Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-02-04
AUGUSTA GOSSIP.
''Lobby" Writes Interestingly of Legis-
latiVe Topics.

SENATE CHAMBER,
AUGUSTA, Jan. "A, 1897.
| To the Editor Of the american:
| The readers of THE AMERICAN al
know that the peoples Representatives
have assembled at Augusta, and that
they have organized the legislature in
strict conformity to the programme
marked out and known before the date
of the session. The readers also know
the legislature has been in session nearly
three weeks, but perhaps they may not
all know how much, or how little, rat her
the legislature has accomplished in this
time, unless they have read the official
paper.
| OF course this session cannot be &C.
cused OF being partisan body, the five
| democrats in the House, not having suffi
cient cheek to start any opposition on
| political grounds. The Senate is like
Barnum's "happy family; everything
there is as quiet as MAY MORN. The
various petitions, orders and bills pass
from the chopper" in steady, uninter-
| rupted stream, and the only sound heard
is the presidents 1T is a vote. 1t is
generally felt that this is not the best
state OF things-that two parties with
their constant watch and criticism of eac b
other in the passage of bills and appro-
pristions would have a natural tendency
to restrain lavishness in the use of means
and errors in the enactment OF laws. This
is, OF course, on the supposition that the
majority party is republican.
There is as yet no bill before the legs-
lature OF general interest to the State, I'M
less we include appropriation bills. This
is evident from the fact that the
third house" is not yet fully organ
lied.
The appropriation asked for the East
Maine insane hospital, which is claimed
to be necessary, nearly half million,
will create some discussion; also the sum
needed to repair and run the State col
lege at Orono. This institution got
rather a "blsck eye" by the report of the
commissioners appointed by the COVER
nor. That report claims that it is unwise
to appropriate SO much money for the
higher education OF our resident and
nonresident young men without the
States receiving any tuition; that, in
fact, it is antagonizing the other colleges,
and that, inasmuch as the college is not
really agricultural, the students should be
required to pay tuition; and that the coll
lege, with its large endowment from the
United States, should not be .avy
burden on the State. 1t Is generally
admitted, however, that it is an insttu-
ton of and legitimate child OF the State,
and as such must be sustained the
only question being: "How much?"
A largely increased appropriation is
asked for the protection of fish and game.
They want, say, $4,000, or more than s.
for each and every deer in the State, when
even Fly Rod" admits she can buy them
sometimes for 80 each. This appropri-
alton will try the temper OF representa-
tives, and decide whether they propose to
tax he people heavily for the benefit of a
few hotels, stab les, wardens and guides.
On the whole see no evidence of prodi-
gality. There may be some danger of
cheese pairing, but / do not think the
State will suffer. On account of our de-
felt it will be necessary to increase the
rate of the State tax by one mill.
Hancock county is not asking any leg
islation this year. Her delegation is
quite independent. LOBBY.