Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1891-03-28

FRIDAY, March u, 1891.
Senate called to order by the Presiden
Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Leland Of Al
gussa.
Al Journal Of yesterday read and spprovei
j HousB MATTERS.
Remonstrsnce Of II. L. Wooster and S
others OF Sullivan against valuation Of "a.
! town - made by the State valuation com
mission, came from the House referred {
the committee on valuations and that com
mittee having reported, Mr.. Wilbur o
Franklin moved the Remembrance lie on tn
table.
READ Oscs; ToMoRRow ASSIGNED.
An act TO amend chapter 3e3 Of .h,
Public Lave Of 1889 relating to labor.
An sas TO incorporate the Oxford Centrs
Telephone and Telegraph Company. Or
motion by Mr.. Swantoa Of SsgsdAhoc lait
On the table to be printed.
Ansct TO incorporate the Islesboro, North
port and Belfast Telegraph and Telephcn,
Company. On motion by Mr.. Moore o.
Cumberland, laid on the table to be printed
pending first reading.
An scs to provide for sch %! committe;
in the city of Bath came from the House
passed to be eDgrossed, without reference
to committee. On motion by Mr.. Swan
ton Of Sagadahoc, laid on the table to bt
printed.
Majority and minority reports of commit
tee on ways and bridges relating to Oldtowr
bridge comes from the House, mnorii,
report substituted as the report of tha com
mittee, ard bill as amended, passed to b,
engrossed. On molten by Mr.. Nash o
Washington the Senate non-concurfed with
the House, ard accepted the ma jcrity repor
Of the committee. Subee equently or
motion by Mr.. Thatcher of Penobsct, .hs
Senate reconsidered its action and the re.
ports were laid on the table and Tuesday
IL A. NJ assigned.
Mr.. Ryder OF psnobscot offered the fol.
lowing amendment to rule in the rules OF
procedure in the mstter Of Charles S Ham,
ilton. Amend SO that said rule shall read
mo person shall be admitted to the fl DOR
of the House except members OF the con.
vention, parties, counsel. Witnesses, re.
porters for the press, and officers for both
branches, except by order Of the President
OF the Senate and Speaker of the House.
Amendment adopted.
On motion by Mr.. Powers of Aroostook
the action Of the Se"ate whereby Senate
document 229, bill al ct for the more per-
feet collection Of taxes was passed to be
engressed, was recon.i'e.ed, and the same
senator moved to amend.
Mr.. Haines of Kennebec-I have an
amendment to off.r TO this bill. wish TO
offer in its place r substitute for section @
which i. to amend section 90 of chapter 6
of the Revised Statutes providing for lists
of taxable property and the provision that
is in the bill before you, Senate Document.
229, provides = penalty for neglecing TO
comply With the provisions of section So
When this mater came up yesterday
indicated some surprise that the substitute
was to go along without any discussion or
con'idetstiou i'll so important mater 50
what is known ss the listing system. The
senator from Aroostook has very wisely
offered an amendment which pats q
system into tie bill. But thee is
nothiog in this bill tina. l cap zee
which requires any person to make any list.
If it can be shown how any tax psyer of
the State is compelled t. return lit Of
his property, / will be conten. with ths BILL
| propose 10 amend section 80 by leaving
the sniPndmeEr oil red by the senator from
Aroos.rok to follow these words: Each
person or corporation liable to taxation in
this State. shall, on or before April lat of
| each year, return full and complete list
Of all their taxable property upon said
blank lists to tie assessors Of the respective
ciiiss, towns and plantations in wbicb they
have legal residence | w2at it stated
so that there shall be no question about il
| believe il there is one thing Of inpo,-
tsnce in this agitation of tax reform before
the Legislature today, it is the question of
a listing system, aud if we go back to our
| constituents without providing what shall
be an sbsolute listing system, l do. 70.
| believe we are gciog to sa;i,ty the people
of Maine. II we fail to introduce listing
| system that shali cal cut for purposes o:
tsxation the hidden property of this State,
the money that is 10 notes ard mortgages
and otherwise concealed in every city ard
town of this State, we shalt fail to sitisiy
/ our constituents. just go long a. you fail
TO tax this money at interest, Just so long
you o fer premium to capital to seek 1 sort
Of secIu'iou. l say it is all nonsense TO
adopt the provisions tfrsred by the senator
from Aroostook unless you require tha.
these lists shsll be returned.
| Mr.. Powers of Aroostook-Undet this
bill as it stands, if any man returns Iist
| hS ihusL tttNiAi ~ Shths II GC hNSe
not return il the assessors under fee or i'm
! pIi,oHment must ascertain the amount of
bis tsxable property, ard for the purpose OF
ascer,ainiDg they can summon that man,
whether he returns list or does
1T. before Them snd compel him to answer
all inresrogstories in regard to his property
which lie muss answer under penalty OF q ne
or imprisonment, ;,he must answer correctly
u5der the penalty which attaches TO per-
| jury, the same as he must make bis list 7
think there will be found in it all that is
nece ssa,y fer the enforcement Of the lsw
which seeks the collection of tsxss from
all taxable property. Il seems to me The
til for PRACTICAL purposes is in IFS best
form at the present time, and trust the
amendment offered by the senator from
Kenbebec will be voted down.
Mr.. Spear of Keune bsc-I have given
a very large part of my time a. this
session to this question. and 30 not pre-
ter d that any Law which VIZ may have made
csbuos be bette.ej, but do pretend that
the law which has been presented to this
Legislature through this committee and
| tbrt ugh the commission which wss created
two years ago is not an agrsfisn attack
and for one stand hare in my pisce and
protest against III, operations which have
been carried on here during this session to
prevent any possible l. gisstion which might
80 tauphold the expression Of the people.
believe We should &C: houes,ly and square ly
with the people of the Safe and not give
| them a stone when they ssk for bread q. in
my judgment is being attempted in trying
I'D compromise on this bill before the SEN
ate. do not believe the Legislature oil
Msine should be srsyed to and fro by
combinations Of men who sit upon tai:
floor attacking every measure which
in the least troubles their inter,
eats or in the least goes to
relieve the people Of or equalizs taxation
We have attempted legislation Of one kind
and smother this winter ard there hai
swoored down on the Legislature like vul-
lures around eres.s lobby lists who have
been aert BY the money power to deprive
the State of legislation which would in the
least interfere with their actions ] an
not hare to oppose any corporation or rail
road am TO prophet or son cf prophet
bet do predict that something has 20, ,c
BE- done or else there vii be difficulty in
the fu ure over this question and over thi.
Tightening grasp Of the money p,wsr. (Mr
Spesr yielded and the Senate went iats
joint convection with the House. FoI
,int proceedings see another column
IN SENATE.
Ga motion of Mr.. Moore Of Cum
berland, Senate Document 206 va
taken from the tsble aid III ameadmen
submitted by the same senator, and on hi
further mation the document and amend
msns were laid upon the table pending ,h,
confederation of the matter,