Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-01-02
The Seventeen Maine Legislature.

The Seventeen Maine Legislature.
Names 10Th Legislature will assem-
BILE, this morning at the Capitol. That
IS, it's formal org1 niZation will occur.
today, though the assembling has been
going on for the past two days, while
legislat tors, ex-legislators, legislators
to-be and a host of their friends have
been coming To the city from all parts
Of the State. Augusta is glad to well
come them all and to find Itself again
in the hustle that attends the open
ing week CT the Legislative session.
Most of the faces in the gathering
crowds are familiar, and we hope
that the faces of those who are strang
ers will soon be the faces Of friends.
The men who make The laws of Maine
are men of brains and integrity, the
Representatives men of the state To
whom are entrusted the most sacred
interests of our people. Never in the
past century We're our Legislators
doubt that the first Legislature of the
2Oth century will be a worthy sue
cessor of those which have preceded ii.
To the members, new and Old, and to
all others whom the three months
session calls to our city, the Journal eX-
tends a cordial welcome with the hope
of n most DIeas SAINT winter.
The opening week is always busy
one. There are the caucuses, organiZa-
ton, Inauguration and other features,
crowded in three days. The work was
well begun, last evening. at the House
and Senate caucuses of the Republican
members when the nominations We're
made which will be confirmed at the
organization hour, this morning. 1t
will be well continued, this evening, at
the joint Republican caucus when the
nomination Of the various State
officers will be made and Hon. William
p. Frye of Lewiston, now in the shadow
of a great bereavement, will be uran-
iraously nominated to succeed himself
for another term of six years in the
national Senate. Republican nominal
tions being equivalent to elections the
choices of this evenings and tonor-
row evenings caucus will be prompt
" ratified by the full bodies. Having
one member in the Senate and score
in the House the Democrats, however.
will be able TO go through the form of
a caucus, Il luxury in the past quite
frequently denied them. On Thursday
comes the formal inauguration of
Augustus distinguished citizen, Hon.
John F. Hill, as Governor of Maine. 1t
is certain that his address will be a
sound. sensible, business-like docu
ment. Then, after the election of State
officers and the announcement of the
committees, there will be a recess un-
til the first of next week.
The session promises to be an impor-
tant and busy one, but on the matters
of it's length and its work no two of
the many prophets can agree. In
1899 the final adjournment came on
March l.; in both 1897 and 1895 the
date was March q. 1t is quite safe to
say that however much or however
little the 10Th Legislature accom-
plishes, it will adjourn sine die in the
last half of March. AT this time it
looks as though the taxation revision
problem would be the most important
with which the session will have to
deal This is such an intricate mat
ter and involves so many interests
that its just and satisfactory solution
is a task of great magnitude. Many
other matters there will be to which
careful consideration must be given.
but this promises to overshadow them
all There will be Il number of town
division matters, several electric rail
road contests and a sardine war. 1t
is probable that the usual attack viii
be made on the academies with the
usual result The enemies of the fee
system will be heard from. 1t is ur-
derstood that the woman suffraSist
will be heard from. this winter, no
campaign having been made before the
69th Legislature. There are likely TO
be few changes in the fish and game
laws. The fourth normal school cues
ton will be brought UP again. The ad-
vocates of good roads Will keep up
their crusade and there VIII
be the usual amount of private
and special bills to be disposed of.
These are a few of the numerous sub
jects that will be discussed at the
State House, during the next three
months.
In accepting the terms imposed upo
lie no 80