The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-03-10

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though the increasing population of the
eastern end of the city demands a new
school house which must soon be sup
plied. The manual training and kinder
garten schools continue to grow in popular
favor and are filling a long felt want for
a more practical training than is to be
found in the purely academic course.
The losses by fire during the past year
have been extraordinarily small, but a
little over $4,000, result due largely of
course to good fortune but to which
the thorough efficiency Of the fire depart
ment has contributed. Much permanent
work has bean done on the streets dur
ing the past year and the new system Of
street management seems to be bearing
good fruit. The Mayor commends tine
work of the comm ission of cemeteries and
public grounds, and renews his sugges-
ton for the laying out of a boulevard
around Back Bay, and such improvement
quarter of the city of the noxious exhala-
tions that now afflict it in the warm
season.
The Mayor renews his recommendation
| for the sale of the city's gas stock and its
holdings in the Portland and Ogdensburg
railroad, and for the conversion of it's
real estate into taxable property by
division into house lots and prompt sale
to citizens.
The parts of the address that will at
tract the most attention and be read with
| the most interest are those relating to
the enforcement of the prohibitory law
and the revision of the city charter. The
Mayor points out some of the difficulties
| in the way of the vigorous enforcement
of the law, prominent among them, the
division of responsibility between the
county and the city; the lack OF suffi-
cient body of policemen; the almost abso-
lutte Independence of the police force
which makes efficient discipline well nigh
impossible; the lack of a strong public
sentiment that condemns the use of in
toxicating liquors under all circum-
stances; the tolerance of violations of the
| prohibitory law under some circumstan-
ces by men VINO condemn it under others,
and the repeal of the imprisonment PEN
atty which has to large extent drawn
the teeth of the law. If the Mayor is to
be held responsible for every violation of
| the liquor law Mr.. Baxter thinks he
shout be empowered to appoint suffi-
Gent force to execute it. If then he fails
he will be fairly amenable to criticism.
But to place all the responsibility upon
him without furnishing him adequate
means to discharge this responsibility.
Mr. Baxter rightly holds to be unfair and
unjust. Mr.. Baxter believes that though
the city liquor agency has been conduct
ed as well as it is possible, and all the
care possible taken to restrict its sales
to legal purposes, a large part of the liq-
uor dispensed there still goes to satisfy
ali illegitlmsts demand, and he recon-.
mends the abolition Of the institution. He
believes that modifica ton Of the Nor
wegian system would produce better re
suit and give better satisfaction.
Under the head of city charter tht
Mayor points out that great many o.
the provisions of our existing charter are
obsolete, and that revision is needed te
make our government conform to more
modern methods. The Mayor evidently
favors greater consolidation of power il
the hands of the mayor, believing that
that will tend to a greater sense of re.
sponsibflity. He would have but one
/ GARD instead of two, holding that ex-
perience has shown that one board is
| ofH %hot
| of the failures in our municipal
governments have been due to their
bicameral character. He also suggests
the election of aldermen on a general
ticket, and comments fayorably on the
results of proportional representation
where it has been tried. The reluc-
tance of competent men to serve in pub
lie Office is one of the greatest drawbacks
to good m unicipal governemnt, in the
Mayors opinion, and he suggests that
if this reluctance continues and grows it
may be found necessary to check it in
this country. as has been done in Ger
many, by law.
We have given the barest outline of
the Mayors points. To appreciate their
strength and force the address itself
must be read. 1t is frequently com
planned in regard to such addresses that
they are merely perfunctory, and
say little or nothing. No such complaint
can be made of Mr. Baxter's last mes
sage. 1t says good deal. 1t says it
pointedly and forcibly. 1t is full of
strong meat.