The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1875-01-23
Augusta Correspondence.
Busy Week mt the Capitalize Raid ON
the Insurance Commissioner and who
ia respousibIe for ft-Funny but not
Wicked.
AUGUsTA, Jan. %, 1875.

Wicked.
AUGUsTA, Jan. @, 1875.
The various conventions, and ANIMAL meet
ings of Sns sort or another have filled the no.
tells this week to over flowing. We expect that
vast amount of good must result from so
many good people coming to see the Legisla-
ture for themselves The editors nave
been here in full force and they, too, Will tell
their readers next week what they saw and
what they think of it. AS a class they don't
fare any too well in this world, getting hardly
ten cent scrip where they do the public dol
lars worth of good consequently one likes 10
see them off on little time. The farmers
have been here too and are here yet and the
fruit raisers have come up to compare notes
and their choice varieties of winter apples
They have also taken occasion to say that they
can't have Mr.. Boardmans seven hundred
page report reduced line even if it had cost
over $4,000 in printing, binding and compi'-
ing. 'They:have said sharp things about the
suggestion of the Governor respecting ecoho'
my in this respect Some of them would nave
the report made fuller. Perhaps when tney
have read the seven hundred pages and gazed
upon the various cuts of the perfect morse, tne
model sbort-horp. the purest blooded Jersey
and the marvelousy woolly sheep, they VIII
conclude that perhaps a report OF tnousano
pages will be rather strong. In fact, economy
in the remotest and most shadowy abstract Is
thing to talk about grandy, to praise, TO ap-
plaud. 1t works into party platforms 10 tne
greatest advantage. Apply it in pnblic aHairs'
and it is at once transformed. 1t becomes
meaness and those who at a distance shouted
for it, denounce it.
The Constitutional Commission have set
about the work assigned them with most
commendable zeal. Whether or not the Leg
islature, or people will ratfy their action, can
not be predicted Every topic is thoroughly
discussed and in these discussions there is no
evidence of partisan feeling. Every member
seems to appreciate the honorable and yet
grave task they have been summoned to per-
form. If the Legislature considers the sub
ject with the same spirit, there can be no doubt
but that the people will have submitted to
them series of propositions of great value.
One cannot fail to notice the Difference which
the rest of the Commission accord to the Pres
ident, Judge Kent. Full of years and honors,
with spotless character and an intellect that
the weight of years has not clouded, with the
experience of two generations, of all the men
in the state, he is the one to fill the position be
occupies.
My attention has been called to some very
striking figures in the forthcoming report OF
Superintendent johnson respecting the non
attendance of those in the state entitled to the
benefits of our public schools. Lewiston, for
instance has 6,279 persons entitled to the priv
ilege of the schools but only 1864 attend the
schools. The 6,279 scholars draw 1884, ST. OF
school money from the state which amounts to
S.. II for each scholar that actually attends
school. Wales in the same county returns 173
scholars 10Y at school state pays $272 which
is at the rate of $251 per scholar.
In the town of Grand Isle, Aroostook county,
1913 scholars are returned and the average at
tendance was 81. The state pays 1913 which
gives $112O to each scholar attending school.
These illustrations might be extended to al
most any length and are so noticeable as to
cause considerable discussion among the friends
of education respecting the expediency of APP
portioning the school funds not on the number
of scholars in towns, but on the average attsnd-
ance of pupils. This would be step in the
direction of compulsory attendance, and might
work better than direct act for that purpose
1t is evident that a determined raid has been
begun against the Insurance Commissioner,
Hon. Joshua Nye. There are those bad fell
lows about who assert that Mr.. Nye desires to
be made martyr. We can hardly credit this
assertion. The role of martyr as 1 recall it
from the celebrated book of one Mr..
Fox, written some time since, is not
pleasant one to contemplate except in con-
nection with the extreme cold weather of the
past three weeks. Personally the martyr must
be made disagreeable. To be roasted, literally
or figuratively, can only be contemplated with
pleasure by few heroic souls who are not UNI
derstood. They may get some notoriety, much
compassion and have elegant obituaries, but
the present generation sensibly prefer present
comforts. Some of Mr. Nyes friends attribute
the attempt to abolish the Office of Commits
sioner to Mr.. Speaker Blaine's assumed hostil-
ity to Mr.. Nye. This is the siest of nom
sense. Mr.. Blaine isn't hostile to Mr.. Nye,
and if it were otherwise, he is never vindictive
He never takes hand in the martyr business,
and never even Furnishes those who sin polit-
icaly against him. In this respect he is the
very saint of politicians. The fact is, the men
who are making the war upon the Commission
er are those engaged in the insurance bus ness,
one of the most active aud persistent of whom
lives in Portland. 1t is an old feud growing
out of blasted hopes and ruined ambitions. The
greater part of Mr.. Blaine's Kennebec friends,
particularly Mr.. North, are decidedly hostile to
the abolition of the Office.
Whether or not the sinking fund of 1866
shall be abolished is question which
excites considerable discussion among the fl
nancal men of the Legislature. Last year it
cost the state $13, 40 as premiums on bonds,
care of same, etc.. which those who favor its
abolition regard as dead loss. If this rate of
expense continues until the loan is liquidated
the dead loss to the state will amount to $780,
42214.
Is it in ordet? Perhaps not; if not, the
writer may be called to order. But one of the
Independents tells in the office of his hotel
story to this effect: Last fall an out-and-out
Democratic, one of those fellows who sought
it straight during the war and ever since, was
employed on the government granite works off
Rockland, as mechanic, 1 won't name the
branch, though the Independent aforesaid does.
Said Democrat was elected to the Legislature
in September, and was given employment
thereafter. This is all right so far; but now
the Independent asserts that the said Demo
cratic Representative was to vote for Mr.. Ham.
liu in caselthe Republican minority acted bad
" or undertook to fuse with the Democrats
Now if any person desires further information
on this subject can refer him to my inform
ant. The gentleman aforesaid was not called
upon to desert the Democratic standard, but in
caucus and House voted for Mr.. Talbot like a
man. The thing is only funny, not wicked.