The Portland daily press., 1901-02-13
Hearing on Street Railway
Taxation Bill.
SfxrIAL 20 TEE rRassI

Auguse9, February I2.-The friends of
the Dill to prevent the running of sun
day excursions ut reduced rates on steam
and electric railroads, ana steamboats,,
were ont In force this afternoon at the
meeting OF the Judiciary committee, and
they INST no opposition from the railroad
and other companies which would be
affected by the bill. In fact, the only
thing in the shape OF opposition came
from the Rev. Ii. G. BaEnay OF Portland.
In long argument-which would have
been longer had not the chairman Of the
committee finally attempted to steer him
back to the main questionable. Basney
maintained that Sunday observance
was a thing TO be dealt with by Gods
law, and that the Judiciary COMMITTEES
was court without jurisdiction. While
there was no opposition, theRhearing was
snlivened by a running tire of questions
from the members Of the committee and
proved to be exceedingly interesting, SO
much so that people came riocking in
from all parts of the building until the
room was crowded. The questions asked
by the members of the committee dealt
mostly with the effect of the Dill upon the
existing Sunday laws ana the question
of needed recreation for poor people. AS
an illustration OF the evils, OF which the
petitioners complain, the Sunday exour-
sions over the Grand Trunk from Port
land to Berlin were mentioned several
times. Kew. WILDER h. Berry OF Water
Vile, secretary or the Christian Civic
league, had charge of the hearing. MIR.
berry said that the multiplication OF ex-
oursions and amusements on Sunday was
seriously alarming the Christian people
of the State. He then introduced the
Rey. DR.. Martin ID. kneeland of Boston.
who spoke at length upon the general
question of Sunday Observance, arguing
thafas the state has, by the principle of
self preservation, the right to punish
criminals so IL has tine right to guard the
morals of the peopls Tnere is danger
abroad and 1t has come into this State OF
Maine-danger in reference to this day
of rest in seven. In two ways we en-.
counter the danger-in Sunday work and
IN Sunday holiday Ism. The two go hand
In hand. will not weary you with de-
tails of the continental Sunday, but 81
per cent OF the laboring people work sew
en- days In the week, SO that now there
is growing up there great demand for
change. In this country we have In
creased rs per cent in population in the
last ten years and 56 per cent In Sunday
WORK. 10 combat che tendency of the
times, Christian denominations have
united to oppose the low rate Sunday
ho4
thousands in Maine have petitioned you
on this subject, and have here a mes
sage from Rev. Francis Il. Clark, written |
at the goth anniversary of the Y. =. 5. |
q. E., at Portland, and recording the |
unanimous vote in favor of this move
ment.
DIR. KneelAnd said that he advocated
the measure partly in behalf of railway |
employees. In Massachusetts similar
law was passed four years ago ami sun.
day excursion trains are not now ru n. |
AS to the finances of the roads, it is
found that excursions on Wednesday or
Thursday are as well patronized as the
Sunday excursions were. The running
of Sunday excursions is accompanied
very often by rowdyism and drunken
ness. AS a case in point. there is Ber-
lin Mills, to which Sunday trains have |
been run from Portland, 1 went there
at the request of citizens. including sew
eral Ca tholio priests, and found that
there was being dumped in there certain
ly very demoralizing element.
Some will probably say TO you that
we have a Sunday law in Maine. We
have. There La no doubt Of that; but
there is great doubt as TO It's value. 1
have been told that this proposed law
IS absurd and ridiculous; but we cannot
be laughed out OF court, because we pro-
pose 10 put under the general law a pro-
vision applying it to a certain case
There is another point; the old law re-
lates 20 the individual. This you win |
see applies to the corporation. will /
take another illustration from the road
1 have mentioned. The sunday rate from |