The Portland daily press., 1899-03-09
HEARING on SCALPING BILL YES
TERDAY AFTERNOON.
Mr.. Woodward Tells why 1t should be
Enacted Mr.. Hersey for the Oppo-
sition-whst Railroads arc Wiling
to Do-The Mileage Bill VIII he RE-
ported Adversely.
ESPECIAL TO THE PREss.l

Augusta, March S.-These are Dusy
days for the lobby and the eminent coun-
sol who figure in the hearing on the rail-
way mileage question are very much In
evidence. Today, the bill increasing the
taxation of Maine railroads was referred
by the Senate to the committee on tax
alton and the reference was made without
a ri,ple. There is an effort on foot to com-
promise the whole railway question. 1t
may be called compromise or trade as
the reader prefers. 1t leaked out todny
that yesterday afternoon at the Augusta
House was held an important meeting.
1t waslattended by only three gentlemen
and they did nothing but talk. but the
conversation was an interesting one. The
three were Governor Powers, the Hon.
Joseph II. Manley and Representative
Gardiner of Patten. Mr.. Manley made
this offer of q compromise. He Is report
ed to have said that If Mr. Gardner would
allow the tax bill to go to the next legis-
Iature by reference from the taxation
committee, the Maine Central, Bangor
and Aroostook, Portland and Rumford
Falls and Washington county roads would
agree to make their mileage books good
to the purchaser and wife. More than
that, Mr.. Manley proposed II he Is elect
ed Speaker OF the next House, that he
would appoint Mr.. Gardner ss chairman
of the committee on taxation. In the
event of MIR. Gardner's not being re-
elected, Mr.. Manley expressed willingness
to let MIR. Gardner name three members
of the tax committee. The matter Of the
mileage agreement would be put in the
form of a letter which Mr.. Gardner could
read on the floor of the House. These in
teresting propositions MIR. Gardne: took
under consideration.
The railroad committee voted this morn
ing to report ''ought not to pass on
both the Gardner and Webb mileage bills.
The reports have not yet been presented.
The next STEP in the railroad develop
ments of the day was meeting of the
taxation committee. 1t was called to con-
slider bill relating to returns by hotel
keepers of people domioiled In their
houses. No action was taken on the bill
but there was good deal of discussion of
the railway question. 1t was the senti-
ment of those present that the matter
should be referred to the next legislature
and that will probably he the outcome Of
| 1t.
Then the scene changed to the room OF
| the railroad committee where hearing
was to bs given on the anti-scalping bill.
Naturally the hearing was largely at
| tended and those who went upstairs In
the hope of hearing something interesting
wers not disappointed. Hon. q. f..
woodard of Bangor explained the bill. 1t
has been already printed. 1t forbids the
sale Of mileage books by any persons eI-
cept agents of the railway company under
penalty of from $40 TO 500. Persons
offering mileage books to which they are
not entitled for fare are liable to tne OF
from one to ten dollars. Mr.. Woodland
offered as an amendment new section.
In doing SO he said: "The third section
which now offer here in the form of an
amendment, provides for the redemption
of the mileage tickets of this character
which may not be used by the purchaser.
Any person may after year from the
data of purchase render in the book az d
designated Office and may receive therefor
in cash the worth Of the ticket deductin q
the coupons that have been used. One at
least of such offices will be established in
every county of the state in which ths
roads may run. The bill provides that a
year must elapse for If there we're not this
restriction a person could buy a thousand
mile book, present 1t at the end of the
journey and get all the advantage of re-
duced fares for a single trip
~ desire to call attention to the fac,
that this bill has reference only to the
class of ticksts which may be taken up by
the co oductors If presented by persons
other than those named thereon. There is
no intent TO limit the use of general
tickets in whatever way the purchase
may sge tit TO employ them. The bill Ii
designed to prevent fraud. 1t is fraud
when person signs contract on the
purchase OF ticket agreeing to uss thai
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