The Portland daily press., 1893-02-23

Mr.. Sprague called attention to the fact
that his motion to postpone indefinitely
had been overlooked. Mr.. Sprague
thought that it was unjust to him that
his motion should be shut out. But.
MR.. Sprague himself could see no way
''to get out of the scrape,'' and so the
passage of the resolve was not dis
turbed.
A Voyage of Discovery.
Attention was drawn in the House to-
day to one way in which legislators Leg
islate when Mr.. Morrill, of Portland, off
cred an amendment to a.Senate bill re-
lating to the expenditure Of school mon
eys. Mr.. Morrill's amendment made an
exception to the operation of the meas
ure Then several members went onsa
voyage of discovery. First they discov-l
cred that there was such bill and then
they found out that they were opposed
to it. This is the bill:
Be 1t enacted, etc.
Section l. Nomoneys raised by towns or ap-i
portioned to towns from the state treasury for
the support of common schools, shall be ex-
pended in any school not wholly and directly
under the direction and control Of the school
officers of the town in which said school is To-
Gated, and the discipline and the instruction OF
which isnot in the English language.
Sect. 2. All acts and paris OF acts lncOnSlSG-
ent herewith, are hereby repealed:
Mr.. Morrill's amendment was designed
to exempt the Pennell Institute, in the
the measure. Mr.. Morrill, told of the
endowment of this institution by the
late Major Pennell, and the good work
which the school has done. AS it has
taken the place of one of the town
schools, it seemed only right that it
should not be included in the operation
of the bill. Mr.. Morrill, had conferred
with the friends of the measure and
found that they were willing to accept
his amendment.
Mr.. Morrill, Of Cray substantiated
what Mr.. Morrill, Of Portland had said Of
the value Of the school and Its relation
to the town.
MT. Lane Of Augusta in the meautime
had discovered the bill. He wanted to
know whether it would prevent the
teaching Of French and other languages
in city public schools. ssA q
Mr.. Powers of Houlton was another
man who had discovered the bill. He
said frankly that it had escaped his at
tention until this morning. From the
Examination he had made in the brief
time since he had first found that bill of
retiring disposition, he thought it was
all wrong. In Aroostook county,
in the Madawaska region,
there was so miles of territory along the
st. John river where no language was
spoken but French. There it would be
impossible to carry out the provisions of
this bill and Mr. wers could not see
but what it would deprive these people
of their school money. In the large
towns there were people who had
learned English, but in the region be-
tween there was no language but French.
Of course it was right that English
should be taught but it would be i'm
possible to have the discipline and in
struction" of the schools in that
language. Mr.. Powers also objected to
the clause forbidding the expenditure of
money in any school not wholly under
the control of the school officers of the
town. He said that in his county itwas
impossible to maintain schools of adj
vanced grades but there were good
schools there in which arrangement had
been made SO that pupils could fit for
college. Mr. Powers saw no objeotion
to the use of a proper amount of school
money for this purpose. He moved that
the bill be recommitted to the commit
tee on education.
Mr.. Chamberlain of Bristol, a member
OF the committee on educaton, toid Lne
House that When the ommiptee,saIier
advertisement, met 70 give a nearlhss.on on
this Dill, NOBODY hao apparently dlscov-
cred 1t. At any rate NOBODY appeared 70
speak on It. Inc commlt!ee, ~ report
ing 1t, had not supposed u Wouia "or1 x
the hardsmps I Whlcn Ihe gen1iemen nau
mentioned. Inc Go4lmlItee wouia VII
llngls take the Dill pacK again ana give
another nearing.
Major Dickey had discovered the Dill
as soon as Mr.: Morrill oHered ms amend
ment, but had not yet haa q 81 Gnance 10
say SO: Mr. DicKey spoke OF the conal-
tion OF Things IN M .iie maoaWaska a. coun,
Try described Dy MI: lowers. ne salu ID
That the teachers masI pegln 10 lraln Inc "a
infant mind through Ine mealum ne uI OF tne
French language because tne MaaaWas-
ka youthful lntelIecr e E knew notning else.
MI. Merrill OF faInington mage ols-
coyery concerning the Town OF Gofham.
He said ne Delleveo Ina1 t9Wn nad lac some N1lls
sort OF arrangement oy Wnlch tne.Nor-
NAL school there helo eerlaln teiaIlons 10
the town schools Mhich hiSShI HidAe
trouble under JnlS DILL.