The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1871-01-12
AuCuaTA Ian

AUGUSTA, Jan. IL.
The committees appointed, the new Cover
nor in the chair he will hold for three years,
the council qualified so far as to enable the
executive branch to 60 on, the question of q.
3. Senator among the things of the past the
legislative department may be said to be clear
ed for action. s s
As usual. everything predicts short SEES.
is no reason why It should be prolonged beyond
eight or even six or seven, unless there shall
be some question to come up not now expected
The friends of consolidation only desire to be
let alone and they may as well be satisfied; for
wedoubt if they can command two-fifths Of
either branch, and doubt if over third of
the lower house. sH
Jas general thing, people are SO scared by
the cry of monopoly and" Camden and Amboy'
that they will not stop to give this question a
candid consideration. Representatives. even
if convinced of the propriety of the measure
are not disposed to stem the almost unanimous
opposition to the measure coming from the
country towns not Oh railroad lines 1t is
qnite possible that constitutional amend
ment, prohibiting the consolidation of railroads
and the watering OF stocks may secure the nee.
essary two-thirds, but by no means certain
Would it not be better to announce in con-
stitutiOnal provision that railroads, their Iun-,
ming, fares and freights are under the control
OF the legislative department? Had had gen.
eral railroad bill been passed in 1868 we should
now have had no consolidation, and one or TWO
tributary roads would have been completed
that are now in hopeless condition.
r The committee to examine the statutes find
that they have serious job to do what good
proOf-reader should have done. The work il
full OF verbal mistakes and typographical
errors, to say nothing of terms that are not in
Joint Committee SO inform US.
The small politicians see the utter destruc-
ton OF our government in the legislation oflast
winter which transferred the power of hiring
teachers to the school committees. It is awful
70 contemplate, but becolAes less horror and
more of a Joke when we remember that the
towns elect the school committees, The act
may be repealed in toto, but probably it will be
left sothat 1t shall be optional with the towns
The matter OF State printing causes less dis
cusson and cheap and fictitious assertion than
any time for years. The prices are 50 cheap.
that no sane and reliable printer will take Il
aud go to the expense to fit for it. The prIces
are the lowest, the printers are allowed but
small per cent. over fhe cost, barely enouge to
cover interest and loss by breaking for small
jobs. Nor do the printers submit their own
bill to committee or council who know moth
ing OF the business, hut the whole is transmits
TED to stephen Berry, Esq, of yonr city, with
specimens OF The work, which he measures and
Berry will tell you that he has never been
oDllged to cnt down the total of a bill sent to
MIN, put recommended the adding of some.
tning, sometimes quite an amount to agree
Win the conditions OF the contract.
Inc democrats growl about the cost of the |
etate printing, and there may be some cues |
non as to The amount ordered. but none as to |
lne cneapnesS and prOmptness. The Huukers
forget that Maine has grown any since the |
time that party was in power-will grow much |
the Pine Tree State.
Inc election returns for representatives were
to-day examined by the Election Committee.
Candor compells me say that an Examination
ot tnese would not impress one with fatter-
ing opinion OF the clerical ability of MANY town |
officers; and if the committee were inclined to |
oe tecnnical 1t would be easier for a camel to /
90 through the eye of needle than for the
ambitious man to get counted into the House.
but the COMMITTEES, under Republican rule
nave estaohshed the precedent of giving ex.
preston to the will of the majority Of thu
voters.
=, There are but two cases of contested seats.-l
Iryon1 Rep in the Falmouth and Pownal
Dem.C 1t will be remembered that there was
declared to be tie election day and a second
election resulted in the choice Of Brown. The |
grounds for contesting is that the polls were
AopS oPeu III aimOutn Until O. clock CONTRA |
y to law, and that six votes were received AT. |
or the legal time for Mr. Brown. One legal
'ote in Pownal for Tryon was rejected. The
ther case is the seat occupied by Foster (Rep.l
4 Bethel; the contestant being HastingsE
hastings claims that several votes or tickets
Intended for him were not counted from some |
versight or informality.
DR.. Snow, the Winthrop member, who got
lected as an Independent Republican, asked
submit few words of explanation as ques-
on of privilege. Not one in ten would have
QUILTED the doctors regularity had he not felt
ompeled to explain. He pitched into the
Nv followers of Mr.. Hichborn said that the
~ guar Republicans in Winthrop sometimes
vi. 80 reguiarly that not single full regular
chet is given. He announced that although
= pIIieveo IN the present liquor law, he |
I1;Hugus IL was not perfect. He paid his COM |
ei .n 10 Joshua Nye, as the great autocrat
~, temperance and conviction on that subject.
ue uoctor's speech showed care in nrsnara-
earsed VI oi'eh Delng re-
Cue ne nomination of Abraham Sanborn for TT s
~, Ienator Dy the Democratic caucus Tuesdav
y ~, tnows that the old copperhead element.
~ ~. not the young democracy. rules the oroan, 7
q au .l Mr. Sanborn is an affabje gentlemen t
W mere were few more ualignant onnosers IL
ie war, lew who had to the last fnller az nina
y, ~ WIN w the rebels than Mr. Sanborn. He was
&c OF tne anti-war trinity in Penobscot-Em. i
Loan0orn-Boynton.
stav ~ that several gentlemen who preferred !
say az nome during the war are now apx. t
"' " NC members of Governor Perham's