The Portland daily press., 1872-03-01
Our Bad Legislature and Its Doings.

OuT Duu Leg iSlutuIc anu ltS DOluSss
Before this sheet reaches our readers the
Fifty-tirst Legislature will have either adjourn
ed, or will be on the point of doing So We
have said many hard things of this body, but
we have the pleasant consciousness that we
have uttered no word of criticism for the pur
pose of gratifying personal animosity or from
any motive other than the public good. But
the seyerest criticisms have come, after all,
from members of the Legislature themselves,
several of whom have not hesitated to insinu-
ate that their associates are corrupt. Wheth-
er it prove in the end that this charge Is
true or not, there can be no question that the
fatal obsequiousness of our LAWMAKERS 10
powerful corporations and rich men, and their
unconditional surrender to the lobby, have
taken Maine from the list of States that are
governed by the people, and added it to that
lengthening roll of States that are governed
by capitalists. Hereafter the conquests of the
lobby will be easy. Henceforth it will be IN
derstood that members do not represent their
constituents, but the richest corporations.
These are things that ought not to be said
lightly, and if to any of our readers it appears
that we have said them recklessly, now or here
tofore we point for strong confirmation of
our views to the course of legislation during
the session. So long as private interests were
at stake, so long as corporations were asking
for privileges, exemptions and special favors,
so long as the agents of capitalists, who have
the power to reward or punish, were whisper
ing in every members ear,-matters were
considered and discussed with the closest at
tention. Days and almost weeks were spent
in considering simple questions touching
some railroad. In short, nine-tenths of the
session vas spent in framing measures In
the interests Of combined capitalists. Il al
Now it so happens that the Legislature
which wasted its shining hours in serving pri-
cate interests, had before it some of the most
important matters affecting the general good
that can occupy the attention of a legislative
body The matter of education, for instance,
which is just now of vital importance to us
all, was presented for its consideration in
many ways. How have this and cognate
questions been treated? In the hurry and
confusion of the last days of the session
when all measures with money and lobby
in them have been conscientiously attended
to, when there is time neither for debate nor
reflection, they are taken up and disposed
Of" 1t is charming to see the easy compos-
ure with which the members indefinitely
postpone, reject, refer to the next Legislature
and otherwise remove from the field of their
statesmanlike contemplation measures which
only have their relation to the prosperity,
virtue and happiness of all the people of
the State to commend them. If the Legis-
lature were mere debating society, great
questions would not be SO lightly considered.
But the lobby has disappeared. Members
miss the society Of their genial friends and
are anxious to get home, 7l "aH aasN
The educational system Of the State,
which needed to be strengthened in order to
. save us from degenerating into the condition
Of Sockabasin Swassin's constituents, has
been weakened by the withdrawal of some of
its main supports, and left crippled and dis
organized; but the Maine Central railroad
has been authorized to make Ioan.'' And
it may be remarked here that the stockhold-
ers were graciously pleased to accept the act
at Waterville, Wednesday, and to make the
extent of that loan matter resting solely in
the royal discretion of Judge Rice No
money could be spared to endow an Industri-
al school for girls. Mr.. Carleton of White
field, the same gentleman under whose man
agement the, railroad lobby triumphed, OBJ
jected to that But there was money enough
to build a bridge over Molunkus stream. And
it is in this spirit that all the legislation of
the session was conceived. gu SOC .s5.-r