the work put under contract in season to
secure the completion Of the road to Rochester
this summer.
DIR. f. r. LEES OF ENGLAND, who is per-
haps the most effective temperance advocate
now living, is in town and will remain here a
few days. Sometime this summer he will re-
visit the State and speak in this and other
places. We are gratfied to see in the Revo-
luton letter in which DIR. Lees advocates
woman suffrage. He says:
In some parts (of England) we have canvass
ed the women as to whether they desire the
vote, and we find the response to be about
1000 ayes for $50 nays. In preparing the late
put on. and in one Judgment of the Revising
Barrister, it was justly decided, on an appeal,
that a.woman, having fulfilled all the duties of
citizen as regards the vote, he saw no legal
reason for obstructing its exercise. am sure
that, when women obtain the franchise, they
will vote down the grog-shop, and every other
influence of domestic and personal degrada-
tion.
1t is we'll known that there is already a
precedent for woman suffrage in England,
several voters having been given for Jacob
Bright, brother of John Bright, by women, at
the last election for members of Parliament
In parish matters, as we learn from DIR. Lees,
women alr ady have the same electoral rights
as men.
DIR. Lees represents that the British press
gives an altogether erroneous idea of the feel
ing in England toward the United Stetes.
just as the papers failed to represent the
views of the masses during the war, so now
the real English people are misrepresented by
the organs of the governing classes.
THE RAILROAD KINGS AT BELFAsT-It is q
pity that Mr.. Poor isn't at home, for it seems
as if he would enjoy himself better at Belfast
than he ever did before in his life Until the
tenth Of next month, when the stockholders of
the Belfast & Moosehead Lake road meet to
see if they will ratify the contract made by
their directors with the Portland & Kennebec
road, the question as to the route to be adopted
by the new road is an open one. This makes
competition lively. The papers at Belfast take
opposite sides, the Progressive Age favoring
the Maine Central and the Republican Journal
the Portland a. Kennehac connection and tbat
intensifes the interest. The Maine Central
submitted a proposition last week which the
Age contends is more advantageous than that
of the Portland & Kennebec, since it contem-
plates the payment of per cent. on the entire
cost. But it is understood that the latter road
will have an opportunity to modify its terms
before the meeting of the stockholders. and
the Journal says its proposition must be first
acted upon, so that the Maine Central can
come in only in case the rival line is defeated
The result of all this skirmishing will be await
ed with good deal of interest