The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-02-11
AUSTRALIAN BALLOT and BANK TAXES.
Savings Bank Men Tell the Commit
tee Some Facts.
Mr.. Manley Has an Entirely New
Ballot Scheme.
Some sharp SpeechmakIng on
the halnes Bill.
Especial to the Press.l

AUGUSTA, February 10.-The registration
bill Is now before the House, an attempt Il
recommit 1t to the committee on legal affair
having failed after an animated discussion
this morning. The House also voted to SC
amend the bill that 1t shall not go into effec
this year, which will be hailed with pleasurt
by those Democrats who say they are il
favor OF registration law, but do not want
to see 1t In operation as long as they car
postpone its coming.
The bill was taken from the table on mo
tion Of Judge Savage of Auburn and MIR
Noble Of Lewiston moved to amend 1t BY
providing that noue Of its provisions shal
apply to municipal election held on the first
Monday Of March. Mr.. Noble said tra the
short time now remaining before the firsl
Monday OF next month would prevent the
laws being operative at that time, but as
there had been feeling that the section Of
the cities with no election law at all, he had
introduced the amendment as a saving
clause.
Mr.. Chadbourne of Biddeford moved tc
amend the amendment by extending its pro.
visions so that the law shall apply to no mu
nicipal elections in 1891.
Mr.. Harrington of Norridgewock, said
that the bill had been so widely discussed
that he thought no argument on it necessary
at this time. 1t was measure designed tC
secure good and proper registration in cities.
He believed those cities had time enough to
put the law into effect before the next cleo
ti0n.
Mr.. White of Bangor, said that both par.
ties were satisfied with the present arrange
ment of revising the check lists in his city.
He was opposed to rushing measure OF this
kind through the House.
Mr. Chadbourne Of Biddeford, said that in
Offering his amendment he had been prompt
ed only by motives Of fairness. Had party
considerations been dragged In here he
would have been prevented by policy for of
that his party was the only pure one In his
city where party feeling ran high, but he
could take oath that it was not the only i'm
pure one. Mr.. Chadbourne said he was
heartily In favor Of bill to secure a better
registration, Dnt he did not believe that his
bill would accomplish what was claimed for
1t. he asked why, If the bill was not to
give somebody an advantage, 1t was to be
rushed through here Mr.. Chadbourne said
that he was member OF the Democratic
party because he believed that party to be
right His friends on the other side were
members of the Republican party because
they believed that party to be right. He
wanted no advantage for his party. II it
itcould not win by fair means let 1t go down,
but he appealed to the members of the House
to ask themselves If it was right and fair to
rush this bill through In the hasty manner
proposed.
Mr.. Porter of Bangor, from bis reading of
the bill, said that as ne figured up the time
necessary to put it into operation, the day of
its becoming effective might be postponed to
day or two later in the month to make 1t
apply to any municipal election to be held in
that month.
Mr.. Archibald of Houlton said that as he
understood it, the amendment Of the gentle
m an frn Lou ulcfn xuQc % ot~iyr ar
clause to prevent the repeating Of the present
law before the bill went into effect Ii the
gegtleman from Bangor was right, Mr.. Arch
ibald did not see why the amendment of the
gentleman from BiddeGord was not also
saving clause.
Mr.. Chadbourne's amendment to the
amendment was then adopted, 81 to 81, and
the question recurred on the amendment Of
fered by Mr.. Noble, as amended. This was
adopted, "a TO 80.
Mr. Noble of Lewiston explained his votA.
He said hat he had voted against Mr.. Chad
b0urne's amendment but the House had not
agre ed with him and it then became his duty
as he looked upon the question to vote yes on
the main amendment.
Judge Savage of Auburn said that he had
this morning submitted to several gentlemen
interested in this bill a number of amend
ments. He believed In a registration law
but did not think the present bill one which
would In all respects meet the requirements.
the principle Of the bill; the others related
to its details. As he believed that the
changes could be made better in committee
than In the House, aud for this reason Judge
Savage moved that 1t be recon hitted to the
committee on legal affairs.
Mr.. Noble of Lewiston opposed the mo-
tion Of Mr.. Savage. He said that this was
not new measure. A similar bill had been
introduced here six years ago, another had
been introduced by the father of the present
h ftrrsn htnl. haA hrnw
ed and dssected, and finally. laid over with
out action. Mr.: Noble believed that the
members of the House were Informed In the
matter and wanted the bill passed. He was
afraid, however. that 1t might be put off so
long that when it did finally come In here it
without becoming law.
Mr.. Chadbourne of BiddefOrd thought
that the gentleman from Lewiston hit wide
of the mark. Mr.. ChadbOurne believed that
majority of the members of the House
wanted such measure as this to become a
law, but be thought there was an honest diff
ference of opinion though, as to the pro Wis
ions of the bill Mr.. Chaobourne said that
he did not know how the dear people of his
city would look on his position, but he
thought he had Independence enough to
stand alone If necessary. He believed in
such a bill, but thought the present form
should be amended and that the bill should
go to the committee again.
Mr.. Peaks of Dover, said that as he had
once before stated during this session, he
came from rural district and he had no in
terest In elections In cities other than that
they should be fair and honest. But he
found that this bill had been before the leg
islature for month already. 1t had been
endorsed by the committee and the Senate.
The House In accepting the report of the ma
jority OF the committee had added their as
sent. Now the House asked to recommit the
bill. 1t seemed to him that such request
meant that the committee, the Senate and
the House In their previous action had not
known what they did want. Mr.. Peaks be-
lieved that there was motive behind this
demand. He asked what that motive was.
He thought that the amendments should be
made here.
Judge Savage. in reply to the gentleman
from Dover, said be wanted to say that he
was in favor Of this bill and If the House so
decided he would offer his amendments in
committee of the whole. but he believed that
the bill could be better amended In commit
tee.
Mr.. Noble of Lewiston, asked where the
gentleman from Auburn had been since JAN
uary l6, when this bill was introduced. The
gentleman from Biddeford was also a little
captious and eloquent 10 his sarcasm. Mr..
Noble thought that If this course was pur-
sued the legislature might stay here until
,Iaerlel blew his horn without passing the
Mr.. Harrington opposed the recommitment
OF the Dill. Bills were generally recommit-
ted that amendments offered to them might
be harmonized. In this case he saw no ne
cessity for such a course.
Mr.. Callahan of Lewiston wants tho hill
to conform more closely to the Massachu etts
law which provides for boards of four mem
bers, two from each party. Mr.. Callahan
favored the motion to recOmmit
Mr.. White OF Bangor also favored the mn
tion, believing that such course would tend
to FASTENED by giving the House time tn dis
cuss other matters while this was being
amended In committee.
Mr.. Savage's motion was voted down. "a IN
Ga, SO the bill comes up again tomorrow
morning. In the meantime an opportunitv v
has been given to those members who have
amendments to propose to have them
printed
At the State College.
Mr.. Giindle, for the committee on tho
State College, reported resolve appronriat +.
ing S24, 500 for the years 1891 and 1890 of
which $4,000 Is to be used to build a new
building in place of Wingate Hall. which
was destroyed by fire; $500 to erect a fonn.
dry; S2500 for a dairy building; $500 for q
tool shed $1,000 for stand pipe for ire nro-
lection hose and carriage $500.
To Protect Minority Stockholders.
Mr.. Mallet of Cumberland, presented a
bill In the Senate today in relation To The
minority stockholders of the Boston g.
Maine and certain other railroad cornora.
tions. 1t provides that the act RELATING m
the Boston & Maine railroad, annroveJ
March 16, 1887, shall be modified SO that anv