Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-02-05
Notes from the Legislature.

. most important event OF the past weel
in connection with the legislature wa
the hearing given Wednesday afternoon
before the committee on public ground
and buildings, on the order directing al
inquiry into the expediency Of removing
the capital Of the state from Augusta
Alta meeting Monday evening, the cit.
, government voted to give $500, 900 Il
, cash toward the building of q new
capitol, If 1t was built at Portland, ant
on Wednesday a bill was introduced II
/, the legislature authorizing the city t
: make this appropriation.
The hearing on Wednesday was held
in the house, which was packed. Tn,
!, case of Portland was presented BY
Joseph B. Reed Of that city, q member
of the last legislature. He was followed
by Mayor Clifford and other speaker.
from Portland, who set forth tho in
adequacy of the present state house snd
Augustus hotel accommodations. Hon
Leslie G. Cornish of Augusta appeared
In behalf of that city, alleging that the
matter had been little advertised, and
asking an adjournment of the hearing
for three weeks, that the people might
understand what was involved. l. K
Stetson, president of the Bangor Board
of Trade, and others from the eastern
part of the state, joined in the request
for postponement. alleging that if the
capital was moved, it should 60 east.
ward rather than westward.
The committee decided to continue
the hearing until Wednesday, Feb. Is.
Mr.. Reed, in presenting the case fol
Portland, asked that referendum OF
the matter to the people might be had.
Numerous petitions have been pre-.
sented for two-cent transferable mile
age on the Bangor and Aroostook and
Washington County Railroads.
The act to incorporate the Maine
Water Power Co., owners of the Little
AndrOscoggin power at South Paris, is
duly on its passage, without opposition.
Since the original bill was introduced it
has been slightly changed in its word
ing. In the original bill were one or two
places where it was thought tho wording
might possibly authorize raising the
dam, or taking additional power or land
by condemnation and appraisal. These
have been eliminated from the bill in its
present form.
"Reminiscences have gone in from
Newry, in opposition to the petition
from that town which asks for law
preventing the putting of sawdust and
mill waste into Bear River.
Investigation of state departments Is
very much in order. The last two to be
specifically selected are the insurance
department and the University of Maine,
in both Of which an examination of the
expenses is asked for by orders intro
duced last week.
A bill to increase the pay of jurors
from two dollars per day to three dollars
is likely to receive passage.
Measures for the passage of which
numerous petitions are being presented
are those which provide for the support
of insane paupers by the state, and for
the maintenance of highway bridges by
the state. Petitions are also coming in
frequently for a law forbidding the carry
ing of firearms on the wild lands during
close time, as well as for other changes
in the game laws recommended by the
commissioners.
Tho bill extending the charter of the
Bethel Trust Co. has favorable report
from committee.
The woman suffragists have their in
ming on the afternoon of Tuesday, Feb.
5. The Maine Central and most of its
feeders will give reduced rates of fare
for the hearing.
The question of submitting the rail-
road tax rebate matter to the Supreme
Court for decision as to its constitu-
tionality was finally settled on Thurs
day, when it was indefinitely postponed
| by strict party vote in the senate, the
Republicans voting for postponement
and the Democrats against. The vote
was preceded by a debate, in which
Senator Staples, who introduced the Or
der, spoke in its support, and Senator
Deasy Of Hancock in opposition.
Petitions aggregating several thousand
names in opposition to resubmission
were presented last week.
The insurance policy fight again looms
| up, in about the same form as in the last
| legislature, the bill introduced by Sena-
tor Heselton providing for trial by jury,
and containing other provisions favor
able to the insured such as have been at
tempted in previous legislatures without
| success.
Mr.. Dyer has introduced an act to
prevent the pollution of North Pond,
used as water supply for Buck6eld
village.
At the hearing before the judiciary
committee Thursday, on the bill which
changes the official ballot to what is
known as the Massachusetts, form, the
change was advocated by several. and
no one appeared in opposition to the
change. The Massachusetts, ballot, in
stead of having the candidates arranged
| BY party columns, as in the Maine bal
lot, has them arranged in alphabetical
order under each Office, and each name
must be marked separately.
Senator Eaton of Washington County
on Friday introduced resolve providing
for submitting to the people consti-
tutional amendment putting the sheriffs
directly under the orders of the governor
| in the enforcement of the laws, and pro-
viding that in case of their neglect or
refusal to obey orders, they could be re-
moved by the governor after hearing,
and others appointed in their places.
A bill introduced Friday by Hall of
Dover provides that transportation COM
panies in the state shall furnish passes
to members of the legislature and other