Worcester morning daily spy., 1898-02-27

board was important for this feature,
| if no other.
Mr.. Warren, however speaking for
| the Lynn and Boston, told the members
of the street railway company that the
issue OF these notes amounting to a
million and half, was clearly within
the law, and that the act of the legisla-
tture of 1897 prohibiting such
issues, was amended for the very
purpose of protecting this issue,
which has since been the subject of the
scorn of the railroad commissioners.
Mr.. Warren also stated that he person.
ally took the annual report of the Lynn
and Boston, which is owned by the
North Shore Traction Company, one Of
the foreign corporations referred to by
the commission, to the office of the COM
missioners, and received word from
the clerk and the auditor of the board
that the company was all right in max
ing the ISSUE without the approval of
the commissioners, and thus confirming
the opinion of Richard Olney, whose
opinion had first been obtained.
Speaker Bates is ever alert for a
short session, but 1t seems from various
hints that are dropped by the members
of the committee on rules, that he is
falling into the error of previous speak
ers, with the same laudable ambition
of risking too much for this one end.
He was very much provoked with the
action of the committee on ways and
means in conducting private hearing
on the bill for an appropriation for the
office of fire marshal and is said to
have intimated that the committee was
exceeding its authority in taking such
a course. 1t is also understood that ne
is very much opposed to any gas inves-
tigation, although the reports relative
TO the operations of the powerful
companies around Boston during the
past year, would indicate that an in
vestigation was imperative, if the obser-
vance of the general laws and the res
pect of the public right by immense
corporate interests, with quasi public
functions, are of any concern to the peo-
pie of the state. 1t is the general Opt
nion that Mr.. Bates is an exceptionally
able speaker, and that his rule of the
house has been eminently fair and just,
and has been conducive to the prompt
dispatch of the public business, but
many of the men who hold this opinion
are beginning to think that there is
danger for his good record in his appa-
rent fearful effort to get through eX-
ceptionaIly early. These men say that
the excellence and merit of legislative
body is measured, first by the quality
of the work it performs rather than by
the time engaged in its performance.
The farmers of Worcester were sur
prised to hear early in the week that
the executive officer of the state bureau
had appeared before the committee on
agriculture to advocate the repeal of the
law of 1894, which requires that all
samples of milk taken for inspection
shall be seized while in the possession
Of the producer, and that duplicate
samples shall be given the producer for
his own analysis if he desires to make
one. Mr.. Whitaker admitted that there
was no great amount of trouble under
the law as it stood, but thought that
there would be less opportunity for
dealers in milk under the standard, to
escape conviction when they were ap-
pretended
The opposition to the repeal of the
law was strong one. Charles A. Glea-
son, ex-president of the New England
Milk Producers Union, told the commit
tee that the section of the statutes sug-
gested for repeal offered the producer
his only protection. He called the at
tention of the committee to the fact
that the milk standard in this state was
higher than in most of the other states,
and that it was possible under the law
to punish a man for selling pure milk,
as a ceItain breed of cows were known
to yield milk at times which fell below
the standard when tested. Mr.. Gleason
didn't complain at the severity of the
Massachusetts law; in fact he was one
of the men who helped to frame the
legislation for a pure milk supply, but
he thought that the only protection that
the producer enjoyed under that law
should be retained.
There was some excitement in Wor-
cester, and surrounding milk producing
territory, when it was learned that Mr..
Whitaker, the executive officer of the
diary bureau, had taken this action, and
rumor reached Boston that there was a
movement in Worcester looking to re-
quest from milk producers to the mem
bers of the dairy bureau, that the re-
signation of the executive officer be de-
manded.
While it is hardly probable that such
a radical course will be taken, it is a
fact that the milk producers are inten-
sely wrought up at the very suggestion
of the repeal of that law. The commit
tee hasn't acted on the petition as yet,
but as the majority of the members of
the committee are farmers and raise
milk, it is safe TO say that the petit
toner will have leave to withdraw.