The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1895-02-19

topoCldi " Sue
Augusta, February 18.-The afternoon
session of the House was devoted entirely
to routine business. The members concluded
that last weeks order making the forenoon
session begin at O'Clock called for break
fast at too early an hour and SO. on motion
of Mr.. Noble of Lewiston, 1T was made $50.
Mr.. Merrill of Portland took from the table
the bill in relation to the Portland Trust
company. The House then reconsidered the
vote passing the bill, adopted the Senate
amendment and passed the measure in con-
Currence.
The bills relating to insurance brokers,
the inspection OF buildings and the investi-
cation of fires by municipal officers were re-
ported by the insurance committee, and are
upon their passage with the exception of
that relating to the investigation of the
causes of fires which is now on the table on
motion of Mr.. Jones of China, who wants
time to examine it.
Mr.. Noble of Lewiston, presented bill
allowing appeals from the decisions of local
assessor on petitions for abatement of "a 1es
to the Supreme court. By the terms of the
bill any person entitled to make complaint
to the county commissioners for an abate-
ment of his taxes may appeal if he SO desires
to the Supreme Judicial court in the
county in which his propeIty is situated.
The appeal, after due notice. must be. heard
and determined by the court without jury
as in other civil cases. so.heard. In cases
where ATTACHMENTS are granted. the courts
may make such allowances to the petition
ers Tor costs as Justice may require. In
cases where attachments are refused. judg-
towns, and for their costs. to be taxed By
the courts. Nom residents may take ad-
vantage of the act by, making application
under it in counties where sthey.. may :have
property. Commissioners may be ap-
pointed to hear cases under the act.
THE oLEo HEARING.
Members Of the judiciary committee smelt
of package Of .oleomargarfne tonight, but
none of them seemed to want TO taste it.
the petition Of 4. T. Hall. and many others
for the repeal of the present law respec ting
the sale of the product. This bill, it is
laied would i prohibit th. the sale l OF olso
tionaiity prevent Its vigorous enforcement.
Hon. George E. Bird appeared for = the
petitioners. Mr.; Bird read from the statute
Off lsSsfo show that it fully protects purchas-
eIsinasmuch as unders it every package of
imitation cheese and hutter or oleomarga-
rine had to be plainly marked so that there
1885. the legislature passed law under
which the the sale OF oleomarParine hss
been practically prohibited. Now the
regulations established to govern the sale
Of oleomargarine as the legislature may
deem wise. but they want the law 50
amended that they can sell it. They would
be satisfied with the law Of 1883. Hon.
A. NJ. Spear, who appeared for the remon-
| strants, said that he understood that 87s7
persons representing the dairy interests of
the state mad signed remonstrancos.
Whether the "emonstrants would contend
that tho oIeomargarine is upwholeson1e. Mr..
spear vas net prepaaee Par TO told
of the demand for oleomargarlne. by poor
people who could not afford to buy good
butter, and by shipmasters who. found it
would keep on voyages on. which butter
Steam Packet company on their boats. Mr..
Hall told how carefully oleomaIgarine Is
made. government inspectors in every
factor, seeing to it that the article waa
pure and wholesome. Mr.. Hall could not
remember that he had ever had a package
claimed that oleomargarine' did not COM
pete with good dairy butter.
Mr.. Spear asked II Mr.. Halisknew whether
oleomaTgarine had been n sold + for butter in
had been SO sold it had been without his
knowledge. and against his rule. Mr.. Hall
showed paper bag with the word "oleo-
margarine" Printed on it. He said that he
always sold oleomargarine in such packages
as required by the United States treasury
Mr. j. j. McGillicuddy. a Lewiston grocer,
testified in the same line
James E. Tartre of, Biddeford and
Frederick F. Beauregard of Biddeford
Of Augusta and Leon Hebard CT Augusta.
Jail tes titled to the same effect.
The hearing was adjourned until tomor-
row at p. m.