The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1905-02-09
At Augusta.

speaking at leDRth on his proposition 10
provide for the taxation of railroads on
their actual value senator Staples
always draws crowd.
bill of importance was presented in
the House of Repre- sentAtives, Thursday
morning, by Rep. Morey Of Lewiston.
1t was an act to amend the Australian
ballot law SO that the voting shelves
shall be 30 arranged as to be hidden
from the view of all persons outside the
grand Tail.
Thursday afternoon the committee on
taxation held a hearing on the bill re-
lative to the collection of taxes in I'M
organized townships. Charles T. Oak
and S. w. Philbrick, representing wild
land owners, appeared in opposition to
the bill, and George q Weeks of Fair
field and Hon. M l. Merrill of ST. Adams
in favor compromise was suggested
that the tate should the more prompt
ly pay tax over 10 counties and become
responsible for uncolected taxes. An
other bill is likely to be reported by the
commi tee.
Numerous remonstrances against
change Of law relating to trustee process
were presented in the House Friday, in
cludlng one by Mr. Sawyer of smith
tield OF Harvey L. SAWYER and eight
others of Smitbfield: of f. J Robinson
and 81 others of Fairfield; and by VI
knsman of Cornvile, of Ivory Lowe
and 30 others of Canaan; of F. +. Ring
and Is others of Cambridge Sir. Wealth
erby of Lincoln presented bill: an act to
! abolish the office of Inspector of factor
les, workshops, mines and quarries.
Mr.. Allan of Dennysvil.e presented
petition of II. E. Dodge aud twelve
Others in favor of Merrill bill for the
taxation of railroads. Both branches
adjourned Friday until Tuesday at 10
q. m.
The long-expec'ed bill changing the
State tax on property in Maine from one
mill on the dollar to two known as the
Orange bill" was presented in the
House Thursday by Irving of Pressure
Isle. The bill provides that every town
shall raise and expend for the support
of common sch ools therein not less than
80 cents for each inhabitaut, instead of
not less than so cents under the existing
law. The bill also provides that a tax
of two mills on a dollar instead of one
mill shall annually be assessed upon all
the property of the State according to
the valuation thereof and shall be
known as the mill tax for the support of
common schools.
On Thursday in the House MIR. Wit
tum of Concord presented remembrance
of c. Durgin and "a others of West
Forks, against the repeal of the law
protecting deer in organized towns and
plantations.
Mr.. Kinsman of Cornville presented
petition of l.. n. Ellingwood and others
Of Athens for Maine sanitorium
Mr.. Simpson for the committee on
appropriations and financial affairs, on
Petition of Mrs l.. NJ. n Stevens, ask
ing for an appropriation for the W. &.
T. u. department of the Home for
Homeless Children" and that the same
ought to pass. Report accepted.
An act to auth orize the Northern Sea
port Railroad Company to lease or sell
its railroad to the Bangor & Aroostook
Railroad Company also.
An act to authorize the Northern
Maine Seaport Railroad Company and
the Bangor Investment Company to
build wharves and piers in and near
Cape Jellison Halbor passed to be en-
acted in the Senate.
On Tuesday n the Senate MIR. Bailey
of Somerset presented: Bill, an act to
authorize the Maine Stream Lumber
Company to erect dam over Main
Stream in the town of Harmony. On
further motion by the same senator, the
bill was tabled for printing
Also, remonstrance of Peter Travis
and 81 others of NoIridgewock against
the extension of the charter of the Nor
ridgewock Bridge Proprietors.
Also, remonstrance of Frank l.. Ames
and 70 others against same.
In the House MI Sawyer of Smith
| field presented:
Petition of l.. W. Weston and a.
others of Skowhegan in favor of grant
ing to the women of the State of Maine
the right of full and equal suffrage.
Mr. Bunker of Arson: Petition of f
| X Walker and II others of Arson and
Madison for same
Mr. Sawyer of Smithfeld Petition
of w. p. Minslow and % others of St
Albans for same.
A large batch of circumstances were
! presented against chlnge of law relating
to trustee process includlng one by MIR
! Bunker of Anson, of Wallace Emery and
! 10 others of Arson; and by MIR smith of
Madison, of j. r Holman and 8 others
of Athens and of S. f. Greene and 81
Others of Scion.
After the morning hour both branches
adjourned in respect of the memory OF
Hon j. IL. Manley, until Wednesday
morning.
The proposed amendment of the State
| Constitution to provide for initiative and
referendum was before the committee
on Judiciary on Tuesday afternoon.
! Hon. Cyrus w. Davis of Waterville was
the first speaker and made a lengthy
and able argument in favor of the meas
ure and Mr.. Roland T. Patten of Show
hogan briefly addressed the committee
! He stated in part, that he is glad to live
under government where in essence
at least, it's action is controlled by the
| people, This measure is not radical, he
said, but it is simple and easily compre
hended. II provides method by which
the people may have the right if they 80
desire, to put their veto on uuwholsome
! Legislation The only objection to the
proposition is that it is not needed, that
representatives. are generally very
careful to pass only such measures az
they feel will meet the popular will, but
MIR. patten believed that the passage of
! the measure would tend to make legis-
lators more careful in their actions The
speaker referred 70 the fact that the
state of Oregon adop'ed tsimilar amend
ment to its constitution by a vote OF
go, 600 to 5000, aud is now in vogue in
that state, though no necessity for its