The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-04-04
sxTY-FIFTH WENT OUT ON RUNNERS.
A Clear and Comprehensive state
ment of the Legislatures Work.
maine Has BY Its Help Taken Sew
eraI Forward Strides.
The senate honors Its Presiding
officer, Mr.. Libby.
Especial to the Press.l

It has been busy session, and one which
will be remembered, both for the amount of
the work it has done and the Importance of
some parts of 1t. The laws governing the
exercise of the franchise and the regulation
of taxation are about as important as any to
the people of Maine, and these laws have
had devoted to them large share of the
time and attention of the legislature. The
fact that this 65th Legislature passed the
Australian ballot bin would alone make the
session memorable But this was not the
| only measure relating TO the franchise placed
upon the statute books. The registration Of
| voters. especially in cities, is matter the
| Importance OF which demands that safe
| guards be thrown around 1t In order that
| fraud may be prevented and men honestly
entitled to vote may prepare to do so without
unnecessary trouble and with the assurance
| that they shall be protected in their rights.
| The legislature believed that the old system
| of registration by the aldermen Of cities was
not the best, and accordingly enacted the
bill drawn by Senator Haines creating boards
| Of registration in cities. The work in rela-
| tion to the suffrage did not stop here. While
in Maine there Is happily not so large per-
| centage Of illiterates as in some other states,
| still there are many who believe that this
number may be so increased as to be source
of danger If permitted to exercise the right
OF voting In answer to this sentiment, the
legislature has passed resolve giving the
people the opportunity to vote for an amend
ment to the constitution creating an educa-
tional qualification.
Questions OF Taxation.
The action upon matters of taxation has
not resulted in any material change in the
present law as to the kinds of property to
be taxed and the rates fixed thereon, but 1t
has led to an exhaustive discussion of this
vexed question. and to the creation of a
board of state assessors, which Is expected
to do good work in making the application of
the tax laws equal. Had the special tax
committee, to which the report Of the CON-
mission appointed two years ago, was re-
terred, reported the changes they proposed
to make in the present law in a number Of
separate bills. some of them at least might
have been passed. As 1t was, the committee
reported the amendments they had formu-
lated to the present law. Incorporated in
new draft of an @ entire chapter Of the Re-
vised Statutes. This made bill which
looked very formidable. and in which the
new was so mixed up with the old that the
members promptly decided that they could
not act upon it intelligently. So it was sent
back to the committee. and they took out of
it the portions relating to corporation taxes
and the tax on dogs. The latter bill was
easily understood, and was passed, but the
other, the effect Of which could not be ade-
quately considered in the closing hours of
the session, was referred to the next legisla-
ture. So also was the bill prepared by Sena-
tor Powers as substitute to the listing sys-
tenn bill reported by the committee. AS the
result of the work of the tax committee,
then, we have the state board of assessors
and the dog tax, and the next legislature
will find the corporation tax bill and the
substitute for the listing system bill await
ing consideration.
Some Hopes Which Were Blasted.
Neither Augusta nor Bangor will have
buildings erected or rebuilt within their linz
its during the next two years by the state.
The remodelled State House, at least until
1898, will exist only in the pictures of Archi-
tect Spofford and the $4,000 which his
plans called for will remain in the state
treasury or be applied to so ne other object.
1t was seen early in the session that this
large expenditure would not be warranted
by the condition of the state treasury and
the scheme died while 1t was still in its
youth. But in its place came request for
about $4,000 to remodel one floor of one
wing OF the State House. The committee on
public buildings wisely concluded that they
would not attempt TO remodel the old part of
the Capitol by sections and so this too came
to nothing. As to the new insane hospital,
for the erection of which site has been Sc
cured at Bangor, had it been shown to the
satisfaction of the members that the present
Institution could not meet the demands like
ly to be made upon 1t In the next two years,
an appropriation to begin the work would
probably have been made. The first request
for $685. seemed pretty steep and when
the friends OF the measure saw that this sum
was out of the question they began process
OF scaling down, finally reducing the
amount amount 70 SlOo,SO4; This they came near
had the members all been Of the opinion
that the new hospital was an imperative
necessity at this time. There is unanimity
Of opinion that new insane hospital must
nrAUi6a6 q foxx, Nd xuha
is erected 1t will be at Bangor.
Railroad Building.
Among the railroad projects, those to ex-
tend the Shore Line Railroad from Sullivan
near Mt. Desert through Washington coun-
ty to Eastport and to build road through
Aroostook county have been formally acted
upon, and in each case the county has been
authorized to lend its aid to the road. The
Lewiston, Augusta & Camden Railroad
Company has been incorporated. The plan
to secure state aid In surveying the Cara
basset q Canadian line, that route which, on
| direct communication with the West, did not
materialize. One railroad bill which passed
Is good illustration of the care which should
be taken in legislation. This was the bill
capital stock of the Boston & Maine, which
Mr.. Payson OF Portland, by an order intro,
| duced by him, made the subject Of careful
investigation. The result Of this was the
passage OF the bill. but it could not be said
afterwards that 1t had been hastily passed
and the investigation which showed that In
this case the legislation contemplated to reg
ulate the sale of the stock would not be wise,
resulted IN throwing much light upon the
| subject Of railroad charters, which may be
useful to future Lawmakers.
Hopes Which Have Been Realized.
A number of the bills passed by this legis-
lature will gladden. the hearts of those who
have persistently urged several wise meas
| ures notwithstanding the rebuffs and disap-
pointments they have met in the past. The
chief of these in importance. perhaps. as af-
| fecting the lives and well being of the people
| in the bill for the collection and registration
| of vital statistics, a. measure wnlch
has for long Tine, nme been de-
sired by many OF ntbsrs @ % competent nnS ~ SnsaS
| on matter of this Importance The dental
reeistration bill is another Of these measures
| which has been passed In response to long
| felt want The law reguiatlng the registra-
tion of apothecaries has been amended to
better "a o%aprd AGAINST the danger to life If in
| comnetert nersOns were allowed to do this
bnsiness and also to prevent q rum shop to
| be disguised as a drug store. The monarchs
Of Msnes great as the peOpe and dnss .hs
Il
| Iues of the trees have been In some degree
protected d1 bv the law which makes the land
agent q forest commissioner and imposes
nenaitias unon those who .wilfully or care.
lessIy cause fires in the woods.
The fisheries and game laws have also
been revised and strengthened. so that some
thing has been done at this session both for
the nrotection Of the forests and their
The nrohibitory law has been made the
subject of a radical charge, explained few
navs sgo in this correspondence, by which
penaltiss of fine and Imprisonment are i'm
posed in cases where now fine alone is the
| punishment
or Interest to Portland.
Measures of less general Importance but
Of interest to people in Cumberland county
are those giving the county commissioners
salaries instead of per diem compensation,
changing the manner of conducting the Pert
land municipal court so that the county shall,
nav the Judge and the city the recorder
MAKING changes In the act relating to drains
and SAVERS in the city Of Portland, creating
q sewer Commission in the town of Deerines
anthorizing the Portland & Rochester rai1''
roab to make slight change In the location
| ~ 1870 in the Back Bay district IN d..