Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-02-19
Notes from the Legislature.

Although the past week in the legisla-
tnre has not been largely productive in
the matter of final action In important
matters of legislation, II has included
hearings on several of the most inter-
esting measures before the legislature.
No session for many years has had be-
fore it so many important matters
affecting the people generally by new
legislation, and most of these have now
had their hearing in committee and are
ready for action, though the committee
reports have as yet been made on none
Of them.
Last weeks hearings included resub-
mission, the repeal of the Sturgis law,
the state house removal, etc.
An order having been adopted fixing
Feb. 10 as the time limit for the recep-
ton of matters of special legislation, one
of the first things in order this week
will be to extend that time limit. But
as this legislature is running things On a
little stricter lines than some previous
ones, the limit will probably not be ex-
tended more than twice, and perhaps
not but once.
The resubmission hearing was held in
the senate chamber Wednesday after
noon, having been driven out of the
house BY the state house removal hear
ing, which had much larger attend
ance. Speakers in behalf of resumission
were Senator Staples of Knox, Sheriff
Penrell of Cumberland County, Hon.
William T. Haines of Waterville, and
others. While the other speakers are
opponents of prohibition, Mr.. Haines,
who is an avowed candidate for the
gubernatoIial nomination by tho Repub-
lican party on resubmission platform,
declares that he favors resubmission for
the purpose of reafirming prohibition.
= The leading speaker in opposition to
resubmssion was Mrs. Stevens, president
of the National Woman's Christian
Temperance Union. No really new
arguments were advanced on either side.
1t seems to be generally understood
that resubmission is dead for this ses-
sion.
The hearing which drew the big crowd
for the week was that on the removal of
the state capital, held on Wednesday
according to continuance from an
earlier date. At the hearing last week
Augusta put in the rest of its case, Hon.
Forrest Goodwin of Skowhegan opening
and Hon Herbert n. Heath of Augusta
closing for the present capital. Gen. C..
P. Mattocks of Portland closed in behalf
of the advocates Of removal to Portland.
new hotel proposition which is expected
to solve the problem of hotel accommo-
dations at Augusta. There were several
other speakers on both sides of the
question, one of the opponents of re-
moval being Hon. John p. Swasey Of
Canton. The hearing extended through
the afternoon and evening.
To a certain extent the business of the
legislature gave way on Tuesday TO the
governors reception at the state house
in the afternoon, and the reception and
ball in the evening given by the citizens
Of Augusta at the city hall. These
biennial affairs were largely attended
and much enjoyed.
Tuesday afternoon there was hearing
in which Oxford County is considerably
interested, on the bill giving the Union
Water Power Co. the right to deepen
the outlets to the Rangeley Lakes so as
to draw the water down about six feet
lower than at present in winter. A
number of prominent lawyers appeared
on each side of the question, Judge
Foster being one of the attorneys for the
opponents Of the bill, who are headed
by the Rickers of Poland Spring.
The petition for the closing of
Twitchell and Round Ponds in Green
wood and North Pond in Greenwood and
Woodstock to ice fishing drew out re-
monstrance with numerous signers,
which was presented last week.
The Judiciary committee reported
sought not to pass" on the woman
suffrage amendment, and the report was
accepted in the house without ripple.
Although the flood has been past for
some time, yet there is not day that
there are not number of new measures
presented, to say nothing of cords of
petitions and remonstrances relating to
matters now before the legislature.
One OF the warmest hearings Of the
session was that on the bill to repeal the
Sturgis law, on Thursday, although it
did not attract so large An audience as
many Of the others. The principal
speakers In favor of repeal were Senator
Staples of Knox, the old Democratic war
horse, and Hon. Fl. N. Heath of Au-
gusta. Ex-senator Sturgis, the father
Of the bill, spoke in opposition to repeal,
a. did Mrs. l.. NJ. N. Stevens, Rev. c. E.
Owen, Rev. II. N. Pringle, Judge Ma
thaniel p. Hobbs Of North Berwick, and
several others.
The hearing on the bill providing q
third term of Supreme Judicial Court for