The Portland daily press., 1883-02-22
AUGUSTA.
Appointment OF Two Trustees of
the Insane Hospital,
IN FAVOR OF A WOMAN'S PRISON BUT
AGAINST AN APPROPRIATION.
The Death Penalty Discussed in the
House.
[special pespatch to the Press.l

Quite number OF gentlemen prominent. in
financial circles in the State are in town stoday
in the interest of the new savings bank law,
which now lies on the table in the Senate.
The bill in BRIEF enlarges the field for invest
ment of funds held by savings banks and re-
duces the rate of taxation on deposits one
fourth of one per cent per annum. Maine is
the only State in the Union where the tax on
savings bank deposits is over one-half of one
per cent, and the result is that a large amount
of capital seeking investment is deposited in
banks in other States where the rate of inter-
eat is higher. The heavy tax also prevents
loans being taken from Maine savings banks,
as it is necessary to charge higher rate of in
terest than is the case in New Hampshire and
Massachusetts. Unless the tax is reduced the
probability is that the deposits in Maine saw
ings banks will be largely diminished withia
he next two years, and as result the State
will receiv Q less revenue that it would if it
made reasonable reduction in the rate of tax
alton, which would tend to increase the de-
posts.
TRUSTEES OF THE INSANE HosPrTAL.
Gov. Robie has nominated Lieutenant d. o.
Bowen of Morrill,, and Hon. Thomas j. Hinck
ley of Blue Hill as trustees of the Maine In
sane Hospital No better appointments could
have been made. MIR. Bowen served with
credit and distinction in the 26th Maine regi-
mept of volunteers and First Maine heavy ar
tillery, receiving a wound at the battle of the
Wilderness. He is a large and prosperous
farmer, prominent member of the Maine State
GraDge,snd good business man. Mr.. Hinek-
ley has filed various public positions with great
acceptablity. During his term as member of
the executive councils of Governor Davis and
Governor Plaisted, he was member Of the
visiting committee of the hospital and is es-
pecially qualified to fill the position to which
Gov. Robie has wisely nominated him.
THE woMANs REFoRMAToRy PRISON.
The judiciary Committee held special
meeting this afternoon and finally disposed of
a large number of entries on their docket.
They considered the expedieney of recommend
ing an appropriation for reformatory prison
for women. While the members of the COM
m ittee very generally sympathise with the
spirit of the bill they question the wisdom of
recommending an appropriation this year when
the State is called upon to pay out large sums
for other reformatory and charitable institu-
tions. The advocates of the measure are so
confident of the great benefits which would fol-
low the establishment of such prison that
they are a nxious to receive even much less
sum than it would cost to erect permanent
building, and hire some jail or other suitable
building in which the experiment can be tried
for two years. 1t seems to be the feeling OF
The committee that it is better to wait until the
next legis lature when an appropriation sufi-
GENTLY large should be granted to insure the
suco ess of the experiment
RESTORATION OF THE DEATH PENALTY
A bill to restore the death penalty came up
by assignment in the House today after the
morning hour A large number Of spectators
we're present including many ladies. Judge
FL all of Rockland was first recognized and
made powerful speech in favor of restoring
the galows At the outset he claimed the
right OF the State to protect society by taking
the life of the criminal, and argued at some
length on this point. citing many eminent legal
authorities. He then claimed that the death
penalty was necessary because there should be
a distinction in the penalties attached to crimes
in Maine. There are nineteen crimes which
have the same penalty Capital punishment
deters men from crime. There were but two
murders in this State from 1920 to 1887 when
punishment was certain. Judge Hall said that
W ith the exception of ore or two years since
t hen the law prescribing hanging had been
practically a dead letter He compared the
states where the death penalty exists with
those where it has been abolished, claiming
that human life was more secnre and fewer
capital crimes were committed in the former
states. In closing he asked for the restoration
of the death penalty as the most effectual
check to crime that can be devised.
Mr.. Wilson of Paris followed in opposition
to the bill Although suffering from a severe
cold he held the attention of the house closely
thr oughout He started with the proposition
tn at the sole design of punishment is to protect
society. The burden is on those who ask for
the restoration of the death penalty to prove
its necessity. Society is protected when the
criminal is placed where he can do no further
harm. He refuted the argument that capital
pun ishment deters men from crime and dwelt
upon the difficulty of procuring conviction and
the possibility of mistakes being made where
the death pei atty exists.
The bill seems likely to elicit considerable
debate. Mr.. Powers of Houlton is expected to
speak tomorrow against restoring the death
penalty. The Senate is strongly in favor of the
bill with the House doubtful.
Cro the Associated Press
The Jud iciary Committee voted leave to
withdraw on petitions for a reformatory prison
for women. The same committee will report
bill providing for lien on corn and cans.
The railroad committee will report ought to
pass on the bill Incorporating telegraph COM
pany from Rocklaud to Vinal Haven. Same
report will be made on the act to amend an act
Incorporating the Lime Rock Railroad com :
pany of Rockland; on bill extending the
charter of the Penobscot Central railroad for
S tx years; ON bill to renew the charter OF the
Pas sadumkeag railroad; on bill additional to
and amendatory of chapter 81, Revised Stat
utes, so as to supply omissions in the general
law