Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-02-28
From the State House.
Free Railroad Passes nad Industrial
schools in the House - The Divorce
Laws and the Election Sermon in the
Senate.

BosroN, Feb 81, 1872.
The railway committee reported yesterday that
it was inexpedient to legisate on the orders rela-
tive to free passes given to members of the leg
slature by railroad companies. One of these or
ders contemplated the adjustment of the Gus
tom, and another proposed law to make the
granting of passes compulsory. The object in
either case was to remove any possible infu-
ence exerted upon members by these little ia
vors. The report was passed over yesterday to
allow Mr.. Goldman, of Boston, who was in the
chair, an opportunity to present his views upon
the question, and carly this afternoon he made
some remarks upon the subject. He was OPP
posed TO the whole system Of pass giving, but
did not think it was possible to meet the evil by
legislation. Mr.. Jernegan, of Edgartown, wanted
to know where were the men that could be
bought up with a railroad pass. He had been
trying to be honest all his life, and if he looked
like a man who could be so easily influenced he
wanted to go home to his fishing smack. Mr.
Kimball, of Boston, put the whole matter in
very sensible light saying that the custom of
giving passes had grown up gradually, and that
the railroads gave the passes in accordance with
this custom. He said the Boston and Albany
and other roads would be very glad to stop giving
if it were not for the feeling that they were eX-
pected. As to the giving of passes to members
of the railroad committee, he said that they
were furnished because it was supposed that
those gentlemen needed to travel about over the
railroads of the state good deal. He gave the
impression that the practice was quite as objec-
tonabe to the railroad officers as to the people.
Mr. Winslow OF Newton made plea for the free
pass system which seemed to him right and just,
and wlthal Just the thing for lmpecunious legs-
lators ana Journalists. He wanted to know
where was that weak-kneed legislator who was
afraid to take pass for fear he should be infu-
enced Mr.. Whiteheld of Fairhaven rose to eX-
plain that he had refused pass for fear he
might be charged with having been so affected,
after which ediiying exhibition of legislative
virtue the report was accepted, and members
may still take Tree passes with the proud con-
seriousness that they are honest men.
After this came another long talk on the sub
| ject OF industrial schools. The law to authorize
the establishment of such schools was opposed
| quite earnestly by Mr. Thompson, of Gloucester,
| who thought 1t came quite too near putting the
affairs OF individuals INTO the control of town
and city governments. The bill, he complained,
was too loose and indefinite and did not specify
anything He deprecated any movement look
| ing to change in the system Of intellectual
training now established in our schools and
colleges. Mr. Washourn, of Boston, and Mr..
| Cogswel, OF Yarmouth, defended the measure,
and 1t went through with an amendment limit
| ing its scope in certain cases.
| For the rest the house did not accomplish
| very much. The people of Springfield will be
| duly gratified with the report of the committee
| on roads aud bridges, enclosing a bill to free
their present bridge over the Connecticut, and
provide for the construction of another The
committee on state commissionerships have
found out that the inspector general of leather
has had very soft" berth for some years, and
recommend that his fees be cut down to three
thousand dollars year, all over that amount
TO go into the state treasury and that the charge
shall be one and one half cents for each side of
leather The committee ON the liquor law re-
| ported against the bill offered some time
| ago by Mr.. Winsow of Newton, with
reference to druggists sales, and also
| reported that there was no evidence
of transgression Of the law by agents of the
| state commissioner in Boston. BY dint of sit
ting until almost five o'clock, the house acted
upon all the matters before it. The bill to in
| corporate that latest and grandest of land
| schemes, the Boston land company, was quietly
| squelched, and good many poor people proba-
| bly, saved from an unfortunate investment
thereby. resolve to appropriate $4,000 for the
| disabled soldiers employment bureau was sub
| stltuted for the report against that measure.
| The bills to increase the salaries of the justice
and clerk of the police courts of Charlestown
| and Lynn were passed to a third reading, to-
| gether with the two finance measures reported
yesterday.
The senate has finally succeeded in holding a
three hours session once more. In that body,
this afternoon, Senator Thayer was successful,
after some discussion, in getting his bill to abol
ish divorce 0iSi," and render divorce permissi-
bic alter three years desertion, passed to be en-
crossed, This was not accomplished however,
without the usual protests that there was dam
ger OF breaking down the marriage relation.
The senate also did a good thing in reject
| Ing the resolve in reference to the annual and
| time-honored election sermon, by providing
it shall be.deivered in the representatives hall
| instead of at the Old South church, on Wash.
| ington street. The resolve was taken from the
table on motion of Mr.. Wakefield, who opposed
| it as an unnecessary innovation upon the ancient
custom. He suggested as practical objection
that the representatives hall was not large
| enough for such an occasion. Another senator
asserted that if the military escort were dis
| pensed with, the senate chamber would accom-
MEDIATE the congregation. A decided difference
of opinion on the subject was developed, and
Messrs. Whitney of Brookline, and Richardson of
Lowell, argued that the benign influence of the
annual homily could not be spared. Mr. Tar
box, of Lawrence, thought that the clergy had
degenerated, and thought that the sanctity of
the custom was quite gone when they listened
TO a sermon on prohibition one year. on license
the next, and woman's suffrage the next year,
The sermon had come to be treated with a levity
that DESTROYED the influence that was sunnosed
to be exerted. The vote on taking the resolve
was a tie, but the president voted in the affirma-
tive, and the resolve was then rejected, Ii NAV