The Portland daily press., 1891-02-02
BUSINESS WILL Be DONE THIS WEEK.
Pigeon Shooters and came Law
Tinkerers Getting In Their work.
This Legislature Will Be Known as
a Railroad Regulator.
Nobody Left Now to Care for the Wet
PiasterIng.
special to the Press. I

Especial to the Press.l
! AUGUSTA, February lon Thursday OF
this week the friends of the Australian bal
lot system will have an opportunity to speak
| in its favor before the judiciary committee,
| which will give a hearing on the Clason bill
at that time. This, in addition to the hear
| ings on the question of the division of the
town of Camden, and those before the spec
ial tax committee will make the week live
ly one. If the Raines registration bill is re-
ported. as 1t is likely to be, all the interest
will not centre in the committee rooms as
this measure promises to be the subject of
considerable debate. On Tuesday, in the
House. the bill allowing the Boston G. Maine
to increase its capital stock by an amount
not exceeding $5. 0O0.O 900. becomes the order
OF the day. This bill was tabled on the mo-
tion Of Mr.. Porter of Bangor, who after
wards stated that he had then no objections
20 the bill but wanted time to exemtne it.
Ii, In the Intervening time. Mr.. Porter has
found anything to which he objects, or any
other member has anything to offer. the pro-
posed increase of the capital stock may be-
come the subject of debate. This bill is one
similar TO that passed by tha Massachusetts
legislature some time ago, 1t being necessary
to secure the desired permission from both
states. The money raised by the increase of
stock will be largely devoted TO extending
the double track already laid and In making
other improvements.
Insurance Legislation.
Under the present law in this state fire in
surance companies are allowed to select
themselves the form of policies. In other
states the law provides for certain standard
policies. There is such a policy In New
York and similar one established by law
in Massachusetts, 1t is now proposed to
make similar law for Maine and petitions
nave recently beea received praying that fire
insurance companies be required to use the
Massachusetts standard policy. This policy
is now largely used by companies doing bus
mess 10 Maize. Others use the New York
standard which is very much like the Massa-
chusetts. This, of course. does not apply to
the mutual associations, which use con-
tract of their own. Should the legislature
enact law requiring the use of the Massa-
chusetts policy 1t would, it Is stated, cause
using it, and would give the state the benefit
OF uniformity in the policies used by the
companies.
Charlie Bell Of Elm island.
Every school boy has read Elijah Kellogg's
chsrming stories relating the adventures of
Charlie Bell of Elm Island. Now it seems
that Elm Island has been brought to notice
In another way. The Ragged Island, which,
by process of legislation is now being an
nexed to the town of Harpswell, is the bit of
wave washed land known In Mr. KellOgg'S
stories as Elm Island. Iii now uninhablted
but in tho past has served as home for one
or more families whittier, among the sturdy
mariners who have lived in Harpswell, and,
perhaps, On this island itself, Mr.. Kellogg
found the original of those brave pioneers
and seamen who through the Elm Island
stories have become the heroes and friends
OF thousands of young Americans, the author
might tell for he Is still living in his ancient
town. MIR, Kellogg, despite the burden of
years, breaches twice on Sundays and bids
fair to continue to do so for years to come.
Pigeons and Deer.
Besides the petitioners who ask that the
right to use pigeons In trap shooting be Civ
Ell them, there are another set of men who
ask the repeal of one of the game laws.
They want the privilege of hunting der
with dogs, which is now forbidden by the
statutes. By the enactment of law for the
protection of their denizsns, the great for
ests in the eastern and northern part of the
state have been well stocked with game un-
til those secti ,ns Of Maine haye been appro-
priately called "The Sportsman's Para
Disc" This protection of game has been a
source of revenue to the state, bringing to it
each year many sportsmen who leave behind
them large sums of money, spent for board.
travel and services of guides, etc. But
should lhe restitution as to hunting deer
with dogs be removed, 1t Is question only
Of how little time 1t would take to make the
deer unknown in the forests of Maine. Sen
ator Rogers of Washington county, who is
authority on matters of this, Is OutspOken
against these petitions.
One thing should be borne in mind In con-
nectlon with the movement to repeal the pig
con law. That is that among the remon-
strants there are men who are as fond of
their guns as any who have signed the petit
tions, One of these men is Mr.. Geo. B.
Leavitt of Deering, who is an ardent sports
man, but finds no pleasure in using bewil-
dered captive pigeons as targets. Mr.. Leav-
lit is an ex-representative to the legislature,
and was instrumental In SECURING the pas
sage of the present law. He is among the
signers to the remOnstrances presented by
Mr.. Hawes Of Deering.
Legal Absurdity.
The text of the bills presented to the leg
islatuie sometimes make curious reading.
An instance of this is found in the bill in
troduced in the Senate one day last week by
Mr.. Malltt of Cumberland, to regulate the
calling of caucuses In this bill there is
frequent repetition Of the words "city, town
or plantation" One OF the provisions of
the measure is that notices of caucuses may
be printed In daily papers. and here again
the phrase occurs, the bill referring to daily
papers published In cities. towns or planta-
tons, A daily paper published In planta-
tion would be something of novelty.
Regulating Railroad Fares.
There are two bills now before this legIs-
lature designed to regulate the charges of
railroad companies for transporting passen-
gers. One is the bill prepared Dy Senator
Haines of Kennebec, which provides for
rate net to exceed three cents mile for ad-
ults on reads the business of which exceeds
a certain fixed SUN per mile. The other Is
the result of local grievance. 1t seems
that ON the York Harb0r & Beach road the
people of Kittery Point are now compelled
to pay 25 cents for travelling 28 miles to
Portsmouth. They think THE rate excessive
and Mr. Mitchell of Kittery has introduced
bill for their relief, which forbids railroads
to charge more than f.e cents mile. But
on the other hand, it is understood that the
tailroad people will say that the York Har-
Dor d Beach road is not paying venture,
and while the rates charged may be high in
%5e5 aay dTaends the ppscpie Of Kttery
| Point can get to Portsmouth now good deal
| cheaper than they could hire conveyance
to take them there before the road was built.
| Points.
| There were good many people who
thought when the crow bounty. which be-
came law at the last session, that this leg
islature would have chance to repeal it.
Senator Poor seems disposed to give them a
| chance.
Supervising Architect Collett, who has had
| charge of the erection of the addition to the
| State House, has returned to Boston. 1t Is
| not vet known who will take his place in dl-
recting the efforts to save the plasteripg in
| In the upper stories during rain storms. This
| has been Mr.. Collects chief duty of late.
The special tax committee has taken pos
| session of a pleasant room In the third story
| OF the addition. Some important business
| will be done in that re0m.
| When the time for the hearing on the pett
| ti0ns of the Order of the Iron Hall arrives,
| there is likely to be session which will RI
| val the hearings ON town divisions.
MAINE.
Bath Catkeys Strike.