The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1876-02-14

WEEK SIXTH.
The sixth week of the session has been one
in which greal of business has been done.
The House meets st nine and within the past
week has held sessions of four mortal hours in
length. There have been no set speeches but
several measures have been discussed with force
and ability. large number of important
measures have been considered and some of
them adopted.
ARoosTooK
One of the traits which one legislature inner
its from its predecessor is to fling at Aroostook
for the appropriation it gets for roads. Other
counties may ask freely and receive literally
for schools, academies and local char table in
situations, and not word said; but let the
hardy pioneers, who are adding to the wealth
Of Maine by making farms in the wilderness,
ask fer $500, or $500, or $1,000 to build bridge,
and that noble county is paraded as the state
pauper. Orders are passed requesting the Sec
rotary of State to lay before the Legislature the
aggregate appropriations made to that county
for the past five or ten years, and when all this
trouble is gone through with the Legislature
soon forgets that the amount spent for Aroos-
took settlers does not average $4,000 a year
uOb do LAuCu do IL NOtcu luz SluSiS CudTllltS Ill
other parts of the state. Meantime the state
has been receiving tens Of thousands of dollars
for lands sold to non-residents in these same
townships, and lately threw nearly the whole
into the hands of corporation to build a rail-
road-not to Aroostook, but to st. John. The
appropriations received by Aroostook for roads
and bridges will not pay the interest of the
lands given away. But it isn't necessary for
me to defend Aroostook, for that county has
men in both branches "saucy able'' to meet the
defamers of the new and vigorous county.
POLITICAL.
great many little questions are being de-
cided on political grounds. In the Montvlle
case, for instance, one Senator drew and signed
report as member OF a committee and advo-
Gated that ground for several days. Since that
he has changed. 1t will make some difference
with his party. Our Democratic friends are
not caucusing SO much as they were. The at
tempt to put the Democracy on Mr.. Pixies side
of the interest question was not successful.
Gen. Anderson chose to represent Portland
rather than to follow the suggestions Of Demo-
cratic leaders that he should be silent on the
interest bill if he could not advocate it. The
more liberal portion of the Democracy, the
Davises, Tiues, Stricklands, Eastman and the
like. went with him, while the hide.bound
Democracy followed Messrs Talbot and Pike.
There appears to be more party feeling gener-
ally than has been exhibited for several years.
Fortunately there are few questions where
party can be appealed TO. There is, however,
certain class of the Democracy who are op.
posed to progress They oppose the normal
school, the free high school system and appro-
priations for hospitals, centennals, etc. The
most of them that used to oppose corporations
and kept factories out of Maine by an illiberal
policy, while Massachusetts, by wiser one,
filled up with them. Their immediate ances-
tors (politicaD fought banks and were susplc-
ious of railroad charters. The present repre-
sentative of the hide-bound Democracy simply
sneers at and votes against everything of the
sort. Messrs. Davis and True of Portland,
Strickland of Bangor, Blanchard of Yarmouth
and others we could mention, are not of this
class. They will consider question on its
merits. The latter in view of the fact that
Marcellus Emery is the Democratic leader in
his locality takes occasion to say that he was
war Democrat. heard a Republican in the
House make the following remark of Mr.. Davis
OF Portland:, Il have been associated with
him two years on committee, and have al
ways found him candid and willing to judge
matter upon its merits; he is also a man of ex-
cellent sense and business qualification The
same may be aid of Mr.. True, aud it must be
that they hold to tho Democratic party because
they desire to give it an air of responsibility
even at the expense of personal martyrdom.
PERSONAL.
1t is due to Mr.. Cleaves to say that the Re-
publicans of Portland made no mistake in
sending him to Augusta if they desired to have
faithful and efficient representative, not a
snowy man, not one who would trouble himself
to make set speech. He can get the ear of
the House at any time, and will be found look.
ing out for the interest of those he represents
One of the most promising men of TIE
House is Nealley of Bangor. He appears for
the first time in the House and reflects credit
upon the Republicans of Bangor. man of
liberal culture, of unusual ability, with deal
of enthusiasm in his makeup. he is likely to
continue favorite in the party and will not be
forgotten at times when good and true men are
required.
Bath always sees that the city famous for
being at the headpf the list OF localities engag-
ed in the building of wooden ships throughout
the world, is always well represented in the
Legislature Bath has sent such solid business
men as Hayden, Wakefield, Goss, PatteD,
Morse, Reed. ibis year they continue the
solid record by electng Mr.. Rogers gentle.
man who in twenty-five years has built fifty
vessels-an entire feet. 1t never happens that
good business man who stands we'll in his
own community is not fit man to represent
his townsmen in any responsible position. A
man OF industry, experience and intelligence,
Mr. Rogers is fit successor of the best men
named above, and solid old Bath shows her
solid old sense by sending him to Augusta.
One OF the most valuable members of the
Senate is the senior Senator from York, Hon.
lrvory Lord of Saco He is man of good
Judgment and well-balanced mind and is ju-
dicious legislator. His defence of the Orono
Collge was an able one and would not ave
failed to carry conviction had not the jury deeid
ed the case before full hearing Mr.. Lord is
like Senator Hinckley of Hancock-one of the
strong, intelligent every day men of that body.
In THIS same class come Messrs. Stevens and
PRESCOTT OF Somerset. Without being orators,
their influence is often greater than those who
can round their sentences.
GENERAL MATTERS.
line land scrip investigation will commence
Monday evening with the examination of a
NUMBER OF gentlemen who have been summon
ed. In the state documents of 1864 is a letter
from Gov. Andrew of Massachusetts to Gov.
Cony, suggesting a plan for appointing an
QOant Ma IT, eka tacf TO- IF
scrip to settlers or in such small lots as would
bring dollar an acre. The letter was sent to
the Legislature but that body having decided to
establish an independent college, the proceeds
of the land by immediate sale were needed.
1t costs over $4,000 year to have our wild
animals killed. 1t is said that shrewd fellows