Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-01-28

Sold in Augusta by
CHAS. b MURPHY. DRUGGIST.
as much more than is now being APP
portioned.
On account of the arrangements for
the Reed memorial exercises. which
will be held in joint convention, this
forenoon, both houses will meet at $50
o'clock instead Of 10 A. NJ, as usual.
This change will give an opportunity
for the consideration of routine bust
ness prior to the assembling in con-
vention.
Hearings before committees began in
good earnest, yesterday afteroon, re-
CARELESS OF the fact that the sessions Of
the House and Senate did not begin
until after the dinner hour had passed.
The matter of the employment of a
dairy expert under the direction of the
commissioner of agriculture occupied
the attention of the agricultural COM
mittee for couple of hours or more
Commissioner A. w. Gilman was the
first speaker in favor of the measure
He was followed by J. G. Waters of the
Newport condensed milk factory, Davis
Maxwell of Wales, Charles S. Pope of
Manchester, ]. A. Roberts of Norway.
P. p. DeCoster of Bucktield. r. H..
Libby of Newport, ex-senator NJ L.
Merrill of st. Adams, Frank S. Adams
of Bowdoinham, w. T. Guptill of Tops
ham, and d. H. Knowlton of Farming
ton, all of whom earnestly urged the
passage of the act. The committee
voted fought to pass"
large number of persons interested
in automobiles attended the hearing
before the judiciary committee, yester-
day. The bill under consideration was
that limiting the speed OF such vehicles
at not more than 20 miles an hour IN
rural districts. Charles P. Hatch of
Portland, II. c. Baxter of Brunswick
ex-Mayor Charles r. Hyde of Bath
favored this bill. Clarence E. Sawyer,
ESQ, of Brunswick, made some objec-
ton to the bill in behalf of clients of
his who reside in the rural sections OF
the State. Representative Sewall ad-
vocated bill making the limit Is miles
an hour. Senator Clark of Hancock,
thought municipal officers should have
certain highways in their towns if they
saw fit to do so. The action of the
committee was deferred.
The committee on legal affairs heard
few matters and voted ought to pass
on the bill to amend the Revised Stat
utes relating to burying grounds. Fur
Their consideration of the order to In
frIJiy i,fn he ofo
law whereby all paupers now supported
by towns shall be supported by coun-
ties, on account of lack of attendance
of interested parties, was postponed
until Feb. Is.
The Senate chamber was crowded
with people interested in the bill to re-
duce the rate of taxation upon savings
banks, yesterday afternoon. 1t was
heard by the committee en- taxation.
which was presided over by Senator
Gardner of Penobscot, chairman of the
committee. Weston Thompson, Esq,
of Brunswick, opened the discussion.
He said that there were 325 trustees of
Names 81 savings banks and these
men see real grievance in the present
tax on savings banks. They have no
ends of their own to serve, nor do they
they lack intelligence to distinguish
between justice and injustice. Since
savings banks have existed depositors
have lost but 100000 of three hundred
millions of investments.
Mr.. Thompson told of past expert
ences and said that the savings banks
had not pressed their point so fiercely
as they might. They have hesltated
about insisting upon u reduction OF the
tax; but now. however, they believe
that the States treasury is now better
equipped to stand a reduction than it
has been for many years. The speaker
contended that the banks, today, are
not able to retain the 5 per cent. re-
serve and to pay the tax. The safety
fund is now to less than per cent.
William d. Sewall of the Bath Saw
ings Bank, F. H. Noyes of Norway
Geo. F. Cary of Machias, Hon. George
Pottle of Lewiston, State assessor, Hon
tor from Franklin county, also spoke
in favor of the reduction.
Senator Staples of Knox, and Hon
]. P. Bass of Bangor, opposed the pro-
posed reduction in vigorous language
oelldloE oldpleS COnIeHQeu tIdC not all
the depositors are poor people. Rich
people deposite money in banks and
then they deposit in the names of their
wives and children.
Mr.. Bass said that he was not OPP
posed to having laws passed that
would carefully protect the interests
of the depostors in the savings banks
but he was opposed to the plan as out
lined in the Governors message asking
that the Legislature enact a law au-
thorizing horizontal reduction of
taxes. The law should be SO amended
as to contine the benefits to that class
of people for whom the savings banks
were originally established.
Hon. F. Z. Timberlake argued in ia
vor of the proposed reduction in the
same general way as he has done in
his annual reports. He spoke of the
necessity for encouraging the savings
banks. John L. Crosby of Bangor,
spoke in favor of the reduction. Judge
A. HI. Walker of Rridgton, was in IA
yor of the proposition. Hon. Leslie c.
Cornish of Augusta, closed the hearing
for the advocates of reduction. He ar
gued in favor of the measure because