The Portland daily press., 1889-01-03
THE FIRST MEETING.
Proceedings of Yesterdays Session
of the Maine Lawmakers.
Especial TO the Press.


AUGUSTA, Jan. 2-The legislature assem-
bled in its first session this forenoon, at
o'clock, and the two houses were organized
One of the first and most impressive pro-
ceedings is the administration of the oath of
allegiance to both houses by the Governor
So long as he remains in private life the cti-
zens know as little about the oath of allegi-
ance by experience as he does of ancient
feudal duties. But so soon as he steps into
either legislative hall he finds that both the
| governments of the United States and the
State of Maine demand of him pledge that
he shall fulfill the duties of his office honest
| ly and inteligently. Governor Marble was
| informed this morning, when the houses
were ready, and to the members of each he
| administered the oath. 81 am now ready"
| he said, as he took his stand in the desk, 'to
administer to the members of this House
the oath required by the constitution. If
| there are any VINO have conscientious scru-
Piles against taking the oath, an opportunity
will be afforded them to affirm You will
now hold up your right hand and repeat, af-
ter me, the following oath:
l, John Smith, do swear that will support the
Constitution OF the United States. and of this
state, SO long as shall continue citizen thereof.
So help me God.
the best of my ability. the duties incumbent on
me as a member of this House, according to the
laws ana CONSTITUTION OF the state. SO help me
God.
Not only do members of both branches
take this oath orally, but they sign their
names to printed copy of it, aud these
copies are filed in the office Of the Secretary
of State.
There was one man in the House who de-
clined to take the oath, Representative Geo.
d. Cook of Charleston, in Penobsc0t county.
He is Friend, and was allowed to affirm.
Another interesting proceeding of the first
session is the lottery in which the members
of the House get their seats. Before the
drawing began, today. Representative 4. B.
Mallett, Of Freeport, arose in his seat and
moved that in consideration of the venerable
age and long services of each of the veterans
of the house, John G. Talbot of Machias
and William Dickey of Fort Kent, they be
allowed to select such seats as they might
chose before the others. The House voted
them the privilege, and Immediately Mr..
Talbot moved that like. courtesy be ex-
agreed to, and then on motion of Mr.. Looney
of Portland, Mr.. l.. A. Barker of Bangor
was accorded similar privilege because of
his poor health. Finally the courtesy was
also extended to Otis Kaler of Scarboro,
whose eyes are getting dim. though his
Democracy still retains the old SeOrborO fire.
All of the gentlemen chose seats in the front
row, Governor Robie saying as he
| sat in thirty years ago." The
drawing of the seats is always an interest
ing proceeding. 1t is the first time and Of
ten the only time when the new member
stands ON an equality with the old member,
when the man who is slow of speech has as
good or better chance than the orator of
hundred stumps. The drawing is by lot the
names of the members being called alpha
betically or the Portland members Mr..
Fogg, Mr.. Green and Mr.. Whitten were quite
fortunate, getting respectively Nos. 102, 107
| and 50, seats in the center of the House, a
little to the right of the center aisle and not
too far back. Mr.. Fogg's is within four
| seats of the front. Mr.. Green has the seat
occupied two years ago by Captain Ii. Ii.
| Shaw of Portland. Mr.. Looney was un-
| lucky with the lots, getting seat 134, in the
| very back row, the place usually left for one
| of the delegates from the Indian tribes. But
| Mr.. Looney very soon effected an exchange
| getting 103, seat just behind Mr.. FOgg's.
| The other Cumberland men had varied fort
| unes. Mr.. Murch of Baldwin, has seat 11S,
in the front and to the right. Mr.. Chaplin of
| Bridgton, is in 81, a back seat; Mr. Pummer
| of Brunswick, in "a, another back seat; Mr..
Dingley of Casco, in AZ, good front seat;
Mr.. Hamilton of Cumberland, in 147, a side
as well as back seat; Mr.. Mallett of Free
| port, is in "A. an admirable front seat Mr..
Lamb of Westbrook, has 1O4, a good seat
with Mr.. Looney; Mr.. Lombard of Wind
ham, has 80, back seat in the center of the
House; Mr.. Tilton of Cape Elz-
SSocsn' Socs Of the e SS Sne Occdped iae seat S1
by Mr.. Green of Portland; Mr.. Frank Of
Gray, has 135, has the front seat, occupied
| two years ago by Mr.. Looney of Portland;
and Mr., Poor of Sebago has 49, another front
seat. Other members have seats as follows:
| Mr.. Record of East Livermore. "a; Mr.. Clou-
tier of Lewiston, 70; Mr.. Wheeler of Farm
| ton is in 76; Mr.. Warren of Castine, in o.;
Mr.. Wiswell of Ellsworth, in 40; DIR. Grin
die Of Mt Desert. in 65: Mr.. .Manley. of lAu-
! gusta. in 81, a good front seat; Mr.. Heald of
Waterville, in 43; Mr.. Han o. Durrcfgn Of
Yassalboro, in 1i5; Mr.. ,Eels of Camden, in
12S; Mr.. Glover Of Rockland, in 62; Mr.. Bird
| of Rockland, in "a; Mr.. ingalls, of Washing
| ton, in GA; Mr.. Race of Boothbay, in 1913;
| Mr.. Turner of Somerville, is in IL Mr.
| Brooks of Westbrook, in 26; Mr.. Achorn of
| White6eld, in :; Mr.. Robinson of Oxford, in
| q, an excellent front seat; Mr. Curtis of
Paris, has II; Mr.. Fox of Porter, 70; Mr..
| Crosley of Arrowsic. 1877; Mr.. Wakefield of
Bath, 3; Mr.. Curtis of Perkins, 49, Mr.. Win
ter of West Bath, "a; Mr.. Goodwin of Skow-
hogan, sits in so, with Gov. Robie; Mr.. Cow
| ell of Berwick, in 101; Mr. Dame of Elliott,
in 40; Mr. Durham of Hollis, in 30; Mr..
Dane of Kennebunk, in 141 Mr.. Wentworth
| of K.ttery, in Sc; Mr.. Adams of Limerick, in
IA Mr.. Mitchell Of .Newfeld, in Sc; Mr.:
Parsonsfeld, in 81; Mr.. Clark of Saco, in
As; Mr.. Novel; of Sanford, in 6S; Mr.. Mar
shall of York, in 81. Mr.. Peakes of Dover,
got very bad back seat, but soon exchanged
for one in the front row.
Elections of Officers.
In the Senate the election of officers is a
mere matter of form as there are no Demo-
Gratis, and therefore no opposing candidates
The nominees of last nights caucus were
balloted for in order and elected, 2S votes to 0
in each case. Mr.. Lord, in taking his seat
briefly thanked the Senators and expressed
his appreciation of the honor conferred upon
him. The Senate was then ready for bust
hess. The Senate's officers are
.President-Henry Lord, of Bangor.
Secretary-C Charles w. ii den, of Hallowell.
Assistant Secretary Kendall NJ. Dunbar, of
Damariscotta.
MesseDger-C. ii. Lovejoy.
Assistant Messenger-E Il. NJ Wheeler
Folder-A. b. T. Chadbourne.
In the House the Democrats had been able
to muster enough members to nominate can
didates, so the baloting seemed less a matter
of form. The usual committee receiving and
counting the votes for Speaker, the result
was announced as follows:
Whole number of votes cast............143
Mr.. Dow, of Portland, had.......1l7
Mr.. OBrien, OF Thomaston, had. 26
and Mr.. Dow was declared elected Speaker.
|