The Republican journal., 1884-01-24
Maine Matters.



sources of the State Sl,0,90ll, of which amount
S106,S43 came from the town treasures S:|3.-
3o4 from local funds and the balance from the
State treasury. The sums expended amount 70
SlO0l 40 an increase OF S49.l2l, which leaves
a balance of 81 .5i5 uneXpended. The amounts
paid for supervision slow a slight increase over
the preceding year, but the amounts paid to
teachers show q large increase proportional to
the number of weeks taught. ihe average
wages paid to male teachers, excluding board.
has been Bis per month. an increase of s. Is.
ana the average wages paid TO femae teachers,
excluding board has been Sl536 per month
an increase of IS cents. OF the -599 different
teachers employed 64O2 have had previous eN-
perience. and 60l have graduated from the
Normal Schools, nearly all such graduates now
remaining in the State and each year assisting
to swell the number VINO have thus come pre-
pared for their work. Each wear the sentiment
of the towns in favor of the employment of
Normal teachers becomes more favorable and
speaks well for the future. The number of
scholars attending the schools again shows de
crease and the cause still remains hidden. The
whole number of scholars in the State is re-
turned to the State Superintendent office :
2l3,SI1, an increase of so, but the number of
different scholars attending school was l46 916.
decrease of 1872. The attendance upon the
summer schools, however. showed an increase
of 36s, making the percentage of average attend
ance to the whole humber in the state A. the
same as the previous year, though the number
registered decreased from III $50 to us .;,54.
creased from lO0.54l to 99.56l, though the num-
Der registered decreased from l23.037 to Il, 663.
The average length OF the summer schools has
remained before, but the winter schools
have decreased one day, while the aggregate
length of the summer school has decreased 80
weeks and thu winter school 81 weeks. making
the decrease in the aggregate number OF weeks
OF the schools for the year 1908. The character
of schools has improved, and will probably
continue TO do SO, as the wages of the teachers
TT at tbar of mn.
graded schools has decreased l66 during he wear.
figure trit1e larger than the decrease in the
number of different schools During the COM
Ing year an attempt will be made to have the
district system still further decreased. The
benefit derived fIom such a course seems To b,
slow of comprehension, though several Years
have elapsed since the educational department
has advocated the change.
ACTIVITY AMONG TEMPERANCE WORKERS.
The labors of the temperance people of this
State are being focused upon the adoption of
The constitutional amendment by popular vote
next septembt Inquiries made by The BoS-
ton journal co Spondent have revealed an
exceptional amount If work being done by all
the temperance org nizaton> IN the State.
The entire movement in the line Of building
up healthy Temperance sentiment rather than
a savaga onslaught upon the dispensers of in
toXicantS. During Tho year attempts nave
been made to have Special Liquor Con>tube>
appointed in several of the Counties and in
the Governor and Council having decided that
the plaintiffs made ont Il case. The appoint
ment OF Special COnstabe> Is considered the
climax Of all attempts to secure the enforce
ment of the proLlbitory law and it is not every
temperance worker that considers ii advisable
10 take this step for the reason that the local
officers whose duty ii should be to secure the
enforcement of the law seldom assist such >pe-
cial appOintee> in their work. The committee
specially working to secure the adoption of the
ipsiIp IN h.Nt4 he
question kept out OF politics. and have there
fore attempted to organize the State on that
plan, with the intention to neglect no means
whereby success may he assured. Already
several thousand committeeman have been APP
pointed throughout the State. The Womam's
Christian Temperance Union is also doing a
good work in arousng public sentiment that
the laws may be better enforced, and in some
instances law and order leagues have been
formed, not only for the suppression of the
liquor traffic, but for the enforcement of all
laws aiming at Il higher morality in the com
munity. The Good Templars are also extend
my their order as rapidly As possible. Special
work Is being done among the lodges of SOM
erset Piscataqus, Waldo Hancock, Lincoln.
Penobscot and \ Ork counties.
THE MAINE BOARD OF AGRICULTURE.
The annual meeting of the Maine Board of
Agriculture was held in Augusta last week. j.
W. Buttertield, of Franklin county was called
TO the char for the purpose of organization.
VI
pointed committee on credentials. The new
members qualified to take part in the proceed
ing Were: j. J.. BrainalG. East Winthrop.
hennebec county; Nelson Ham, Lewiston, An
droscoggn county; \. Il. Lincoln. Dennvsvile.
