The Portland daily press., 1885-01-23
Senator Young's Bill Relating to
Savings Banks.
An Important Constitutional Question
Raised by the Boston 6 Maine Ex-
press Company Bill.
Report of the Committee to Elk
anime the State Treasurer's
Accounts.
Important Hearings Before Committees
and Other Matters.
Especial to the Press J

while the Senate had more matters brought to
their attention than any previous day of the
session.
Senator Young of Cumberland introduced a
bill to amend the banking law, so as to allow
savings banks to make investments in the first
mortgage bonds of any water company in this
State actually engaged in supplying, to every
city or town having not less than 450O in
habitants, water for domestic use and for the
extnguishment of fires.
Representative Heath's bill, that he intro.
duced 10 the House relating to insolvency, re-
quires sssignees to have property Of estates
appraised aud invested, with returns precisely
as now required in estates of deceased persons.
Mr.. Littlefeld of Rockland introduced in
the House bill for the speedy taxation of
costs in civil cases. 1t provides that after
fnal Judgment if the prevailing party fails to
cause the bill of costs to be taxed and iudg-
ment entered up within fifteen days of final
judgment, the other party may make written
application to the clerk to have the costs taxed,
and if the prevailing party fails ton days after
notice, the clerk taxes upon memoranda or
file; provides for deposit to the amount of
the judgment in currency with clerk in dis
charge of the judgment.
The bill introduced in the Boase relating to
qualifications of justices of the peace, simply
provides for the perpetuation of lists of JUS
tioes whose commissions are ia force and
having the reports sent by Secretary of State
bound and filed by the Clerk of Courts.
A compromise having been effected there
will be no legislation to abolish the Kennebec
dam.
The bill to incorporate the Boston & Maine
Express Company raises an important con-
stitutional question. A late amendment to
the Constitution forbids the Legislature to
create corporations by special charters when
the objects can be accomplished under the
general law. The object of this amendment is
to put corporations on an equality, and pre-
vent the grant of special and unusual privi-
leges and powers. Express companies can be
organized under the general law, and it is
claimed that the grant of special charter, as
asked for in this case, would be unconstitu-
tional. 1t is understood that the American
Express Company do not object to an equality
of privileges, but are opposed to certain fea-
lures of this bill in the nature of special and
UAucGal Sfdutss LILO pkUNl5lOuS VI tl6 bukEu
sectioa Of this bill are of interest to railroads,
SIS they attempt to fix the rates on which rail-
roads stall do business with express COM
panies, and introduce the pro rata principle,
which forms a prominent feature of the
Reagan interstate commerce bill now before
Congress.
Several years ago, the Legislature voted to
give the Maine Central Institute at Pittsfeld,
the interest on $4,000 until 1885, If certain
conditions were complied with, and at the ex-
piration of that time the institution would be
entitled to the principal. These conditions
have been met, and the Institution ia now en-
titled to the money.
The committee appointed to make their ex-
animation of the accounts Of the State Treas
rrer for TIE year ending Dec. 81, 1884,
made their report today to the Governor and
Council The committee say the amount of
cash on hand at the close of the year was
1892, ,319.41 of this sum, $178 ,071.75 was on de.
poSit in sound and reliable banks within the
State, and in the Suffolk National Bank, Bos-
ton. The State receives interest on the depos-
its in banks out Of the State. The revenue
from that source last year amounted to So. .254.
The committee, in compliance with the law,
destroyed by burning, all coupons paid by the
State Treasurer on account of the public debt,
during the year 1884, amounting to the sum of
S166 287 SO, as charged on his booke, exclusive
of $l499l6, interest paid on registered bonds,
vouchers for which were on file in his office.
The committee also destroyed, by burning, in
the presence of the Treasurer, the bonds of the
State paid, and those received during the year,
amounting to the sum of $454 900. OF that
amount $51 900 was the renewal of the war
loan, and due Aug. 18th, 1884, and $4l3 900
were coupons aud registered bonds received by
the Treasurer for transfer and reissue. A GER
tifcate Of their destruction and the number of
each bond destroyed was filed with the State
Treasurer, in compliance with law.
The sinking fund account, which ia repre-
ser ted on the books of the Office as amounting
to 81. S26 200. was found correct. The securi-
ties in which the sinking fund is invested were
examined and found to agree with the Treas
urer's statement of that fund.
The committee find the trust funds in the
hands of the treasurer deposited by the Union
Mutual Life Insurance Company" rs required
by chap. 4s. sec. 81 of the R. S., Cor the bene-
fit of all policy holders in said company.
amounting to the sum of 100000, and the
same is invested in United States registered
bonds. They also find in charge of the Treas
urer trust funds held for the benefit of the Ag-
lirultural College, amounting to the sum Of
$118, 800 invested in State of Maine bonds.
The books OF the department are neatly and
accurately kept, and the papers and vouchers
pertaining to the business of the Office were
properly filed and numbered.
The commissioners were William W. Boil
ster. G. @. Cornish, Rufus Prince, John L.
Hodsdon and Fred Ritchie.
COMMITTEES MEETINGS.
The Judiciary committee gave special hear
ing on A. W. Paine's bill to provide for voting
by proxy at public elections. Mr. Paine spoke
at length aud made plausible argument on
the merits of his bill. The constitution pro-
vides that every male citizen shall vote if be
possesses the requisite qualifications, and yet
by the statutes none are allowed to exercise
the elective franchise without they are presen t
at the polls. Those who are sick, disabled,
or who are prevented from going to the ballot
box from other causes are disfranchised. He
did not think this was right. When he
lay sick once. he could have written his check
and boy could have gone to the bank and got
the money on il. Why, then, should he be
disallowed to send his vote to the polls by
another person in the same way? We all serve as
proxies in various kinds of business aud shall
not sick and disabled voters have the same
right? Mr.. Paine urged the benefits sccruing
from his measured and showed the objects OF the
elective franchise 1t would save great expense.
1t would prevent bribery and fraud. There
was no danger of forgery. II the exercise OF
this new blessing could be safely executed it
would be great advantage to have it passed.
1t was not in the interest of any political par
ty. Only one class would oppose it and that
class is those who are opposed to closing the
avenues of fraud, bribery and corruption. Il
his law was passed there might be occasional
evils, but they will be nothing as compared