The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-02-20

there was no objection to making good law
of general application Mr.. Goodwin made
the speech of the day, an eloquent and logi-
cal exposition of one of the needs of the
school system of the State; and he was re-
warded with the applause of the House, re-
ward rarely earned in the discussion of edu-
catlonal questions, which are Considered dry
Hon. E. L. Paltangall Of Pembroke next
levelled a sharp lance against the bill. he
dwelt at length upon the sanitary side of the
question. He said there was danger in
handing old school books from family to
family, as would be done under the town
| system, and he read able authority on sani-
tary matters to sustain this position. He
furthermore discussed fully and entertain
| ingly the general features Of the question,
enlarging upon the propriety of letting the
towns act for themselves In this matter.
| Mr.. Taylor OF Unity, next spoke briefly in
opposition to the bill. giving conservative
view on the question.
| Mr.. Clason of Gardiner, who is one of the
younger men Of the House who are earning
their spurs as speakers, followed with a
| strong presentation of the other side. He
| brought out the applause of the House, and
| did the bill a good turn, and levelled some
| hard blows at the school book trust" which
| he said interfered altogether too much in the
affairs of the people Of Maine.
Messrs. PattaDgall and Warren then spoke
briefly.
Mr.. Talbot of East Machias, argued the
case on Democratic principles. The legisla-
| ture was not guardian of the people, Mr..
Talbot made very strong presentation OF
On yea and nay vote the House passed
the bill LOG to 20. MeSsrS. Looney and
Green voted yea aud Whitten and Fogg nay.
Mayor Chapman, who witnessed the de-
bate, said in his opinion that If the bill be-
came law 1t would cost Portland $4,000
next year to buy books for its ten thousand
school children.
The War Adjutant General.
The following resolve brings up one of the
questions resulting from the war General
Hodsdon, who now resides in Bangor was
the adjutant general of Maine during the
war. The resolve is as follows:
Resolce IN fdvor Of General John L. Hodsdon
Resolved, That the treasurer of State be directed
TO pay John L. Hodsdon five Thousand three
hundred thirty-three dollars and eighty-one cents
the same being additional pay for services rem
dered as adlutant general, ,paymaster general,
and quartermaster general of Maine, from Janu-
ary lst 1851, TO January 1st, 1865, such service
having been rendered in enrolling arming, cloth
ing, supplying, paying. and transporting Maine
recslon against the United States in the war Of
1851.
General John l.. Hodsdon served as adju-
tant general of the State from 1861 to 1865
inclusive, and during those years was also
eral, and by virtue of an act of Congress
approved July 81, 1861, the general govern
ment, under the provisions of this act, upon
proper presenta tion of the claim with
vouchers, has reimbursed the several States
for moneys paid out as compensation for
services redenred by such officers, at the
rate of $1,000 per annum. the State first pay
ing for such services. General Hodsdon re-
ceived from the State during the above
named period the following sums for serv-
ices as paymaster and quartermaster general,
VIZ; VIZ; For services from 1861 to 1862, S2,716.25;
1868 to 1864, S3,1S0.00; 1865 to 1866, S2,517.50;
making total of $S,4l3.75, and leaving a
balance due Gen. Hodsdon, based upon the
compensation allowed by the general govern
ment, OF $5,S33Sl. The claim against the
general government for services thus rend-
dered amounts to about 13,S00.00, for which
the State should and no doubt will be rem-
bursed, provided the balance due General
Hodsdon for the services thus rendered be
fully paid to him by the State. So it is urged
that by paying this claim of Gen. Hodsdon
the, State will be really about $4,000 in
pocket, II the general government allows the
claim.
Democrats of Yore and Their Bibles.
Major Dickey never tires of talking of Ed
ward Kavanagh. When Kavanagh had been
elevated to the governorship by the election
OF John Fairfield to the United States Sem
ate, there was movement among some of
his friends to re-elect him. The Democratic
conyention-Both Dckey and Kayanagh
were Democrats in those days-met that year
in Bangor. 81 was them" says the Major
"a resident of Kennebec county, where there
were several of us who wanted to nominate
Kavanagh. Those were in the days before
railroads and we started for Bangor in our
teams. The first night we put up at tavern
on the Dixrnont Hills. There were scor es Of
teams and lots of Democrats there. OF
course there was considerable to take too. In
the course of the evening those of us who
were friends of Kavanagh began to sound
the delegates. Well, during all the years
since have never failed to laugh when /
have recalled the answers we got that might
from those Democrats. Nominate Kava-
naghP said they with hands appraised. why
ne Is Catholic, and If we should make hi m
Governor the Catholics would burn up all
our Bibles Burn up their Bibles! those
into another fit of laughter at the old story
that has pleased him and ey eryone else for
40 years.
Eastern Railroad Matters.
Before the railway committee this after
noon there was hearing on the petition for
amendments to the charters of the Penobscot
and Eastern railroads to enable the former
to cross the Bangor q Piscataquis near Milo,
and run nearly parallel to the K. /. w. R. R.
now leased TO the B. & P.) up to the Can
adian Pacific, and to enable the Castine road
to lease the Penobscot Central, and thus
gain a connection with the q. P. R. R. Hon.
d. F. Davis appeared for the Penobscot Cen
trail, Representative Warren for the Castine
road, and President Nealley and George P.
Stetson, Esq, for the Bangor & Piscataquis,
to object to the crossing of the B. & p. and
the parallelling of the B. & K. L. w. r. r.
The Castine Railroad Company also ask
right to go from Brewer to Oldtown.
The Crow Sill.
The Senate this forenoon voted to insist on
its course in putting price on the head of
the sparrow, and Senators Libby, Heath and
Walton were appointed conference commit
tee to meet committee of the House.