Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-02-14
EASTERN WINS.
telephone Fight With Many
Speeches in House.
Unanimous Report Against Capital
Punishment Bill.
" my Visitors First Yea and Nay Vote Wed
nisdays Many Hearings.

Wednesdays session was n notable
one ~ several respects: the session was
tho longest of the winter. il brought
out The hrst real debate and the iirst
yea and nay Vote. and resulted in a
sweeping victory for the Eastern
Telephone Company in its fight against
the New England Telephone Company
Tor an extension of its rights. The
question WAS on the substitution of
the minority report which was in tavol
of the Eastern COMMANDS bin. an6
after TWO and one-half hours 81
olatorE the vote which was taken re-
suited: Yes" %. No -. Under Sis.
pension Of the rules the bill had its
three readings and was passed to be
en%rossed. 1t was a great victory for
the Eastern people and the big ma ior-
ity for the bill was Il general surprise.
Now how will il fare in the Senate
The fight is certain to be a close one
there.
There was a great gathering Of
visitors in the House Wednesday
morning. ladies predominating. The
galleries Were crowded and all the
spare floor space filled with chairs.
Il was the largest crowd since :nau-
Gurat:on Cay. but will be vastly exceeded
today. The drawing card was the ex-
rected debate. ard nobody was dis
appointed. There was oratory enough
and to spare. eloquent brilliant and
earnest oratory ana argument that
Kept the Spectator till the end. II
WAS 20 y. NJ. when the House ad-
journeG. The Senat" was through at
tie usual hour. The only breeze IN The
higher body was created by the at
tempt Of Staples Of Knox to table the
bill changing the Bangor ward lines
The attempt, after half an hours de
bate. was voted down. II To {. ana the
bill passed with others to be ena,led
In III" House. among the many -om-
mitt G reports, was one which waS an
looked for a. it was not known tha.
the committee had acted on the mat
tor. II was the report Of the judiciary
committee ought not to pass on The
bill establishing capital punishment
The report was unanimous ana was ac-
cepted without word This Kills. fo!
TWO years at least, the ATTEMPT To le-
enact the death penalty in Maine. Mr.
Bennett, the author of the bill. ex-
pressed appointment but said that
public sentiment ives evidently nor Vet
strong enough on the subject.
There We're few new measures intro
Guced and some OF great importauce
One new bill amends the city caucus
law by providing that the assessors
shall ascertain the political aiilia don
If voters and CauCuSeS shall be con-
duCted by their LISTS. There was q
batch of 100 letters from all parts of
the State against rrsubmission, 10
petitions for open time on deer in cum
berland county. 10 circumstances
against the MillinOcket bill. 10 petitions
for an increased tax on corporations
etc
The real interest centcrcd in the tclc-
phone fight which was opened at II
O'Clock by the motion Of Beal Of Ban
gor to substitute for the majority re
port ought not to pass the minorit :
report ought TO pass" on the bill
amending the Eastern Telephone Com
pany charter. He spoke against the
monoply Of The New England COMPANY
which he scathingly arraigned and
made a plea for the Eastern Company
which he STYLED Maine Company, the
friend of the common people Harris
of Auburn opposed the substitution of
the minority report, defending the
New England Company and declaring
the Eastern COMPANY to be a spec
ulation asking for unlimited power He
reviewed the history of the company
ana the trouble with it in Auburn.
uix of RockIand followed in defense OF
tho Eastern Company showing the
work it has done in Knox county.
Tbon,nson of China smoke for the East
ern COMPANY. urging the extension OF
ta1anbona service throughout the rural
district Walker of Starks. Foster oI
Oakland Scammnn of Franklin and
cook of Vassalboro. all spoke briefly
for tho Eastern Companv. the latter
,n..'lr II ,r,nhi., followed with
| q 49,. lI .,h1oct eneach of the
~ i'io ,at,.,If AZ tho ma iority
~ 5o,a.i, /, ~ he a purely
! - - ,t,n No said that to eX-
- ,,.l... af tba Eastern Com
| 'S"' wy :. ,.,.a,+a tv.o telephone
pahE "ouiu w =, ,,.ca of one
| hiolloIoiie9 - Maine do no,
anu th"t 'iiU ,... ~ poIant
want tii'S 'oi'ui''-' ,t,,r;ty renort
argue" apiS nha,,a, ~ tne New
lHuotlnS lfohi' Ing +hot If ia.
I