Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1897-03-20
TWO SESSIONS.
4 Busy Day Friday for the
Lawmakers Of Maine.
Many Speeches Made and a Mass O.
Measures Handled.


Two sessions in one day. This was
yesterdays programme with the Maine
law makers for the first time since the
18th Legislature organized. II weeks
ago. 1t was busy day at the Capitol.
3nd mass OF measures were handled,
put the day was not marked by fea-
lures OF unusual Importance or inter-
est. Today. session is on the pro-
gramme for $50 A. M, the first Satur-
day session Of the winter, and then
there will be a recess until Monday
afternoon. Will they finish their work,
next week, and finally adjourn? 1t
has been generally thought this would
be the case, but in the minds OF many
there is now much doubt about it, and
two or three days work the following
week seem very probable. All are anx-
ious to get through as soon as possible
and get back to home and business, but
the work Of legislation cannot be done
With unseemly haste and there is yet
a great amount to be done. Every
effort. however, will be made to ad-
jOurn, next week.
There were very few new bills pre-
sented, Friday. Mr.. Whelden of Port
land. presented bill providing that
the salary of the State superintendent
of common schools shall be $500 a
year instead of $500, as at present,
which shall be exclusive of travelling
expenses, and the salary of his clerk
shall be $1,000. Mr.. Macomber of Au-
gusta. introduced bill changing the
ward lines of Augusta, which was
tabled to be printed. pending reference.
This bill creates two new wards on the
west side of the river, making SIX
wards in all On that side and nine fsr
the city. The new wards are made out
of wards one and two with a small
part of ward three. The bill is printed
in full elsewhere in this issue.
In the House. the feature Of the
morning was long debate on the bill
to regulate the sale and analysis of
concentrated monumental feed stuff.
Mr.. Pearl of Bangor, moved to indefi-
nitely postpone the bill, and aroused a
hornets nest. This bill is pet
scheme of the farmers and is backed
by scores of petitioners. A score of
speeches We're made in it's defence,
mostly by rural members whose voices
are not commonly heard in the House.
They We're in earnest and their argu-
ments carried the day. The motion of
Mr.. Pearl was lost 20 to 33, and the bill
was put on it's passage amid applause.
Among those who spoke for the bill
were Fernald of Levant, Andrews of
Garland, Maxwell of Richmond, Cox of
Randolph, Hamilton of Mattawam-
keag, Aver of Vassalboro. Holmes OF
Addison. Moore of Moscow, Burse of
Pittsfield, Holbrook of Brunswick,
Wheeler of Gilead. Cram of Mt. YER
non, and Young of Hiram.
The bill regulating the traffic in dead
human bodies aroused a breeze. 1t
was at last passed, an amendment
offered by Mr.. O'Neil of Biddeford al
lowing fraternal and beneficiary organ
izations to take charge of and buy the
bodies of dead members, being added
by a vote of so to 43. Nearly a score
of bills and resolves, some quite i'm
portant, were taken from the table and
put on their passage. Mr.. Stetson' $
bill providing for instruction in the use
Of tools and cooking in the public
schools was indefinitely postponed,
after sharp and spicy debate. The
committee on railroads at last reported
ought to pass on the bill to incorporate
the Westbrook, Windham and Harri-
son Railroad, and the same on the bill
allowing the Portland Railroad to ex-
tend it's line four miles from Westbrook
to Gorham. Both bills have been
changed, so that all parties are fairly
well pleased. This committee has the
matter of the Penobscot Central and
several other important bills yet to re-
port.
In the Senate, it was voted without
discussion, to non-cOncur with the
House in postponing indefinitely the
Eastern Maine Insane Hospital resolve,
and it was given it's first reading. The
The resolve will come up for it's second
reading, next Tuesday, and as the
Senate will probably pass 1T, com
mittee of conference will have to be
appointed to patch up the differences
Of opinion between the two branches.
|It is hard to prophecy the ultimate fate
On. form of the resolve. The Newport
Soldiers Home resolve, which passed
it's first reading in the Senate. Thurs
day, struck snag, yesterday. II
seems that one or two members voted
for the resolve under misunderstood
ing. and now they want to kill the re-
solve as the House did. The resolve
will come up, Tuesday. The feature
of he Senate session was the debate on
the guide, bill. Senator Hinkiey OF
Franklin made gallant single-handed
fight against it. His speech and thai
of Senator Parsons of Piscataquls IN
defence of the bill. were long. ex'
haustive and able. The bill passed Its
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