The Portland daily press., 1901-02-28
Militia Companies Go
to Washington.
The Hearing on the Cumberland
Sheriff Law Postponed.
IsPEcIAL TO THE PRExs.I


Augusta, February 27.-This was the
day assigned for the hearing upon the
question of the salary OF the sheriff OF
Cumberland county, and Sheriff Pearson
and Deputy Sheriff Perry were among
the visitors to the State House. Owing,
however, to the funeral of Senator Hods-
don which nsoessitated the absence Of
several members Of the judiciary commit
tee, the hearing was again postponed un-
til Thursday afternoon. sheriff Pearson
said to the PRESS correspondent that he
should object to any attempt to take out
OF his power the right to buy the pro-
visions for the prisoners in the Jail. Mr..
Pearson said that in the last week OF Mr..
Despeaux's administration there came
near being a riot because OF dissatisfao-
tion with the food supplied to them. Mr..
Pearson said he should also object to any
provision which took out or the hands OF
the sheriff the right to employ the men
who had charge of the prisoners. MIR.
Pearson was asked II there was any such
provision in the amended bill and said he
did not know; he should oppose It II
there was.
81 am in favor Of placing the sheriff
upon a proper salary" said Mr.. Pearson.
lie added that in his own case he re-
ceived nothing from the fees for civil
business, his chief deputies being men
who would not have been willing TO take
the positions II they had been obliged to
divide their fees. Mr PeaTson was not
prepared to say just what the salary
should be until he knew the other pro-
visions of the bill. The measure has
been printed IN the PRESS, but 1t
seams to have escaped sir. Pearson's at
tsntion.
no THE INAUGURATION.
There was a second edition OF the debate
in the House this morning on the resolve
appropriating $1,000 to send two COM
panies of the National Guard and the
Signal Corps to the Inauguration of
President Mckinley. The resolve was
offered by MIR. Davis Of Waterville and
supported by Mr.. Williams of Sanger
willie, and then MIR. Cook OF VassalbUro
spoke briefly against the bill
MIR. Davis said in part: 1 Objeot to this
my constituents, and a large number OF
people throughout the state. do not
object to the amount of the resolve or the
purpose of the resolve, but base my OBJ
jsction on the broader ground that this
legislature should not enter int0 such
outside IeRisla tion when we are facing
such financial conditions as are now pre-
sented In the state. take 1t for granted
that every member OF the House is faIuil-
lar with TIE condition or the state treAs-
ury. Look at our condition today. Our
expenditures exceed our income by s66l,-
D So. Place this showing against that Of
1875 and draw your own conclusions as to
wnere we are drifting. In 1875 the state
nad a surplus OF s45S, 1855. Today we
| have to face items such as these: $4,000
for public debt, $50, 600 for interest, SlO,-
OOO for the University of Maine which
comes to us from q previous legislature.
Sl5, 600 for the state printing deficiency
S5O77 tor the deficit in the work Of the
| geographical commission, S36, 900 for the
Illegal loan made by Governor Powers to
| complete the Eastern Maine Insane hos
pital. These items with all the excess
which we have yet to hear from, bring
as to the realization that the net debt OF
the state is now Ssl6. 919.9', and this is
outside our bonded debt and does not
take in the appropriations of the present
legislature. These figures must be con-
sidered and we must think Of the debt
limit of $500, 900 which we cannot exceed.
1 am opposed not only TO this resolve but
to others, and we must object II we are
to take care Of the increasing expenses oil
the state. We must send back the budget