The Republican journal., 1905-03-16
LEGISLATIVE MATTERS OF LOCAL
INTEREST.

INTEREST.
Ihe senate March 8th, % to 5, passed the
Sturgis bill to provide for a commission tt
see that the prOhibitory law is enforced
Sturgis and Mills spoke in favor of the bill
Staples of course opposing. The following
voted against it: Staples, Tatre, Philoon,
Shaw and Curtis.
BY vote of 100 to q in the House March
9th, motion by Representative Merrill of
Skowhegan that the minority report of
ought to pass made by the committee on
taxation on his bill to increase the taxation
of railroads be substituted for the unfav-
orable majority report was defeated. The
consideration of the measure, which prac-
tically would double the taxation on rail
roads, was continued from Wednesday.
Representative Merrill for nearly an hour
explained the provisions of his bill and
urged its acceptance. He was supported by
Representative Hastings Of Bethel Those
who spoke against the measure were Rep
resentatives Reed and SWEET of Portland.
Powers of Houlton and Belleau of Lewis.
ton. Representatives Jones and Sparrow of
the Waldo delegation voted for the bill.
The House, March 9th, passed the follow
ing acts to be enacted:
An Act relating to the taking of scallops
IN the Bagaduce river, SO-called, between
the towns of Castine and BrooksviIle, in
the county OF Hancock, from March lst to
November 1St in each gear
An Act to prohibit scallOp fishing in Blue
hill bay from the first day of April to the
first day OF November in each year.
In the Senate, March 10th, Mr.. Morse of
Waldo said: Mr.. President, hold in my
hand several acts and resolves which were
received in this body under suspension of
the rules and refused passage in the
House, on which conference was appoint
ed. l have to report that the committee of
conference on these matters report that the
House recedes,an concurs with the Senate.
The report submitted by the Senator
from Waldo included the following bills
and resolves:
Resolve in favor of the town of China.
Resolve in favor of Ida Yeaton, widow of
John Yeaton, late of the Third Maine
Cavalry
An Act for the protection of fish in Dead,
Bailey and Levenseller brooks in the towns
of Brooks and Waldo in the county of
Waldo.
In the House, March 10th, Mr.. Furbish
for the Committee on Inland Fisheries and
Game, to whom was recommitted "An Act
to amend Section ! of Chapter sol of
private and special laws of 1868, relating to
the protection of deer in the counties of
kennebec, Knox, Waldo and Lincoln, re-
ported same "ought not to pass Report
accepted.
The committee on salaries has reported
ought to pass on an order increasing the
salaries of members of the legislature from
$50 to $500, and the president of the
senate and speaker of the house from $500
to $500 each.
Three reports were received in the senate,
March 10th, from the committee on legal
affairs who have been Investigating the non
enforcement of the prohibitory law. One
report admits that liquor is sold in certain
counties, among which Cumberland county
is mentioned in particular, but recommends
that further investigation is unnecessary.
A second report gives the petitioners leave
to withdraw, stating that one county shall
not be singled out; while the third,
signed by Staples of Knox, merely gives the
petitioners leave to withdraw.
The first report, which was signed by
seven of the 10 members of the committee,
reads: ''Ihat from evidence presented the
committee finds that the sheriff of Cumber-
land county permits various persons to sell
Intoxicating liquors in manner unauthoriz-
ed by law. That this condition of things is
open and matter of common knowledge,
and was not in any way controverted at
the hearing. That in the opinion of the
committee this is clear violation of duty
The second report, which was signed by
Representatives Reed and Baxter, the
Cumberland county members of the COM
mittee, reads: "That the evidence present
ed at the hearing was no more than hear
say and committee report, and not such as
would be legally admissible in judicial pro-
ceedings, and, so far as we are informed,
the degree of enforcement in Cumberland
county appears not to be materially differ
ent than in other counties of this State
That under this condition a legislative
investigation by special committee
should not be confined to a single county,
The House, Tuesday, by a vote of SO tt
27, accepted the report of the minority Of
the committee on Temperance sought to
pass on the bill introduced by Representa-.
tive Stevens of Portland prohibiting the
sale of cider containing over three per cent
of alcohol and placing the sale of the juice
of the apple in the same class as wine, ale
Porter, strong beer, lager beer and al
other malt liquors. The Waldo delegation
voted in the affirmative.
NEWS OF THE ORANGES.