New-York tribune., 1869-06-25
MASSACHUSETTS.
THE DOINGs OF THE LEGISLATURE.
IFRoM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENTS


Of most interest TO the State is the liquor law,
which Is the old Prohibatory law with cider
left out The committee that had the matter In charge
reported to House. which at first settled down upon
prohibiting everything but cider, but afterward ex-
emped lager beer also from the ringencies OF the law
In this condition the bill went to the Senate when on ac-
count Of the beer exemption killed and for long
time seemed to be buried beyond resurrection The mod
eratO prOhboniss however, rather than nave no law
at all on the subject gave up beer and being brought UP
in different form parliamentary, the bill In Its present
shape went through the Senate and got an Unexpectedly
large majority in the House This will very likely con-
tnue In power for time On the one hand the pro-
hbtionss will not find it easy enforce it in all its old
srngency on the other the license men, after the ex-
perience Of the last year. will hardly be able TO organize
SO strong F. L. L. force displaced the Prohi6tory
law In 1861 SO that the whole the revised statute will
not be made so obnoxious will Its enemies be so pow
erfu as 10 render probable another reaction this FAN
The feeling in favor Of Metropolitan Police has been
quite strong and Committee appointed early in the
session to consider subject In the examination OF
the workings OF the present municipal police the Com
mitee was led of into numerous hearings on the char
acter and conduct of Col Kurz Chief OF the Boston Po
lice and Heath and Jones, ms two chief detectives Tho
hearings that followed developed considerable Grim
na history regard 10 the Goodng robbery in this city
uhe victim OF which, George H. Goodng, broker, went
into the detective business himself for the express pur
pose OF catching the thieves and having accomphshed
that end appeared at the SateHouse as the principal
paintiff and witness against the aDOyenRmed ofcer,
the Hedge robbery the Lord bond robbery Of Newlork
and other noted cases In the police annals OF the past few
years. The testimony before the Committee was mainly
of hearsay character aud would never have been pre-
sened 10 Jury; but Il did not fail, nevertheless to
create unfavOrabe impression In the minds OF most
who heard or have read IT, on the main question, Of tho
expedency OF establishing state police, the Committee
Boston The Hub" Of course warmly resented the i'm
pcaon Of being the only place IN the state that couldn't
the Senate which body II reported II bill mad
been presented providing for general state police there
can be no doubt that, coming after the above nvesea-
ton as 1t would, 1t would have secured majority In
Abont dozen new railroads have been chartered,
mostly short branches connecting main lines. The eN-
tent 70 which these branch lines have Deon woven into
the eastern part Of the state is so great mat there
hardly respectable sized farm that hasn't railroad
new roads Is about OOO0JO IheIe mas also Deeh enar
tered the Massachusetts Central running east and west
from Boston Northampton, midway between the Yer
mont and Massachusetts on the north and the Boston
and Albany the south. AtNOTamptOn II crosses the
Adams running westward, aspiring by this means
come another Of those through nes to which Boston
that wouldn't have been displayed anywhere but in this
liberal STATE where colleges ana railroads make the
this concern which MT yet organized under its
@odest reauet s for oan Of o6c The PROPOSITION
actually debated for two or three days, but was
railroad schemes have been up three OF which came IN
during the last weeks Of the session and succeeded while
the that came In earythe consolidation ofthe Spring
field and New-Haven and New.YOrk and New'Hayen
RailrOads-falCd
other three briefly the permission 10 the Boston aud
Albany to extend itself 10 deep water IN Boston harbor
and thus 70 carry ont part OF the purpose which tho
Marginal Freight Railroad was chartered for bat has
failed 10 accomplish the loan OF f2OO0O TO the Boston,
Hartford and Ere In addition 10 the S. Of 1867
the consolidation OF all the roads lying between Boston
Montreal, and ogdensburg' aud running through Lowell
This last was at drst embodied in bill charerne an
entirely corporation with power 20 buy out al these
Of me roads thus bought fhe document was so loose n
its provisions that 10 got considerable criticism nOtwlth.
standing the favorable opinion with which the consOlda
ton itself was regarded The Judiciary Committee TO
whom 10 referred reported new scheme consolidate
ing into corporation the roads from Boston 10 White
River Junction, W, wa Concord WIN leave 70 buy out
the remaining cODneCtOpstO Ogdensburgh and Montreal
and steamboat hines 20 Chicago The capital Is 20
comprise the authorized capitals OF the roads consoli
dated and $50 90 addtOnalto pay for the equipments,
roads, and steamboat lines 10 be bought The issue OF
this extra capital Is be regulated by Board OF Com
missioners OF whom each Of the States interested will
matter that 10 VIII probably be some time before II Is
fully cOnsummatcd. Meanwhile the roads are practl-
cay consolidated, being managed by Central Commit
tee which each constituent road elects represent
atIve usually It's President.
Besides these great works considerable has been done
in the way OF improving the great depOts they
termed in legal parlance, terminal facilities" The Bos-
shops and homes at tho north end Of Boston and cover
the space with depots The Boston and Albany and the
accommodations at deep water, while new union depOis
arc authorized at Ftchburg Worcester and Springfield
session has been the labor question: which came in the
form Of petition Of the Knights Of st. Crispln for char
the shoemakers and though It started but very few
years ago. and then away In Milwaukee, Wisconsin, IL
in the shoemaking Old Bay State The confessed object
OF the order Is selfproecOn, which It's members pro-
TO attain by refusing TO teach the trade OF sOemak
ing apprentices and hands unless the Lodge per
mits They claim that they not furnished work for
nshns he uPpy 81 labor 70 more speea by
refusing to admit new laborers. They say, You
tariff for the protection Of capital;
band together to protect labor" The employers Of
f1aaa lie nil han ella Iaf
discord encourage strikes oppose the introduction OF
shoemakers may have done such things but their order
does not sanction or encourage them ono noticeable
order before the Committee consisted written state
ment wthOs names or dates not sworn TO- there being
of course no opportunity TO crosse xamne The bill 10
charter the grand lodge failed but much stronger on
later votes than when In its first stages and probably the
question VIII recur 10 future legislatures Some OF tho
Others Ike Gov. Cafn have experienced 80 harm from
and do not why 1t may not be Incorporated as well
az the MasOns or Good Templars.
The most important matters OF interest to the whole
Nation we're the reelection OF Senator Sumner The adop
tOn OF the Constitutional Amendment and the failure OF
the Woman Suffrage Amendment TO the State Constitu
Ously made their report 70 tho Senate being nearly
unanimous, In favor OF the amendment one day was
favor being delivered by Senator Ptman Bedford
presiding Ocer or the upper branch, and lately appoint
ment got only votes out Of 35, the whole Senate num-
beiing co. II would, without doubt have received a
Committee should have reported EowitRstanding tho
failure OF this great point woman has been admitted to
Of the Concord 6Ser came very % near bene ceosd y
one OF the Trustees OF the Agassz Museum Of Compare
i've zoology, an Office that would regard as very
promising 70 . candidate from the rising sex.
saDleot q Interest ~ all insurance was the re-
POf OF The CSmmittee Insurance order relative
the Board OF Ftre Undorwrters and the control exer
Uy over The rates OF Insurance. that control tend
uR course 70 raise the rates by combination or by
what would be called among wOrkingmen a strike Tho
majority OF the Committee In favor OF a bill forbid
ibg any JOINT stOok fire marine foreign insur
ance COMPANY represented this State 70 enter Into any
sueh combination but the chairman, without, as Is
alleged, any authority from his fellow comnltteemen re-
ported lne1pedlent % legsate The Houae after eK