The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1893-03-01

MI. Bird Commands the Forces of Delay
and Obstruction-But the Hospital Bill
Passes and the Ward Line Bill Will
Pass-Other Business.
Especial to the Press.]
AUGUSTA, February 26.-Mr. Bird of
Portland, appeared in the House today
in the role of a filibuste rer, and it should
be said that Mr.. Bird, for this time at
least, was successful in his flibustering.
At yesterdays session, when the bill in
relation to the redistricting of cities
came up by assignment, Mr.. Shaw of
Portland, moved that it be reassigned
for today. He did this, he said, at the
request of the minority. Now there
were several other matters assigned for
today first in Importance, among which
was the matter of the reports of the
special insane hospital committee. In
anticipation OF the debate ON this ques-
ton many Bangor people were here.
The announcement of debate always
brings many ladies to the capitol, and to-
day was no exception. When the time
came, the hospital matter was brought
up and debated, the debate ending in a
manner very satisfactory to the Bangor
people. who went away with smiling
faces, the House voting 76 to 48 in favor
of the hospital at Bangor, and the re-
solve being passed to be engrossed.
Towards the end of the debate, how
ever, it began to become apparent that
the speechmaking was being unduly
prolonged and it was also noticeable that
some Democratic members had suddenly
evinced great desire to thresh the straw
all over again. Messrs. Scott, Garcelon
and Parker were among the orat rs.
Finally, Mr.. Emerson of Portland, said
that if all who had spoken for the hospi-
tai at Bangor. voted for it, there could
be little doubt of the result. He accord
ingly moved the previous question and
it was ordered, 65 voting in favor. Then
Mr.. Bird Appeared as Chief Fi1ibuster,
and called for the yeas and nays, which
the Chair ruled were not permissible on
an order for the previous question. The
question was then put and the previous
question ordered. The majority reyort
of the committee appropriating $3.50, 900
for the hospital at Bangor, was then
adopted by yea and nay vote. and Mr..
Harris moved that the rules be suspend
ed and the resolve passed to be en-
crossed at this time. The motion to
suspend prevailed, 81 to 81, and the chief
filibuster thereupon moved an adjourn
ment. The Chair decided the motion
lost. and the vote was doubted. A divis-
ion on the motion to adjourn lost 45 to
65.
Mr.. Bean of Mason moved recess un-
til o'clock, and this was lost.
Mr.. Alden of Union then appeared
with an amendment to strike out of the
resolve the provision that the superin-
tendent of the present hospital be added
to the building commission.
Mr.. Harris spoke briefly of the desira-
bility of having the superintendent
serve, and then Mr.. Parker, who acted as
first assistant fllibuster, moved that the
bill and and amendment be tabled. The
amendment was lost.
Thereupon the chief filibuster, Mr..
Bird, moved to adjourn.
Mr.. Powers -"Does the gentleman
mean to adjourn Immediately pending
the passage of the resolve?'
Mr.. Bird-"Mr. Speaker, answer the
gentleman, no''
The motion to adjourn was voted
down and the vote promptly doubted. A
division showed it to be defeated 43 to
6S.
Then the resolve was passed to be en-
crossed, and Immediately
First Assistant Filibuster Parker
was on hand with another motion to ad-
journ.
Mr.. Emerson of Portland, moved to
amend this by making it an adjourn
ment to 4.30 o'clock. Mr.. Emerson ac-
cepted an amendment to make the hour
~. M, but the House, many of the
members not understanding the true in
wardness of all this filibuStering. voted
down the amendment and adjourned.
So Mr.. Bird and his assistant flibus-
ters managed to postpone for one day,
the consideration of the bill in relation
to ward lines, but that measure can't be
killed in that way.
The Hospital Debate.
Mr.. Adams of Bangor, called up the
insane hospital matter and moved that
the report of the majority of the COM
mittee appropriating $150,Ooo for the
hospital at Bangor be adopted. Mr..
Adams said they had a great many in
sane people in his section of the state,
and they did not want them to sleep on
cots in the Augusta hospital, nor aid
they want them burned up. He moved
the adoption of the majority report.
Mr.. Brackett of Limington said that in
what he was to say he wanted to be un-
derstood as representing no section OF
the state. The gentleman from Bangor
said that he didn't want to see patients
burned up. Well, who dide Mr., Brack-
ett then gave history of the institution
at Augusta He showed first that the
annual increase in the number OF patients
was no greater now than it was when the
institution was established 90 years ago.
Mr. Bracket read from the report OF the
trustees of the Augusta hospital to show
that the institution Was well managed
and credit to the state. Now, gentle
men, said Mr.. Bracket, every one who
knows anything about these institutions
knows that they are The result of years
of growth. For years the Augusta hos
pital was without chapel where the
E.L..L-.-JJ o,o+lor fo hear divinA sar.