The Portland daily press., 1891-02-06

1 meQL OIL DOtu pdIblco WIS OtCk -
favor of the system. The people here from
| Cumberland and OXFORD counties showed
| the the sentiment in that part OF the state
| Mr. Heath claimed that great majority OF
| the Republicans also favored the system, SC
| that adding their number to that OF it, Dem
| ocratic friends there could be no doubt thai
| it was desired by majority OF the voters oil
| the state. Mr.. Heath called attention to
| Governor Burleigh's 0utspoken declaration
| In favor of the system, declaration not to
nal opinion or one coming from the co-ordi.
one which reflected the, wishes
| Of tho people. Mr.. Heath asked
| II the committee did not believe that the
| this bill. He asked If they did not believe
| that had a resolutian In Its favor been
| submitted TO the last Republican state con-
| ventioD. It would had been carried by an
| overwhelming vote. The resolution. how
| forward. The majority yielded to the MI
nority rather than fight out the question on
| the floor of the convention with the danger
| of the description Of the party following.
Mr.. Heath said that be did nos believe
| now, aud never had believed that any meas
ure could be devised to prevent all bribery
| so long as some men were poor and others
| could be found mean aud contemplate
enough to take advantage OF their brothers
| poverty.
Labor Commissioner Matthews was next
| called upon and spoke OF the birth OF this
system in Australia in 1856, and its subse.
| quent extension over the countries Of the old
| and new worlds until now 81, 900 of -peo-
| pie In thirty-one free states exercise the
| right Of suffrage under 1t. Mr.:
the effects of the system srI in in
reducing bribery, although he did not agree
with Mr.. Looney as to its prevalence. but
neither did he believe, as the Bangor Wing
believed. or professed to believe, that there
was no bribery, or next to none In Maine.
He stood here as the representative OF $4,000
working men who demanded this system.
They were men bounded together In trades
unions and kindred organizations, men who
knew whether there was or was not any
bribery in Maine.
Mr.. A. l.. Lumbert of Houlton said he was
not anxious to speak at all, but ey courtesy
would say few words. He expressed his
sympathy with the committee and would
thought ali wanted to take the question as it
is and not overdraw 1t. This matter is far
reaching and extends from Kittery to Fort
Kent. lt Is general law and not private
matter that would do but little damage.
Brother Heath said ne thought the people
were In favor Of 1t, but Is it so. Aroostook,
Penobscot, Piscataquis, also Wal
do. in his judgment, was
was not for it, In fact ne didn't believe
you all know how easy it is to get signers to
petitions. Business men are not at all
times petitioning, they have something else
to do. You must take into all classes, the
wealthy man, the laboring man, the farmer
and they must be conditioned. Ae didn't
believe there was great general demand
for such a law. Where are the great
emergencies; where is this bribery? There
Is no shot gun policy in Maine. 1t seems
that all this matter is overdrawn. There
may be some bribery but Brother Heath
thinks possibly bribery might still exist even
OF this law should be passed. II this growth
In bribery, IL it has been growth.
it can't be due to enhancement of cities
the people for themselves and he didn't be-
lieve a law would help it, He would like to
ask how the bill was going to remedy all
these things. 1t lacks the feature Of being
short or brief or concise In any way. The
bribery. and he didn't believe could read it
without aid and understand 1t. He wanted
to say that it seemed little strange that you
should pass this bill In direct opposition to
certain large counties. Have county conven-
must have been terrible in Australia to call
out this bill. But those things do not exist
here, gentlemen. 1t seems 1t would be bet
ter to leave well enough alone until there
was a general call for such thing. If 1t
would stop bribery 1t might be different
Mr.. Lumbert was quite humorous In his re-
marks aud caused much quiet amusement.
Judge George G. Wing of Auburn said be
voted simply for himself and not for any
party or faction. He was disposed to resent
the imputation on the people of this state In
regard to their casting Of the ballot.
Brig. Gen. Mitchell and Hon. Jonn l.. Cut
ter OF Bangor, favored the old style of vot-
ing, as did Mr.. Fremont E. Timberlake of
Phillips.
Judge Robinson of Camden, spoke briefly
In favor of the bill, voicing the sentiment of
the people. among whom he lived. He was
certain that in the county Of Knox. Repub-
licans and Democrats were nearly unani-
nous In favor Of the bill, the Republicans in
their county conAention having adopted res
olutions in favor of some such measure.
Charles e. Allen Of Dresden, also spoke
briefly in favor Of the bill. as did Hon. Geo.
ID. Bisbee In opposition.
The hearing was continued to next Tues
day.
The Registration Bill.
When the registration bill came tefore the
Senate today, upon its assignment:
Mr.. Haines Of Kennebec, moved the ac-
ceptance of the majority report, and it was
so voted. Mr.. Haines then moved that two
slight amendments be made in the language
of the printed bill to correct verbal inaccur-
acies, which was also voted.
Mr.. Rogers of Washington county. moved
an amendment to reduce the salary of the
president of the board from SIS to S3 day,
and for the other two members from SO to
50 Mr.. Rogers referred to the pay of
workingmen In his county. which did not
equal these figures. He thought that good
men could be found for the places at the fig
ures he named.
Mr.. Haines, In reply to DR.. Rogers, said
that In the new draft 1t would be seen that
the boards were required to hold evening
sessions. This had been done at the request
Of voters In manufacturing centres that they
might have opportunity to put their names
ON the lists In the evening. Mr.. haines said
that he was one OF those who believed In
paying good salaries to public officers. The
duty of revising check lists was one of the
most vexatious in the administration of mu-
nicipal affairs. The aldermen In our cities,
irrespective OF party, were unanimous In
favor OF this bill and anxious to be relieved
of the duty of registration. Mr.. Haines said
that he wanted to see the salaries so fixed
that the boards might be composed not of
men who were always looking for job, but
Of citizens whose standing would insure
able, dgnifed and impartial boards.
Mr. Rogers referred to the small pay Of
assessors in the country towns and saw no
reason to pay the members of these boards
more.
The amendments offered by Mr.. Rogers
failed OF passage. Mr.. Haines tnen moved
tnaI luo Dill pass unuer suspension oil rules.
Mr.. Walton objected to this as he said he
wanted to know what he was voting on. The
motion Tor suspension of the rules failed
and the bill was read by the clerk.
Mr.. Walton asked who was to determine
the reasonable compensation provided for
these boards 10 addition to the salaries.
Mr.. Haines said that this was provision
for clerical work which would be passed
upon by the city councils and auditing
boards and paid from the contingent funds
of those cities.
Mr.. Walton further objected to making
the bill effective as soon as approved. He
wanted to know how the Senator from Ken
nebec supposed the cities interested in this
bill were to become familiar with Its pr0vl-
sions before the adjournment Of the Legisla-
ture and before the 80 days thereafter given
for the. making effective Of public acts had
elapsed.
Mr.. Haines replied that he did not think
the cities of the state needed to be notified
of the passage Of this bill which had seen
the subject of much public discussion.
In reply to questions by Senators Poor and
Rogers as to why the Governor was asked to
appoint the chairmen Of these boards. Mr..
Haines said that he had been subject to so
much criticism and ridicule as the promoter
Of this measure that he had not In
tended TO say anything, leaving the bill
to be read by the senators. He reminded
the members that municipal elections were
not the only ones held In Maine. There
were elections for the legislature and state
officers. 1t had been thought wise by the