Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-09-02
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
SEvENTY.FIRST SESSION,
SENATE REPORT.
Tuesday, Sept. l. 100

1
| Prayer by the Rev. Mr.. Hayden of
| Augusta.
| Journal of the previous session read
| and approved.
| A communication in answer to SEN
ate orders Of March "a ad %, 1903, was
read by the secretary.
Reports of Committees.
Mr.. Goodwin of Somerset, for the
| committee on revision of the statutes,
submitted the following report:
State of Maine-In the year of our
Lord, one thousand nine hundred and
| three.
To the Honorable Senate and House
! of Representatives, in Legislature as
| sembled:
| The joint select committee on the re-
vision of statutes of the list Legisla-
| ture, was, by resolve approved March
a, 1908, constituted a commission to sit
| during the recess of the Legislature to
supervise the work of the commission
er, Hon. John A. Morrill,, in revising
| and consolidating the public acts of the
State, including those of 1903 The
commission has attended to it's duty
I.
Immediately after adjournment of
the Legislature the members of the
commission were divided into convent
ent sub committees, and the report of
the commissioner appointed among
them. They had power to employ such
clerks and assistants as they deemed
necessary to assist them in their work,
and they have been practically in con-
slant session since the Legislature ad-
journed. From time to time they re-
ported to the full committee at meet
ingS held in Augusta. and all questions
of doubt or uncertainty were there
settled. In this way every line of the
statutes has been carefully gone over
and revised in connection with the
commission. and the result is the
product of their united labor and best
Judgment.
AT the last session many obsolete
laws were repealed by special bills in
troduced by your committee and much
spaced saved: so much SO that we can
now present to you a volume no larg-
er than the revision of 1883, although
1920 public laws have been enacted in
the last 20 years, all of which, with
porated with the laws of 1888; and in
| addition, this volume will be printed in
type as good, if not better, than the
type then used. And yet your COM
mission has never sought brevity at the
expense of clearness, but has ever tried
to give clear expression to the true in
tent of the Legislature.
We have not inserted any new legis-
lation in our report, except in one in
stance, to which we wish to call the
special attention of the Legislature.
Since the adjournment, the trustees of
the two Insane hospitals have learned
that nearly all of their patients We're
Illegally committed, according to q re-
cent decision of the supreme court
Therefore, under the existing laws, it
would be necessary for these unfortu-
nate people to be carried back to their
homes, many in remote parts of the
State, and there go through the neces-
sary legal formalities and be sent back
to the hospitals. This would involve
much labor, anxiety and very great eX-
pense. To remedy this difficulty, at
! the request of the trustees. we have adj
ded four sections to Chapter 144, on
Insane hospitals, providing a simple
method by which the superintendent
of the hospitals at Augusta and Ban
sor may apply to the municipal courts
in their respective cities and have their
present patients legally re-committed.
In our judgment the emergency exist
listing demands the passage of this law
| and we have therefore incorporated it
in the new draft.
AS this revision will remain the law
of the land, after next January, prob
ably for 90 years or more, your COM
mittee has taken the utmost pains to
avoid rrors. The proof has been read
by professional proofreader. en-
ployed for the purpose, the honorable
commissioner, and by the members of
| the commission. If errors exist, and
they undoubtedly do. we feel that it
should not be charged to want of care
on the part of your servants, but rather
to the fact that no man, or body of men,
can be found absolutely infallible in
| judgment and observation in "a work of
| this magnitude and scope.
We wish to take this opportunity to
| publicly express our appreciation of
! the services rendered your committee,
| the Legislature and the people of the
| State, by the Hon. John A. Morrill,, in
| the work Of compiling, revising and ar
ranging the statutes. His great learn
| ing, industry and ability, together with
| his unfailing kindness and courtesy,
have made the work of your committee
| a pleasure rather than a burden. and
the result amply justifies the wisdom
| of his selection for this important work.
We therefore report the accompany
! ing bill entitled AN Act to revise and
consolidate the public laws of the
| State" and that the same ought to
| pass.
The report of the committee was ac-
| cepted, and, on motion by Senator
| Goodwin of Somerset bill, An Act to re-
| wise and consolidate the laws of the
tate, took it's two several readings
under suspension of the rules and was
| passed to be engrossed.
| The same senator for the same COM
| mittee to which was referred report OF
committee on revision and consolida-
ton OF the laws of fha Stata of Maine,