Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-02-25
A Busy Wednesday for the
Maine Legislators.
A Breezy Session and Many Impof-
tant Hearings.


Of the grand legislative ball Ct the
previous evening, but they gave no
evidence of 1t in the breezy session
tnat continued two hours and more
and i'm the many important committee
hearings that filled the afternoon. The
elaborate decorations had all been re-
moved, and the Capitol had on the
husfness-like aspect that is fitting in
the middle of the sessions eighth
week. More visitors were present than
at any previous session. the galleries
and floor being crowded with those re-
manning over from reception day.
In both branches there was an abun.
dance of debate and good amount of
work was done. The Senate after a
lively discussion voted % to seven to
non-concur with the House in postpon-
ing indefinitely the resolve of $500, 900
for the Eastern Maine Insane asylum.
and sent the resolve back to the COM
mittee. The resolve of $500 for Archi-
tect Coombs was the occasion of con-
siderable discussion in the Senate. In
the House over an hour was devoted to
cratory on the resolve of $15, 900 for sea
and shore fisheries. Goodrich of Max
field. wanted to cut the appropriation
to $4,000. but his proposition had no sup
port. Messrs. Sewall. Rodick. Fogler.
Pattangall and Hamilton all supported
the resolve in able speeches. These
Ispeeches.as well as all the work of both
branches, are printed in full in the
Istenographic report.
| The House did not adjourn until
afternoon, the Senate getting through
some time before. A great amount Of
routine work was done, committee re-
ports, concurrent work, reading of bills,
etc. and quite number of resolves
and bills were taken from the table and
pushed along.
There was a small amount of new
business. Wednesday forenoon. In the
House there were 80 petitions for the
proposed anti-cigarette law, and fOu:
Iremonstrances against it. There were
a number of petitions for changing the
name of the Maine State college to the
University of Maine, and a number of
petitions for the Wiggin school tax
law. Mr.. Furbush of Lewiston. pre-
scented resolve for 1891 for the town
of Brunswick, for the support Of State
paupers. This is the same resolve pre-
viously presented and sidetracked. eX-
cept that the new resolve provides that
the matter shall be approved by the
governor and council.-Major Dickey
presented a resolve giving the training
school at Fort Kent $1,000 for teachers
and incidental expenses in addition to
| $4,000 already provided for by a pre-
vious resolve.-Mr. ONeil of Biddeford,
presented bill giving the joint COM
I r. r,x.s1
men in cities more control over the
heads of city departments.
The council had busy. session.
Wednesday forenoon. The nominal
tions recently made by Governor
Powers were confirmed. and lot of
routine work transacted. There will be
another session, this morning.
The afternoon was a very busy enc
| in committee work and many impor-
tant hearings were in progress. The
committee on State college met at 2
O'Clock in the afternoon, at the office of
the State superintendent of schools, to
oonsider the various resolves presented
relative to the State Agricultural COL
lege at Orono. There was not very
large attendance, the principal person.
age present being President Harris of
that institution. The first matter was
the act relative, to privileges of Sradu-
ates of the Maine State college. Pres
] ident Harris explained the purport of
| the bill in a few words and the matter
was laid over until executive session.
| The next matter was the resolve in
favor of the State college. calling for
the annual appropriation of $4,000. and
an appropriation of $4,000 CT there
abouts for new building. Senator
| Parsons chairman of the committee.
read the statement of facts which ac-
companied the resolve. President Har-
ris appeared and said his address
which had been printed covered nearly
| all the points of interest and said
nothing more.
| Attorney General Haines also app
peared for the resolve. He said the
State College. the same as other State
educational institutions, needed money
to do business with. The income OF the
Icollege, exclusive of State aid. is $4,000.
The State has from time to time APP
propriated sums which aggregate $3.50,
900. The college gets nothing from the
board of students for it costs as much
to- feed them and little more, than is
'ireceived for board and room rent. The
| United States Experiment Station has
tnothfng to do. with the State College,
and is an entirely distinct institution.
III should be distinctly understood that
the $4,000 appropriated by the United
Estates for the experiment station is no
| benefit whatever to the State College,
except incidentally. The college gets
the credit fer getting this $4,000 which
lit doesn't really have. The State col
Ilege is an institution of learning, and
is no more college to teach agrl-
culture than it is to teach blacksmith
work, or brick laying. except as the
proportion of farmers sons exceeds the
+, others. It is not the fault of the col
J lege that so few boys take the agri-
cultural course. Our agricultural de-
partment is well equipped. This is a
college which gives the farmers boys
an opportunity to get a good education
and get out of their present environ
ments. There seems to be a little
jealousy now against the state COL
lege by the graduates of the other col
leges throughout the State, for they
seem to be afraid that we are getting
/. too MANY students down there.