The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1899-03-18

sane at Bangor. All the academies have
the hospitals have had their share of the
state's bounty. OF the other charitable
institutions, only one exception has been
made. That was in the case of the In
dustriol School for Girls Here the ap-
preparation was made uron the condition
that the property be turned over to the
state. The determined opposition OF
Judge MoFadden Of Dresden to the
making Of many OF these appropriations
has been matter of concern to members
interested In them. or was until vote
had shown that the Judge could com.
mnud few supporters.
Attempts to tinker the laws have not
met with great success. The laws in re-
lation TO the farmers have been under fire
and there, have been one or two attempts
TO create new ones, but all failed, includ
Ing that remarkable bill to regulate the
snle OF food, meaning thereby everything
eaten and drank by man, horses CT
cattle. Ii was not until this last day Of
the session that the affairs OF the agricul-
tursl department were finally shelved by
the defeat OF the bill to provide for the
election OF the secretary of the board by
the legislature. The investigation into
tho affairs Of this board, however, re-
suited In the passage OF the net prohibit
Ing the employment of counsel and the
payment of witnesses by the heads of
stata departments in legislative hearings
| Thfa nd hv ha if.,r. al
board of advocating the measures which
1t had endorsed was ono of the things on
which the investigating turn OF mind nf
thel;aw m@k Jrs caused tho lime light to
be thrown. Another was the use Of passes
| on the railroads by members of tho legis
lature and the heads of state departments.
This was not followed by the passage OF a
law but the movement started by Senator
Reynolds of Cumberland has given
the public good deal of interesting in
formation.
Speaking of railroads it is OF course the
railroad question which has created the
greatest interest OF any matter before the
legislature. 1t brought to the front q
number OF bright young men of Maine
and they for q time were the leading
figures in the halls where the laws are
madc II gave occasion for one of the
most remarkable hearings that the mem-
pers Of any railroad committee have
listeried to for many years ana incidental
ly 1t opened discussion of the influence
Of the third house in shaping the affairs
of the state. This discussion was interest
ing not only to the members OF the logis-
lnture, but to the members OF the lobby
who arrived bag and baggage the day
after the railroad bills were introduced
and have been here ever since The mile
age question was ssttleG by the compro-
mise with which both sides appear to be
satisfied. 1t was followed by determined
attempt to increase the taxes OF the rail
roads and to open the whole question of
the taxation problem. This attempt while
it was n vigorous one did not have many
mo1lSers .,skind 1t and its settlement by
reference to the next legislature has been
predicted from the start. The discussion
OF the mileage question quite obsuured
the announcement which the eminent
counsel for the railroads made ealiy in
the winter that the granting of special
charters would be stronuously opposed
and a number of them, including the ex-
tension of the charter of the Westbrook
and Naples road ara now laws. In fact
1t is ma ny long year since the railroad
people have put in such hard work as
they have done this winter.
The legislature has shown its financial
ability by keeping the tax rate down. Ii
has done this by borrowing all the money
needed to keep things going until some
way Is found in the future 10 take up
the loans.
The states relations with the Universe
ty of Maine are unchanged. Here, too the
investigating spirit made itself felt and
the accounts of the Institutions were sum-
married. that the Solons might see how
the monsy goes. The legislature declined
to make an extra appropr iation and the
in future wars We're to be drilled is still
in existence only ON paper.
The came reluctance to change existing
conditions which has been manifested by
the legislature in other matter appeared
when requests were made that towns
should bs divided. The willard case was
settled adversely to the petitioners and
the Old Orchard mattsr shared the same
fate, while the Windham petition was
fdissposed of by by enforcing the rule that
notice shall be given in the manner de-
fined by law. Deering was annexed to
Portland, but judging from the action OF
tho committee in other matters had 1t not
been for the fact that the petitioners were
able to show q good case, backed up by
a public opinion overwhelmingly in favor
of the ann axation, the result might have
been different.
The committee has shown great dis
POSITION to let things alone.
The same refusal to tinker with the
laws has been shown in reference to the
prohibitory law and that much discussed
and much violated statute is left as the
legislature found it.