The Portland daily press., 1899-03-01
trfEcaAL 20 THE PRKsE.l

Augusta, February 2a-There was
great lining mp of forces In the House this
morning for battle which WAS not
fought. Last week. Mr. Field of Oak
land asked that the resolve appropfisting
5000 annually for the Eaine Eye and Ear
Infirmary be assigned for todsy snd the
assignment was made. This was taken to
be public notice that the fight WAS onlfor
today and as a result DR.. Holt. The ex-
ecutive surgeon of he. 1n6rmary who
reached Augusta last evening. Nsssrs.
Ammi whitney. A. A. Montgomery,
James II. Hawkes. and Z. B. winslow Of
the board of trustees Of the Institution,
DR.. n. g. Wedgewood of lewiston, and
others came to town this morning TO wit
ness the days developments The matter
was the subject of general discussion last
night and this morning. One thing that
makes it pscuiiar in the history of such
legislation, Is that the Portland delega-
tion is not a unit in its favor. At least
two of the members are openly opposed tn
the resolve. The two are Judge Hopkins
and Mr.. Sargent. Had the matter been
discussed this morning. Judge Hopkins
would have spoken against the passage of
the resolve. The trustees Of the Infirmnry
asked the mem bers of the Portland dele
CATION to meet them at the Falmouth
hotel in Portland, Monday afternoon, and
at that conference there were present, be-
side members Of the board Of trustees,
Represen tativss Webb, Melchsr and Sar
gent. The trustees laid before these
gentlemen figures from which they Axgued
that the appropriation is a necessity.
There was great hustling about a. the
House assembled this morning. One
proposition was that the resolve should b
and this proposal ii Is understood was 90
ceptahle to the trustees Of the Indrmary.
| To do this, however, would have neosssi-
| .ated the reconsideration Of the votes by
which the resolve was passed 20 be en-
crossed in the Senate. 1t would, of coursB,
| have opened the door. to anew hearing II
the finance committee wanted to ggant
one bat it was reaAzed that things had
gone too far TO make this procedure rsac-
tioable. Chairman Manley Of the finance
committee took that ground and was
ready to go into the fight, basing the de-
| fence of the infrmary on the ground that
it was doing valuable charitable work.
and that the recent developments regard
ing its management were nothing but
doctors quarrel with which the ls1tsla-
ture had nothing to do.
When the bill was called up, Mr.. Field
addressed the House. He did lot make u
speech in opposition to the resolve but
said that he desired more time to prepare
what he should have to say on the matter.
He moved that the resolve be re-assigned
for Thursday of tais week.
Chairman Manley said the finance com
mittee were willing to give the gentleman
the time he wanted and hoped the resolve
would be re-assigned.
1t was 20 voted and the House took up
other business The gentlemen interested
in the Infirmary looked relieved. What
the result of a vote this morning would
have been is not known but the situation
of the resolve was not altogether pleasing
to its friends.
OTHER PORTLAND MEASURES,
There are three measures Of particular
interest to Portland now before the legis-
lature. One of these is the bill introduced
by Judge Hopkins of Portland at yestsr-
day afternoons session, limiting the
number of liquor deputies in Cumberland
county to two and fixing their salaries
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