Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1903-04-07
The Public LAWS.

The Public Laws.
With this issue of the Democrat is
published an extra sheet containing the
public laws passed by the legislature
which has just adjourned. Ignorance of
the law excuses no one, and a careful
perusal of these laws is desirable if not
necessary for every one. A few Of those
laws which are of the most general and
local importance are noted herewith.
A number of these laws are acts to
establish" the salary of state and coun-
ty officers, though there are less of these
than in some previous years. The salary
of the Supreme Court judges is raised to
five thousand dollars. The only increase
given in Oxford County is in the pay of
the county commissioners, which is
raised from $3.50 to $500 per day of
actual service.
Several chapters of the statutes as they
exist are repealed almost wholly, includ-
ing that chapter relating TO the impound-
ing of beasts, and other obsolete and
outgrown laws, which were practically
dead wood in the statute book.
The amount which may be granted by
the state for the permanent improvement
of roads designated as state roads is in
creased from one hundred to two hun
dred dollars in any town annually, and
the amount the town is required TO ex-
pend on the same road is left at one
hundred as before. While on the sub
iect of roads it may be noted that the
statute regarding damages on the high
way has been amended so that it is now
necessary that twenty-four hours actual
notice of the defect must be had by "the
commissioners of such county, or the
municipal officers or road commissioners
of such town, or any person authorized
by any commissioner of such county or
any municipal officer or road commits
sioner of such town, to act as a substitute
for either of them"
The week commencing with the second
Sunday in August is designated Old
Home Week, and towns and cities are
authorized TO raise money for the proper
observance of the same.
An act "for the better education of
youth" provides that youth residing in
towns which do not maintain free high
school may have their tuition paid in
some other high school, money for this
purpose to be raised by the town where
they reside, and One-half of it to be re-
imbursed by the state, up to the amount
of two hundred and fifty dollars.
A law which got through with very
little if any comment in the papers pro-
videS for the election of the superintend-
ent of schools by the school committee
in all cases, and never by the town. The
state school department has desired this
for many years.
The examination and registration of
embalmers and undertakers is provided
for, and the practice of their profession
is regulated.
Towns having more than four thousand
inhabitants are authorized to vote their
Selectmen compensation not exceeding
five dollars per day. This affects moth
ing in Oxford County under the present
census.
Splitting on the floors of street cars is
made an offence punishable by fine.
The consent clause, so called, of the
telephone law, is repealed in toto, so
that telephone companies are now free to
build between the points named in their
certificate of incorporation, regardless OF
whether the field is already occupied
subject, of course, to municipal regula- |
tions and permission.
Although there are three chapters of
the laws relating to the election of town |
treasurers and collectors, the first is |
partially nullified by the second, and |
entirely repealed by the third, so that
the same person may still be treasurer |
and collector of town.
Chapter 215, relating to political
caucuSes, establishes more or less |
elaborate machinery of regulation and
registration for those bodies, and should |
be carefully studied in all places where |
it applies. By the last section, which |
was attached as an amendment, it is
made not to apply to towns of less than /
two thousand inhabitants, so that the
only towns in Oxford County to which
it applies are Norway, Paris and Rum
ford.
In matters of fish and game the most
important measure is that which places
a tax of fifteen dollars on nonresident
hunters of deer and moose, the receipts
to be used in the protection of game. A
close time is placed on hares and rabbits,
from the first of April to the first of
September. The open time on duck is
now only from Sept. LIST to Dec. LIST. A
bounty of five dollars is placed on every
bear killed in Oxford County only, and
bounty of twenty-five cents is placed on
"porcupines, so-called."
This legislature, being Drawer than its
predecessors, ventured to pass a law
raising the pay of members of the legis-
lature and the executive council from
one hundred and fifty to three hundred
dollars for the session, provided the
legislator does not accept passes from
transportation companies. Even this is
not to become law until it has been ac-
cepted by vote of the people, and it will
be voted upon on the official ballot at
the state election in September, 1904.
The appropriations made for the years
1908 and 1904 foot up s4,642, 1861,
against s., S44 ,501.SS by the legislature
of 1901 for the years 1901 and 1902, an in
crease of SI9S, 265.09. OF this years APP
the only one which comes
directly and exclusively into Oxford
County is $500 for the care of roads in
Upton, Magalloway Plantation and
Letter C. Some more than $4,000 Of
the amount appropriated is for the very ,
work of revising the statutes.
The University of Maine gets $4,000, !
Colby College $4,000. Bates College
got nothing.
The list of things which the legisla-
ture didn't do is a long one. The most
important item on the list is the bridge |
bill, providing for the maintenance OF all ,
bridges over fifty feet in length by the
state. The legislature refused to in
crease the governors salary to $4,000.
Among the bills referred to the next
legislature are those to incorporate the
,ity of Rumford and to permit the South