The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-08
YESTERDAYS DOINGS AT AUGUSTA.
EIIhu Stevens, Ioi Years Old, Pays
the House Visit.
FortnIghtIy Payments and the state
System Of Taxation.
Reports on the Ballot Reform Bill
Presented In the House.
Especial to the Press, /,


AUGUSTA, Feb. There was a scene In
the House this forenoon that made Major
| Diekey, Uncle Otis Kaler and the sage of
East Machias feel like boys. and clearly
shattered the reputation of the Democratic
party for patriarchs. About 1l.30 o'clock
this forenoon Mr.. Manley of Augusta arose
In his place and announced that the vener-
able Elihu Stevens of Belgrade, who is one
hundred and one years old, has lived under
every presidential administration, and was
man in his prime when Maine became a
separate State, was present in the hall. Mr..
Manley thought ii appropriate that theHouse
should adjourn and shake hands with the
aged man. The House at once adjourned,
and the members crowded around the short.
white haired. but yet quite erect old man,
who entered into the spirit of the occasion
with more zest than one would suspect could
survive the frosts of a century. After
score or more members had shaken his hand
he turned to Mr.. Manley and said:
II hope these are all Republicans
he was assured that they were. but the
next instant one was ushered along who an
nounced himself Prohibitiohist. He was
greeted with broad smile that showed that
the old gentleman thinks the Third party the
greatest joke in a century.
Mr.. Stevens has had twenty-one children,
twenty Of whom lived to mature age, and
fifteen of whom were boys. One of Mr..
Stevenss sons, who was there, said that
about year ago his fathers direct descend
ants numbered three hundred and nineteen.
Since that time several great-grandchildren
had been born, and there had been few
dnAft he had t..aE tAr <tra
next census would show.
After the House came to order the old gen.
tleman was invited to occupy the Speakers
big stuffed chair, where he listened with evil
dent interest to the debate on the fortnight
ly payment bill, new tangled notion that
was never heard of in his day.
The FortnlghtiY Payment Bill.
The bill to amend the fortnightly payment
law SO that 1t shall apply to firms. as well as
corporations, failed in the Senate yesterday,
on its passage to be engrossed, by a vote of
20 to Q. In the House this forenoon Repre-
sentative Hugh Gordon Of st. George. called
the bill up, and he and Mr.. Looney and Mr..
Eels of Camden favored It, Messrs. Engel,
Of Bangor, Sprague of Dexter, Dickey of
Fort Kent, Barnham of Hollis Burleigh of
Vassalboro, and Perkins Of Bradley opposed.
The opponents of the bill argued that it
would be practically impossible for the lum-
bering firms Of the State to pay fortnightly.
Major Dickey said the tramps in the State
were so thick that money could not be got
inlo the woods safely, and Hall G. Burleigh
said there would have to be national banks |
on Dead river il the bill should become a
law Mr.. Perkins of Bradley, In the course
Of the speech. gave the interesting fact that
he had been lumberman for ffty-three
years, and that this session of the legislature
was the first vacation he had had in all that
time. The bill was defeated by the house
In concurrence with the Senate.
Our Tax system.
Senator Haines of Waterville, has intro
duced and had referred to the judiciary COM
mittee an order which he hopes may bring |
about great change in the present methods |
of taxation. He says in relation to it, "The |
present laws In regard to taxation have been |
made from time to time and are consequently |
unjust and unequal, and often indefinite.
Farm property and real estate is unjustly |
taxed and some steps should be taken to fol- |
low out the recommendations of the Gov |
ernor's message. In relation to corporations |
corporations. National banks are complain |
ing, also savings banks. There is also a |
general complaint among business men; as
well as an acknowledged injustice to the |
farmers and real estate owners. Everyone |
will admit that the poor man pays more tax |
in proportion to his possessions than the |
rich. But there Is as much dissatisfaction |
among the business men and the wealthy |
classes aside from the railroads, perhaps,
which pay only nominal tax, and certain |
favored Corporations like insurance COM
panies, All this shows that the laws which |
make up the tax system need revision, In |
order TO make this revision SO that all the |
interests of the State may be made to bear
a inc m rd Md Af lab
will be required and no legislative commit |
tee can do 1t. Hence have presented this
resolve which explains itself.
'Resolyed That the governor be and hereby is,
by and with the consent of the council authorized
aud empowered TO appoint commission consist |
ing of three persons whose duty it shall be to in.
qnire intoihe system adopted by other States to |
penses and to provide for a more equal just and |
equitable system of taxation, of all kinds of prop
~ ,ns o fs bsa q saH state
ter adapted 10 the wants Of this State and reduce
the rate OF taxation of the people; and to provide
nent and collect on of taxes in this State; said |
commissioners TO be paid from any money in the |
state treasury not Otherwise Appropriated, such
Governor and Council and for necessary clerk |
hire and incidental expenses and to report to the
of October, A, ID, 1890; and that the governor |
shal cause their report to be printed and distrb
u.ed at the States expense three copies Of which
Der OF the present legislature to their proper
idence ;and one thousand copies of said report
shall be provided for the use of the next legisla
ture Of this State"
d. 1t is said that prominent judges in Maine,
both of Supreme and Superior Courts, the
Attorney General and other prominent men
favor this movement Mr.. Haines thinks 1t
Is the duty of the Republican party to give
the people some wholesome legislation in
this line.
The Ballot Reform BiII.
The majority and minority reports on the
ballot reform bill were made in the House
today and the bill was laid on the table to
be printed, two amendments having been
made, one to allow any party having one
per cent Of the total vote Qnstead Of three to
have the names of its candidates printed on
the ballot and the other to have two ballot
clerks appointed for the island district in the
town Of Cumberland. The majority report
which is against the bill, was signed by
Senators Wright, Ryder and Haines and
Representatives Sprague, Warren and Madi-
gan. The minority report which fayors the
bill is signed by Representatives Looney,
Purnton, Dane and Clason. Mr.. Clason ex-
plains that he is In favor Of applying the bill
only to large towns and cities. As soon as
day assigned, probably some day next week,
for discussion.
Bangor Wants the Capital.
Mr.. Barker of Bangor presented today the
following order which shows that the people
Of the east think the capital should be re-
tn1 f~,s. A..w