The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-03-26
The GOVERNOR HAS SIGNED THE BILL
And the Secret Ballot Is the Law of
the State.
The Westbrook Railroad Bill Assigned
for Today.
The Bill for the Benefit OF the Iron
Hall Passed.
Especial to the Press.l

Especial TO the Press.l
AUGUSTA, March 25.-The bills relating tt
taxation do not encounter easy sailing. The
general tax bill has been recommitted. 1t:
friends apparently anxious to save wha
they can from the threatened wreck of the
measure. The bill creating board of state
assessors is anchored on the House table
waiting for the arrival of the resolve relat
ing to the valuation commissioners report
The other of these measures. that relating tC
the listing system, is also moored to the ia
BILE, this one being in the Senate.
The Hamilton trial begins Friday, and
will use up several days. Then everybody
will want to wind up affairs and 60 home
The prospect of the tax bills getting much
consideration does not seem to amount to
much.
In the House this forenoon, the general
tax DILL was taken from the table, the pend
bill as read yesterday by Mr.. Savage for the
bill as printed, the substitute baving been
prepared to correct some errors In the print
ed bill.
Mr.. Peaks of Dover thought it would be
hazardous to act on the substitute without
having 1t printed.
MIR. Dickey Of Fort Kent moved that the
bill be referred to the next legislature. He
said that during the next two years the peo-
pie of the state would have an opportunity
to examine the measure and determine what
they wanted.
Mr.. Merrill of st. Albans, a member Of
the special tax committee. spoke In favor OF
the bill. He referred to the demand OF the
farmers OF the state for changes in the laws
governing taxation.
Mr.. Stearns of Caribou favored Mr.. Dick
ey's motion.
Mr.. Savage of Auburn, said that the de-
mand for revision of the tax laws did not
come from the farmers alone. 1t was wide
spread expression OF the wishes OF the peo-
pie. BE had given some attention to tie
matter of taxation and knew that under the
present statute. injustice was being done. II
the bill was referred to the next legislature
as proposed, it would simply result in its ref
erence to committee who would Lave to go
over exactly the same ground as that trav-
ersed this winter by the committee which
had reported this bill. Mr.. Savage did not
wonder that the interests which now es-
capped taxation favored the reference of this
bill to the next legislature. That meant
that some of these interests which now en-
tirely escaped taxation would have two years
more of freedom. Mr.. Sabage said that this
legislature might refuse to act ON this sub
ject but there might be sent here power. the
strength of whose little finger should be
greater than the strength of the lions of the
present legislature.
Mr.. Hawes of Deering, hoped that the mo-
ti0n f0 refer to the next legislature would
not prevail. As he understood 1t, the substi-
tute simply corrected slight errors and did
not materially change the bill as printed.
Mr.. Peaks of Dover supported the motion
to refer to the next legislature. As the COM
mittee had seen fit to redraft an entire chap
ter of the Revised Statutes Mr.. Peaks did
not think that intelligent consideration could
be gwen the matter at this late hour In the
session. 1t took lawyers two years or more
to revise the statutes some years ago, now
this legislature was asked to revise whole
chapter in three or four days. If lawyers
could not understand this measure, which in
no less than eight instances violated the con-
stitution, Mr.. Peaks did not see how the
gentlemen of the House, who were not mem
bers of the legal profession, could do It,
Mr. Porter Of Bangor hoped the bill would
BE s sSs g TheTs ESpd 81
commission, which Mr.. Porter declared to
work outrageous injustice In several in
stances which he could point out. He
thought 1t the duty of the members of the
legislature to stay here and do the work for
which they were chosen.
Messrs. Hiscock of Wilton and Deering Of
Saco spoke briefly In support OF the consid-
Grafton of the measure.
Mr.; Noble Of Lewiston thought that the
bill should be referred in some way to secure
its more careful consideration.
Mr.. Drew of Fort Fairfield recommended
recommitting the bill in order that the com
mittee might report as amendments to the
present statute Its principal provisions.
Mr.. Chadbourne said If he voted as he felt
he should vote 81 don't know" He opposed
the recommittiIg of the bill and favored the
adoption of some plan, either by reference
to the next legislature or some other way
which would secure careful consideration
for the matter.
Mr.. Drew had moved that the bill be re
committed, and the vote was now taken or
toat motion. Mr.. Savage stated that he
hoped the friends of the bill would vote Il
recommit. The motion was carried, 81 to 63
and the bill was recommitted.
The tax committee met this afternoon ant an.
agreed to report so much of the general bill
as relates to railroads, street railways, sleep
ing cars, telegraph, telephone, express an(
insurance companies and savings and truS
institutions. The tax on dogs Is also re-
tanned. The section making changes in the
manner of collecting state and county take
will be reported as separte bill.
Religious Teaching at the Reform
School.
Mr. Chadbourne of Biddeford opened tn
second debate of the day insthe House afte
| the general tax bill was disposed of, speak
log in support of the bill relating to religious
| instruction in the Reform School. The bill
1
| and Penley, as a minority of the reform
| school committee, places the matter of relig
| ious instruction in charge of the govern0
| and council. Mr. ChadbOurne related how
| the matter was brought to his attention
while he was city marshal of Biddeford, b.
a Catholic priest who was denied the priv
| lege of going to the school to hear the con
| fessi0ns of the Catholic boys and c0nduc
| the services of his church. At that time
Mr.. Chadbourne wrote to the superintendent
of the school, and in reply received cop!
4utses ses By Laws Sovern ad sSs aSyn regon e tn
teaching in the school. One o
| the rules was that religious instruction
| should he non-sectarian. That might appl,
to differences between Presbyterians, Uni
| tarians and Methodists, but 1t did not appl.
| to the Catholic church. which had certail
| sential, and without which its priests could
| not perform what they believed to be thei
| duty. Mr.. Chadbourne said he was far fron
being Catholic, but he had great respec
for the Catholic clergy, whom be- believed t
be good men, and he knew that, the, teach
| ipgs of that church had a wonderful infiu
| ence for good, especially among the yOunge
members of the church. 1t was not a ques
tion of whether the belief of the Catholi
church was right Or wrong Itwas whethe
teachings. which Mr.. Chadbourne though
could certainly do no harm and might d
| much good. This was not the bill he wanted
but he advocated II, hoping that the Goyerno
and Council In whom 1t placed the power o
| deciding this question might be broader re
| minded than the trustees and the sunerin
tendent. Mr.. Chadbourne said that in hi
his opinion had the superintendent been
man of broader views this trouble woul
never had arisen.
Mr. Glidden Of Newcastle read from tn,
statutes and the bylaws of the school b
show that while the trustees were appointe,
and might be removed by the Governor AM
Council, they were given the MANAGEMENT O
the institution, this bill, therefore, being
violation of the law and system under whicI
the school has been operated. As to reli
gious instruction, the rules had been SO ar
mas of any particular church. Mr.. Glidde
referred to the bitter animosities which ha
arisen in the past, as history teaches. owe
religious questions. He believed that ther
was common ground on which all Cbri,
tans might meet to teach the great truth
of religion Just as he believed Democrat
and Republicans could throw aside the ali
tinctive creeds of their parties and agree O
the fundamental PRINCIPLES of good govern
ment. Mr.. Glidden hoped that nothing h
had said would mar the finer feelings of an
who heard his remarks.
| Mr.. Noble of Lewiston supported the bill
He claimed that the present method of co,
ducting the school was unconstitutional
that it denied freedom of religious instruc
Ion.
passage of the bill. He was not a Catboi
but mad lived among Catholics and ente,
trined high respect for them. They wel