The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-12-29

AID 10 hAlLROAD CORPORATIONS.-An inter-
esting debate by the members of the Maine
Charitable Mechanics Association, on the ques-
ton of the expediency of national State and
municipal aid to railroad corporations, was held
at the Mechanics Library Room last evening.
The room was well filled and the discussion was
both interesting and profitable. Mr.. S. H.
Colesworthy presided The question was dis
cussed by Messrs. j. B. Coyle, G.. P. Kimball,
A. III. Waite, Nathaniel Walker, j. w. Mans
field, j. B. Thorndike and L. F. Pingree.
The general argument of the affirmative was,
that the granting of the public domain and the
extending of financial aid to railroads, was
great wrong to the laboring classes, in that it
increased their burden of taxation, and thus
made an undue discrimination in favor of the
rich corporations and against the poor laborers.
The argument of the negative was in favor of
granting aid both of lands and money, on the
ground that railroads were great public bene
fit to all classes. because they brought about
cheap transportation, and also for the reason
that they brought distant places in direct con-
nection with the great centres of trade and COM
merce. At the close of the debate vote was
taken, which resulted in the adoption of the
resolution which was substantially as follows
RESOLVED, That the policy now pursued of ex-
tending national State and municipal aid to
railroad corporations, is an injury to the labor
ing classes and ought not to be encouraged.
The question for discussion on next Thurs
day evening will be as follows:
ResolUed, That the practice of awarding med
ais, diplomas. etc., to the children in our public
schools, is wrong and should be discontinued.
CHRISTMAS FEsTIvAL--The annual Christ
mas festival of the children of st. Luke's Ca
thedral Sunday School, was held in the Cathe-
dral on State street, last evening A
large audience was present, and the exercises
were extremely interesting. After a short SER
vice, interspersed with carols, Bishop Nicely
made brief and appropriate address to the
children, in which the gratifying announce
ment was made that the children of the Sunday
School had contributed nearly 5000 towards the
removal of the church debt, since last Whit
sunday. The service closed with the singing of
Gloria "a. Ercels,s, in which Bishop Nicely rem
dered the solo with fine effect The children
then formed in procession, headed by the choir,
and proceeded to the rear of the church, where
a tree beautifully laden with presents was ready
to be stripped of it's precious fruit Here, all were
made glad by the distribution of the gifts and
the receiving of Christmas cakes, and after an
hour thus pleasantly spent, they departed for
their homes with glad hearts and smiling faces.
THE PRovIDENT AssocIATIoN.-The visitor
of this truly benevolent association informs us
that never was its offices more needed than the
present winter. The hard times and severe
weather have rendered the condition of some of
our poor truly lamentable. In one case he found
destitute family with twelve children, the
oldest girl fifteen years of age, unable to find
work to assist her parents or herself Again he
found sick mother, with two small children,
the house destitute of fuel and not particle of
food in the cupboard. Of course relief was af-
forded to the extent of his ability. Many other
cases of similar hardship are constantly coming
to light, and the treasury of the association is
none too full to supply the demands made upon
it.
ODD FELLOwsHIP-The following officers of