Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1873-03-06
Editorial Correspondence.

poised Tor Hight. and Is only awaiting the
final form alities before wingiDg its home
ward way. The system of payiog the Leg
islature by the job. and very inadequate
ly too. has the usual tendency to cause it
to do its important work in great haste.
For a week past it has held two daily ses-
sions of nearly four hours each. aud bills
and resolves have been put through with
fearful velocity. 1t Is difficult to under
stand why the PROPOSE al iiQ raise the pay
of members from $50 to $500. should
have been defeated. The people of the
State of Maine are not niggardly. and are
more than willing to pay its different off
GERS suitably, and especially are they will
ing that so important a body of officers As
the Legislature should have a liberal COM
pensation. Both of the political parties
agree in this, but for some reason the Leg
i>lature seems to d>trust the people in this
matter. and has voted that $3.50 shall con-
iinue to be the salary of the Legislators Of
a sovereign State.
This Legislature has digged deep pit
for many schemes. When | arrived here
this week found an intense agitation over
what is called the force bill" which it is
alleged was intended to force the Maine
Central Railroad TO connect n0lens roleRS
vi h the Boston and Maine at Portland in
stead of South Berwick, the present con
meeting point. II was also contended that
its effect would be TO deprive the Maine
Central of an advantageous contract with
the Eastern Railroad and thus raise fares
and ireights. Ii was further argued that
the bill would prevent any existing Rail-
road from aiding proposed railroad a. it
would prohibit in effect any special con-
tracts between railroads. Willie MANY
, members perhaps felt that the Boston and
Maine was beng little crowded by the
other roads. the majority took the view that
the State ought not TO interfere between
private corporations except by providing
Courts of Justice for them 10 settle their
disputes in. The whole matter WAS refer
red 10 the next Legislature-which Is a
. polite way of saying no go" Thi, seem
cl the wisest disposition that could be
made of it. This Was the last Railroad
contest of the session. Right here let me
! say that free railroad law seems to be the
/ only way of avoiding these annual quar-
! rels. The Legislature of Maine. ike that
/ OF many other States. i, becoming simply
an arena for corporation combais. No
railroad feels at ease during the coniinu-
ance of session, aid always breathcs
more freely after final adjournment.
Every railroad i continually on the Yei
rire TO secure some special legislation
against its rivals, or some advantage for
ais. This free railroad law however was
buried in the pit that has been disgcd So
deep.
Cider seem, 10 have frettcd the soul, Of
these law makers for the entire session.
They referred IL to committee after COM
mittee. and finally took ii back and coni-
United 10 pOnderons special committee
OF twenty-five. Thi, huge committee have
bcea devOtIng their mighty intellect. TO
cider AL the session. 4. might have been
AttA fNstAa AAAasAa'N ffAlh ia W.
part wanted cider al wholesale only-th-
other part We're desirou- 81 !.lsr AZ retail
also. The House then took the matter iu
hand AMI ia about thirty minutes it .ma.h-
eel 10 pieces all the cider legislation u lat
year. The senate "a. more hc.iiaiiu..
but the impetus Wa too great. aud Il
smashed ia concurrence. CDR j. there
fore come ont from under the ban of coz
dcmnaii0n. and t. no longer Hs1lura ,.-,-
Ai'Euia. however much q may b. a a.risa
iH ~.
lhe paper ball sessions have been
held to-day. and they have removed what
little awe NAV have felt for these potent.
grave and reverend seignior. At the
cio-e Of Niuicr's session the House aud
senate frequently have 10 wait for the en-
crossing clerk 10 complete their work be-
fore bills can pass to be enacted This
forced leisure l. devoted 10 paper ball
session To-day Speaker Webb Jaw that
the times were ripe and vacated the
chair. which was taken posse, sion of By
Ninton of Gray. This was the signal for
saiurnalia. Every member provided him
self with paper balls, and they were show
cred upon any member hardy enough to
address the chair. All sorts of ludcrous
petitions and orders were introduced which
excited roars of laughter from the MEM
bers. and others who understood the allu-
eions. Vinton sustained his part admira-
bly,, rolling up the fun that started from
the floor
There is funny little fellow here from
Madawaska, Peter Charles keegan by
name. who has just enough French blood
in him to give him great good nature. ready
wit and "a fertile Imagination. He is uniyer-
sally known as Peter Charles; and Is call
ed out whenever the House is in a humorous
mood. To-day he was invited to deliver
from the Speakers desk an account of his
travels to Belfast where they say he is
counting little. keegan was escorted to
the desk and as vinton stepped aside to al
low him place to speak. peter Charles
seized the. gavel. and seated himself in
the Speakers chair. This sudden and
successful usurpatiOn was hailed with up
roarious applause. A motion was made
that Randall. the fat man of the House.
remove the ''usurper." Randall approach
ed the desk when Keegan cooly gave
Vinton into his custody. Randall however
seized instead a lot of candy that had been
placed on the Speakers desk. and confis-
Gated it. The coup etat again sent the
House into paroxysms of delight And so
he fun went on until the dinner hour APP
preached. By this time the Hall of the
House had become packed full of lockers
On. and Vinton suddenly called upon all
% rise and sing America" Mortland of
kockland. the finest tenor singer in the
House, leaped upon his desk to start and
cad the choir. All rose to their feet and
he grand old anthem rolled on borne up
,y hundreds of voices. The sweet voices
II women mingled with the deeper tones
# the men, and the music rose and swelled |
Il III