Washington county: ID. Is. johnson, Freedom.
Waldo county; +. ". Stetson, Damariscotta,
Lincoln county. permanent organization re-
suited in the choice of : l.. IIolbrook. Bruins
wick, for President, and W. W. Harris. of
Cumberland Centre. for Vice President. The
1f he N
of statute. Mes>rs. Wiggn, Baentne and
Mathews We're appointed committee on Pay
Roll. The President Of the Board. the Presi-
dent of the State College and Nelson Ham were
constituted advisory committee. After a
little discussion il wa, voted THAT the DISPOSE
ton of that part Of the State stipend to agricll
tural societies. subject to the disposition of the
Board, be left in the hands of the several agri-
cultural societies for disposal. subject to the
approval Of the local member of the Board
The Pay Roll was presented and adopted. An
invitation was received from Prof. j. L.
Chandler, in behalf Of Capital Grange, Augusta
for the members 10 spend the evening III Il >oci-
able at his residence which was accepted. Very
little business was Transacted. At the meeting
in the afternoon the following resolution was
adopted:
Resolved, That tae establishment of an EX-
pertinent Station at the State College AT Dr0no
for the analysis of fertilizers, of stock feeds.
and the teStings Of the purity ana vitality OF
seeds, Is, in the estimation of this Board Il
movement IN the right direction, and that the
best interests of our State demand that such IA
Station be established at the earliest practicable
date.
TIE STATE FINANCES.
The committee appointed to examine the ac-
counts Of the State Treasurer have completed
their work and their report, with that of the
state Treasurer, makes Il very gratifying eX-
hibt of the financial condition of the State
The bonded debt was reduced S5Il ,201 the past
hup has in,
any year since ISL Jan. Ist. 1870. Names in
debtednes> had reached the large sum of 81
100000, including the civil and war debt, and
the municipal reimbursement loan. Since that
date, the debt gradually has been reduced
and on the first day of January. 1881, the bond
ed debt of Maine less the sinking fund of ! =
I00,392.23 WIS but S',G01.;J0S On the 1st dav
of january, 1883, this net bonded debt was 81
1lS,l15-sh0wn@ a reduction of SOL .201. as
stated above. OF the war debt incurred by
Maine, SSO0,000 fell due in 1871, and owing to
the beneficial operation of the sinking fund
arising from the tax of thret-fourthS Of a mill
on dollar, 1t was promptly met and surplus
was left III the sinking fund. OF the remainder
of the debt, $4,000 fell due in 1880. Sj25. 900
became due in 1888 and the remainder 1.-TWO
items, one s. $50 800 on war loan and one 3d.
OS4, 400 on municipal war debit amounting to
e0.9l6,900 will mature IN 1889. With rapidly !
increasing sinking fund, the people of the State
may congratulate themselves upon the good
prospect of being free from debt in six years
from this time. They have good reason to be /
pleased with the able management of their fl /
Eancia affairs and the wise and economical adj 1
minstration of the affairs of the State bv the
party which has been in power most of the /
time since the War-and to praise the foresight !
of the men who, by acts of The Legislature in |
1865 and 1868, established the sinking fund 4
The Treasurer estimates the receipts of the 1
State for the current year at s 80. 191 A. and
the expenditures at 81 800. 924.94.
BREACH OF PROMISE SUITS.
The verdict Of 5000 for the plaintiff in the
breach of promise suit of Emma D. Sanford VS.. /
John 5. Aver, which was given by a Waldo !
County jury in Belfast the first of the week is /
but ether of the almost phenomenal successes /
attained by ladies in suing their fckle-minded /
and recreant lovers for trifling with their atfec-
tons. Indeed, out of large number of breach /
of promise suits brought in this State the fair |
plaintiffs have won in almost every case, much |
to the depletion of the pocket-books of the
defendants. If ii gentleman pays marked at /
tention to, lady it is usually accepted in court /
as a promise of marriage, the plaintiff testify /
ing that an engagement existed between the /
parties. 1t not very many years since |
that young lady residing less than II hundred |
miles from Augusta, brought a breach of |
promise suit for damages against quite |
wealthy gentleman who had been wooing her. |
She recovered $4,000 This became the founda-
ton of a large fortune. The lady had two |
brothers in ordinary circumstances, who We're |
employed by the day like thousands of other /
workmen. The brothers entered into business /