Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1905-03-29
ADJOURNED.
SEVENTY SECOND SESSION OF
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
WHAT WAS ACCoMPLIsHED-TE
ANCE LEGIsLATIoN-THE
APPROPRIATIONS.
Augusta Cor. Bangor Commercially

=
weeks duration. The closing hours dur
ing which there were many intermissions
in the business routine to await the action
of one House or the other and finally to
await the arrival Of the last appropriation
bill to be enacted, were filed in with the
usual presentation speeches and more or
less revelry.
In each branch the members manifested
the dispositions of school boys out for
lark and were seemingly thoroughly glad
to be free after the long and tedious ses-
sion. Both Senate and House reassembied
at 8 p. M, when the second appropriation
bill for 1905 and the appropriation bill for
1906 were passed as follows
Total appropriation for1905, 50, 515, $685. "a.
Total appropriation for 1905, s2,224, 6oo92.
Making total of 1910, 194.76..
This shows an increase over 1903 of
S142, 427.79.
This increase is partly to be attributed
to the porcupine bounty act which made
an expense Of some $4,000, and by the
recently enacted pauper law which pro-
vides that the State be required to as
sumo the responsibility and cost of sup
port of alien paupers.
The number of acts passed by the pres
ent legislature is 573, and of the resolves,
176.
In 1903, 663 acts and 14s resolves were
passed.
In addition to the fine presentation to
Pres. Goodwin and Speaker Drew, Sen.
Staples in the upper branch and Rep.
johnson, Of Waterville, in the lower
branch, as representing the minority
party, were each presented with the
presiding officers copies of Webster's
dictionary.
On account of the divided sentiment as
to whether or not the prohibitory liquor
law should or should not be enforced,
great interest was manifested in the many
hearings before the committee on temper
ance. The first matter to be considered
was the resubmission of the prohibitory
law to the people. After debate of long
duration the resolve was overwhelmingly
defeated, many of the members showing
indifference to the measure.
THF sTURGIs BILL.
The bill providing for commission of
three to see that the law was enforced,
did, however, pass both branches, the
Senate by vote'of % to and the House
by vote of " to "a. The bill was pre-
sented by Sen. Sturgis, one of the MEM
bers of the upper branch from Cumber-
land county, and, therefore, is known as
the "Sturgis" bill. Not for many years has
a matter created so much interest as this
measure, and a senator who came from a
remote corner of the State in a single day,
almost, found that his name was house
hold word in many localities.
The measure clothes the governor with
the power, if he so desires, of appointing
a commission of three men, one of whom
shall be a lawyer and one of whom shall
be member of the minority party, who,
if the officials in any county Of the State
wink at the enforcement of the liquor
law, may go into that county, appoint
deputies and endeavor to enforce the law.
The Sturgis bill was favored by Gov.
Cobb and he made personal matter of
the same, and it was through his efforts
that the measure was enacted into law.
The platform of the republican party
the liquor law and Gov. Cobb, it is stated,
is endeavoring to see that his promises be-
fore the election as relates to the law are
carried out if it lies in his power.
The Cakes bill, named from the fact
that it was presented by member of the
House from Auburn, and which became a
law month ago, provides that any
sheriff, county attorney or deputy sheriff
who is found guilty of nonfeasance in
office, shall be punished by fine Ct
q 900. This law certainly contains lots of
teeth and is another clause to make the
selling of liquor in the State hard
matter.
THE 'CIDER"s BILL.
Along with the temperance legislation a
bill was presented to prohibit the sale of
cider containing over three per cent. OF
alcohol, and placing the juice of the apple
in the same class as beer and wines. The
bill was opposed by the farming interest
of the State who claimed that many farm
ers would be ruined by the measure.
The "cider" bill went through the
House in canter but it struck snag in
the Senate, that body voting to indef-
nitely postpone the bill A committee OF
| conference was appointed, but was unable
to agree, so the measure fell between the
houses.
A bill was presented allowing druggists
to sell liquor in certain restrictions, but
was defeated by a large majority. The
bill introduced by Rep. Milliken, of
Island Falls, to provide for the proper
labelling of proprietary medicines con-
tanning alcoholic liquors and narcotic
drugs was also defeated by large mar
gin.
An effort was made to secure an inves-
tigation of the conditions as regards the
prohibitory law in Cumberland county
under the administration OF Sheriff PEN
nell, but it was unsuccessful.
nSI TIME ON nANfR