The Portland daily press., 1885-03-05
FROM AUGUSTA.
The New Temperance Bill Discuss
ed in the House
The Peoples Ferry Company Bill
Signed by the Governor.
Act incorporating the Maine Benefit AS
sOciatiOa Given Passage.
Special to the Press.

any judge OIL PROBATE Shall refuse or unreason- i
| ably delay the appointment of an adminisra-
| tor upon the estate of any person deceased, up
on due application, an application may be
| made to the Supreme Court sitting in the
county where the person deceased had his resi-
dence at the time of his DEATH or to any Judge
thereof, for such appointment, and the court
or such judge shall have the same power to APP
point an administrator as the court now has
CAPE ELIZABETH RAILWAY
Mr.. Staples of Cape Elizabeth, introduced a
substitute bill in reference to the Cape Eliza
beth Railway Company, which adds to the in
corporators F. II. Hartford and G. E. Staples Of
Cape Elizabeth, and provides for the compile
ton Of the road before March 1st, 1887.
THE PEOPLES FERRY.
The Peoples Ferry Company bill has finally
passed and been signed by the Governor.
MPRIsoNMENT FOR DEBT.
In the Senate, the question Of substituting
tho minority for the majority report On the
proposition to abolish Imprisonment for debt,
was discussed. Messrs. Lebroke, Ray and ST.
monitor for the minority, and Cole and Lum-
bert for the majority, spoke on the bill. The
bill accompanied the minority report, and pre-
poses to abolish imprisonment for debt except
in cases of fraud, etc. Mr.. Ray said that
while We have the gibbet standing, he wished
to be recorded as desirous of taking one step
forward, viz: Abolishing the debtors' prison.
The motion to substitute was lost by vote of
II to 8.
Mr. Hale of Portland, introduced in the
House today, the following bill, which is the
result OF lengthy discussion by the judiciary
committee yesterday. 1t is intended to reach
that class of transient traders who are danger
GUS competitors to the established firms, and
are causes of complaint, especially in Portland:
An act for the protection of legitimate trade.
1.-Any person who shall bring into this State
stock of goods wares or merchandise after the LIST
day of April, and shall lease hire or occupy apy
store, shop or room for the sale thereof and shall
continue such sale in such town or city for space
OF time less than one year. shall pay to the treasur
er OF such town or city, for the of such town or
city as license for such sale. SUM equal to the
percentage at the last preceding taxation in such
townsor city, to be assessed upon such stock of
goods, wares and merchandise, according the aV-
erage quantity of such goods wares and merchan-
disc so kept for sale.
2-If such stock of goods wares or merchandise
remain in such town or city after the first day
of April following, thus being liable to ordinary
taxation, such amount of license provided in sec.
OF this act, shall be refunded by the treasurer at
TIE time OF the payment OF the ordinary taxes on
said goods, wares and merchandise.
Amy persons having such goods. wares and
merchandise for sale, as herenbefore provided
shall, upon request ST the assessors render to hem
true statement of the average quantity aud value
OF such goods, wares and merchandise, kept for
sale in the manner and for the time mentioned in
sec. of this act.
4-Refusal to comply with the provisions of the
foregoing sections of this act shall be punished by
hue of not less than five dollars nor more than
twenty dollars for each and every day such goods,
wares or merchandise are exposed for sale.
MISCELLANEOUS.
The State tax for 1856 amounts to $780,
399.1S fer each year.
A bill vas reported in the House in relation
to the superintendent of school money, which
provides that money apportioned to districts
formed from two or more towns shall not be di-
minished.
The bill to abolish the Office Of school super
visor was indefinitely postponed in the House.
THE TEMPERANCE BILL.
The temperance bill was debated at length
in the House today Mr.. Halls of Portland,
opposed the measure. He took the ground
that prohibition was as much the settled poll
cg Of the State as the tariff Ia Pennsylvania.
The Republican party was fully committed to
prohibition. Further legislation is not called
for, and has not been asked for by lea ling pro-
hbitionists. What there is new in the bill was
bad and uncalled for; what there is good in the
bill is old.
Gen. Mattocks also opposed the bill. He
said that the liquor law had already received
forty amendments, and that he would favor
any necessary amendments which aimed at
more vigorous enforcement of this or any other
statute. It is claimed by the advocates, and
generally admitted by the opponents OF these
amendments that vigorous enforoementof
the Maine law has already practically stopped
the illegal sale of Intoxicating liquors in our
country towns. II is sslt-evident to ali who
care to investigate the subject, that the failure
to enforce the law in the cities is the cause of
the continuance of this illegal traffic in the
Cities While he recognized prohibition as the
settled policy of the Republican party, and was
willing to carry ont the principle in good faith,
he would yet remind the gentlemen Of the
House that there are esxtsin members of the
Republican party Who use the Maine law as a
hobby horse, and certain prohibitionists who
use the Republican party as tool. For this
reason it was wise to examine the proposed
amendments with view to ascertain whether
they really tended to repress an admitted OWL
or simply to crafty the wishes OF certain
individuals who, without examination OF cause
or effect, believe that the increasing OF penal
ties OF an nnsnioTced law will, in some myste-
rious manner, suppress crime which has here
tofore been allowed to go unchecked, simply
bec&use the officers of the law, or those behind
them, have not cared to have the law enforced.
He concluded by declaring that he would nei
ther create any new crimes in the matter of
li0unr cn11ino ipo of
penalties until ne had once seen the present
law vigorously and impsrtially enforced, and
declared that his position was in accord with
many Of the best temperance men 10 the
State.
The bill now goes back to the Senate. 1t is
highly probable that it will Sdie between both
branches.
THE APoTHECARIEs' BILL.
The apothecaries' bill was discussed in the
House. DR.. Thayer, who was opposed to it,
made an eloquent and strong speech while
Mr.. Barton of Naples defended the bill in
very jealous and vigorous manner. The bill
was indefinitely postponed-74 yeas, 40 rays.
MISCELLANEOUS.
At the evening session OF the Senate the act
Incorporating the Maine Benefit Association
was given passage.
The news that Congress had placed Gen.
Grant on the retired list was received by both
branches Of the Legislature with the most
vigorous clapping of hands.
Resolve providing for the purchase of the
Maine State Year Book passed both branches.
U. S. SENATORSHIPS.
The Situation in Illinois Unchanged.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL.,, March Am the joint
session OF the Legislature today. Speaker
Haines ohanged from Morrison and yoLad for