Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-06-16
REGULAR FIELD DAY.
When the House Discusses Questions
of Local Interest.


UlstrlcJ DE imposed on anOther IS perfect
ly willing to try experiments here for gen.
eral application elsewhere There are now
pending schemes to establish a great ma
tional exposition SO that all visitors, espe-
cially foreigners, may see the products Of
all the states here; to construct vast
boulevard and vast bordering park clear
around the city; to establish the biggest
water filter in the world and make the
muddy Potomac fluid clear as alcohol; to
establish a great electric plant ON new and
original principles for the instruction Of
the world and finally to issue bonds to the
extent of 81, 500, 900 to complete the sewer
age system Of the city and vicinity. Yet
all these momcntous subjects have not cx-
cited as much interest or, at any rate, such
furious discussion as q little bit of a prop
osition concerning the police pension
fund. For, 10, these many years certain lit
tie sources Of revenue have been given to
this fund, and at present 10 disabled pO-
liccmcn, so widows and 90 children are
supported from it at anonthly cost of ST.
Gs5. The proposition OF tho committee
was to set aside certain liquor license fees
In order to sustain this annuity
The Liquor Question.
OF course there was a disturbance. Those
people who think any license to sell liquor
mortal sin were on the points Of their
hoofs Mt once, and even some of the advo-
Gates Of license thought II of doubtful pro-
priety When the matter got into the
house, Mr.. Coombs made an interesting
statement on the experience of Brooklyn,
which, as he thought, had proved it very
unwise to connect this fund or any other
fund In which the police arc interested
with the liquor business, because the po-
lice have to deal directly with tho enforce
mcnt of tho liquor license law.
Mr.. Dinglcy OF Maine claimed that the
district attorney had recently rendered q
decision which was nothing less than a
deliberate attempt to override the law,
and other members pointed out that the
plan Of diyerting revenues was un-Amcri-
can, undomocritic and all the other
things that are bad I'm fiscal science. They
wanted all tho revenues to go into the
treasury first and then be voted out to the
special purposes, us required. Having
thus discussed the relations Of temperance
and the police, whisky and political econ
omy, tho house fell next upon tho great
and practically inoxhaustiblo subject of q
civil pension list. Mr. Holman got into
such state of mind that he seemed to be
almost shedding tears rs he implorcd the
members not to enter upon such a policy
as that of civil pensions, and Mr.. Cox of
Tennessee lacked him up with an argu-
incnt that the principle of pcnsioning po-
licemcn would carry with it that of civil
pension list made up OF superannuated
md disabled employees in the depart
mcnts.
Tom Reed Looms Up.
When the Democrats had worked them
col n ly n nj tnfn Of ypin nd
Tom Reed, as usual, doomed upon the
scene. He introduced some now lines of
discussion on the general subject Of gov
crnIncnt and of tho country IS duties to this
District but ended for wonder, in
agreeing substantially with Mr.. Holman.
He feared that If q civil pension list were
once started it would grow into an abuse,
ms government employees spend all they
make, and each head of department. Is now
confronted with the alternative of keeping
old mon who are past their usefulness or
throwing them out on the world as objects
of charity. He suggested an entirely new
plan OF paying department clcrks--that
they should start with very low salaries,
say $500, and that he steadily increased
with length of service to $3, 500 or 81, 600,
and that these salaries should be taxed, ut
an increasing rate If you like, to create a
fund for the supcrannuatcd. If said he,
these clerks won't save enough to sup
port them in their old age, the govern
mcnt must do 1t for them. As it is, in
tho revenue marine service VIC have n force
of old and disabled men drawing full sal
aries and rotarding the promotions of
younger men. There may be proprcty in
pcnsioning policemen rs we do soldiers,
but to extend tho policy would be bad"
Mr.. Reed was listened to with even more
than the usual attention, and after some
more spirited controversy the bill was 10
committed.
That there should be so much time CIV
en- in great national legislature to N mat
tor So triiing i'm itself would be ridiculous
were It not that every member instructive
~ suspects job or tho introduction of an
entering wedge To some great scheme in
almost everything that is proposed for the
District While this heated controversy
was raging in the house the senate was
stirred up. though In much more enter
tanning way. by the Same subject. Some
body had stated that Mr.. Quay was pro
noting scheme by which q Philadelphia
firm could get control of the surface roads
of Washington, and the matter hnd gone
far enough to bC the sibicct of ncwspa-
per Interview in which Senator Chandler
was represented as criricisng the scheme
pretty savagcly. Mr. Quay made n re
markably good humorcd explanation Of 1t
ms ~ question OF personal privilege and yet
managed to leave Mr. Chandler in rather
uncomfortable fix, so the latter declared
that he had not assailcd any senator, and
Che whole matter was referred for inves.i-
CATION to the Gray sugar bribery commit
tee, to the great amusement of the Demo-
Gratis.
City improvements.
The grand scheme for a boulevard and
bordering park Is not yet in shape TO bc
put into bill, but the citizens commit
tee, which has 1t in charge, presents q
beautiful plan. The whole fiat along the
EASTERN branch of the Potomac is TO he
turned into park and from the northeast
end of 1t the boulevard Is to turn west
ward and then southwark again, connect
ing the Geological II lark, Soldiers homo
and so on, around 10 the place of begin
hing. which would make 1t the grandese
thing of the kind in the world. The prof.
ect to establish permanent exposition
here has been put into n bill by Senator
Patrick Walsh of Georgia The bill pro-
yidps for a commission consisting of the