Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-30
Saturday, March 30, 1907.
Something About the New Laws.

Thursday evening has been an exceed
ingly busy body since it met at the
opening of the year, as may be seen
by brief glance at the many impor-
tant matters which it has considered
and at the things which it has ac-
cOmplished. During the session 634
acts and 237 resolves received a pas
sage. as compared with 573 acts and 176
resolves at the session of two years
ago. During the session just closed
there were 189 public laws enacted as
compared with 17s in 1905. During the
session just closed there were $50
printed bills as compared with 843 in
1905. $50 in 1903 and 624 in 1901. This
comparison indicates the increasing
volume of business which comes be-
fore the Maine Legislature at each ses-
sion.
In the supplement issued with the
Journal yesterday morning was pub
lished the full text of each of the 1879
public laws enacted by the 73d Legisla-
ture. The titles alone Of the private
and special acts and the resolves
passed at this session would have filed
10 additional newspaper columns had
they been published. This supplement
Of the public laws should be laid aside
by the Journal readers and saved for
reference, for every intelligent citizen
Of the State wishes to know something
regarding the new laws passed by each
Legislature. and it is to be remembered
that it is an accepted maxim that
ignorance of the law excuses nobody.
In the great amount of work accom-
Ilished by the Legislature this winter
are many things of special importance.
One of the first of these was the re-
solve providing for legislation through
initiative by petition and an OPTIONAL
referendum. This bill applies only to
statute laws and is in line with So
called public opinion legislation
which has been enacted within the past
few years i'm many states of the
opinion as to the nature of the bill, but
no dissenting voice in either branch on
the principle of this legislation, al
though it is q radical change in the
manner Of government. The most
important bills touching the public
service corporations of the State are
those, granting the Somerset. the
Moosehead and Sebasticook, and the
Portland and Rumford Falls railroads
fhe right to extend their lines to the
Canadian boundary and the bill merg-
ing all the important street railroad
lines in central Maine.
The most important measure for
public improvements is the so-called
Sargent good roads law which creates
a large fund for distribution among
the small towns for permanent i'm
provements upon their highways. This
bin was very largely petitioned for and
progress OF rural Maine. There are
two new laws designed specially to bet
ter the condition of the laboring class
cs. the first raising the minimum age at
which minors can be regularly en-
pIoyed i'm factories from IL to IA years
and the second establishing more SAM
tary conditions in factories and work
shops.
Three important measures which
may be classed under the head OF chart
ties are those establishing a home for
the feeble minded, providing for a
workshop where the blind may learn
trades which will make them self-sup-
PORTING and the law providing for the
support of the pauper insane by the
State. the latter law To take effect in
1910. A pure food law has been passed,
closely following the provisions of the
national law recently enacted by Con-
gress. Fast Day, which has long been
honored in the breach rather than in
the observance. is now abolished. and
Patriots Day. April 49, established as
a holiday in its place. Maine following
the example of Massachusetts in this
matter. The office of State auditor is
created and there is no doubt but that
this will mean a large saving to the
State with more business-like conduct
Of the various departments. The
office of State binder is abolished and
after 1908 the State binding will be done
under the competitive bid system.
A law has been passed prohibiting
bucket shops and another law affecting
the public morals is that raising box
ing contests from a misdemeanor to a
lawful pastime. The boxing bill is
similar to that of Pennsylvania which
allows six-round bouts without deci-
sions. There is a new law prohibiting
all State officials from using passes.