The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1880-03-20
SATURDAY MOkNING, MARCH 70.
BIZ TELEGRAPH.
AUGUSTA.
FINAL ADJOURNMENT OF
THE LEGISLATURE.
A Sketch of the Work Accom-
plished.
Especial Despatch to the Press.l

scenes took p ace, attended with the custom
airy remarks and leave-takings. The session
lasted seventy-two days, during which (from
Jan. Z to Jan. ~ an interregnum of ten days
must be deducted, when the fusion revolu-
tionists took possession of the State House in
their attemps to steal the state, which really
makes the session one of only sixty-two days.
This lost time retarded the work of the law
makers, and led them to so apply themselves
to their labors that it has been one of the
hardest worked legislatures we have had for
many years. There were four investigating
committees on matters connected with the late
conspiracy, and the principal results of their
doings have been shown in the conclusive evil
dence they have unearthed in the counting out
frauds.
large number of propositions have been
brought to the attention of the lawmakers,
and OH every matter of political character
party lines have been strictly drawn. The
fusionists sought every opportunity to open
political sores, and the debates which they
have occasioned have been keen and exciting
at times. There has been but little tinkering
OF the statutes Several charters have been
granted to companies for various pur-
poses which could not be organized
to the satisfaction of the parties interested un-
der the general law. The State valuation of
last year was adopted for the assessment of
State tax for the present year, and commits
sion was appointed to make a new valuation
for the next decade, and which will report to
the next legislature. The Governors salary
was increased to $1,000, but will not take effect
until another year. The Judges of the Su-
preme Court have been restored to their old
number of eight together with their old sala-
ries of $1,000. In accordance with the recon-
mendations of the Governor a tax has been
levied upon railroads, telegraph and express
companies which will add to the State revenue
The Free High School system which was sus-
pended last winter has been continued and the
amount of state aid to any town that desires to
maintain free high school has been placed at
$3.50. The liquor law has been strengthened
with view to breaking mp club house and
forbidding the sale of cider as beverage.
The Governor has now powerj to re-
move sheriffs and deputies who do not
enforce the law, as we'll as county attorneys.
Intoxicated men can have their fines RENTED if
liquor, while the fines and penalties of rum
sellers are increased. There are grave doubts
as to whether the new law is constitutional,
and some of the best legal minds are of the
opinion that it will be null and void. An ap-
preparation of Sis, 600 was made for uniforming
the soldiers boys of the State, and $4,000 was
appropriated to help to extinguish the liabili-
ties of the State Prison. An enlargement of
the State Insane Hospital was authorized
which will be at no expense to the State. The
election laws were also amended. There were
numerous other measures passed which have
been faithfully recorded in the columns of the
PRESS.
There were also numerous measures de-
feated among which some of the most i'm
portant were woman suffrage and allowing
the opposite sex to hold any office; allowing
the election of councillors and State officers
by ballots; abolishing the council and electing
in its place State auditor; compelling uni
formity Of text books in schools; having
geological survey of the State made; restoring
the death penalty; carving out new town
from the city of Rockland; providing for uni
formity of ballots to be used at elections
Furnishing town officers for willful errors in
election returns; restoring the old
law Of twenty years ago that certificates
of election of members of the House.
Of Representatives shall come from municipal
officers; amending the law relating to the mile
age of Senators and Representatives These
are few of the measures which were killed
that occur to me at this writing.
ba ofSo
welded the gavel with lmpartiality, uniform
courtesy and forbearance to members.
The appropriations made by the Legislature
foot up 81, 09S.66 against 81, 299, 1888 last
year.
There were passed 191 acts and II resolves.
The following list comprises nearly all the
acts and resolves passed by the legislature, not
previously published:
The law relating to shore fisheries has been
amended so that the catching of porgies by the
usesof purse and drag seines is prohibited in
all of the small bays, inlets, harbors or rivers
OF this State, where any ntrance to the same
or any part thereof from land to land, is not
more than two nautical miles in width under
a penalty upon the master or person in charge
of such seine or seines, or upon the owner or
owners of said vessel, seine or seines, of not
less than one hundred nor more than three
q
on the vessels, steamres, boats and apparatus
used in such unlawful pursuit until said penal
ty, with costs of prosecution, is paid; but a
netlfor meshing porgies of not more than one
hundred meshes in depth, and net for mesh
ing herring Of not more than one hundred and
seventy meshes in DEPTH shall not be deemed
a seine. Repeats all of chap. 66, public laws
OF 1878, excepting sec. as amended.
The law relating to the discipline and pun
ishment of convicts IN the State prison, and
loo tn tho dutiac opd -
therein has been made applicable to convicts
and officers in the county tails having
workshops attached thereto.
A bill has passed which provides that the
National Bell Telephone Company shall have
no rightt locate, construct, Tor operate lines
of telephone within the 6limits of any other
telephone company charter granted by this
legislature or of previous years until the COM
panies named in the other charters are
granted, at reasonable rates, the use and full |
benefits for their own lines of all telephone |
boxes and instruments necessary to operate |
said lines.
The statutes have been amended as required |
by the amendment to the constitution, provid- |
ing for biennial elections and sessions of the |
legislature.
The Cumberland and Oxford Canal CORPORA |
ton have been authorized to sell its property |
for railroad purposes. 1t is to be used in the |
construction of the Bridgton & Presumpscot
railroad.
A law has passed relating to trustees and |
other officers of public institutions which pro- |
vides that they shall not be pecuniarily inter |
ested, directly or indirectly, in any contracts |
made in behalf of the State Or of the institu- |
ton in which they hold places of trust, and |
any contract made in violation of this law |
shall be void; and it any such officer or person |
shall receive any drawbacks, presents, gratui- |
ties or secret discounts to his own use on &C. |
count of such contracts, or from the profits in |
any materials, supplies, or labor furnished or
done for the State or such institution, he shall
be punished by imprisonment not more than
year, or by fine not exceeding $500.
The Board of Agriculture has been remod-
eled by making the president and professor of
agriculture of the State College of Agricul-
turc, together with one person from
bach county, constitute the board
The terms Of Office and the election of sue
cessors shall be as now provided for by law.
The board shall hold business session of not
exceedng two days at the capital, on the first
Wednesday of April next, and thereafter an
nually on the third Wednesday of January in
zach year, for the election of officers and per-
[ecting plans for the execution of the work
Tor the year. The board, by its secretary, and
,ne of its members, shall hold annually one
farmers institute in each county, and as many
more as it shall deem expedient or find prac-
ticable with the means at its disposal The
members OF the board shall receive no compen-
sation for time and services rendered but shall