Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1907-03-05


Eve members report Legislation inex-
pedient."
The report Of the education committee
on the investigation of the state school
department was made Wednesday. To
summarize briefly, the committee hnds
that q loose method of bookkeeping
prevails in the department, and that MT.
Stetson is without proper knowledge
of the details, and even the routine OF
bis Office. In conclusion, without ex-
pressing an opinion regarding the legality
Of charging to the state expenses not
actually incurred, as had been done BY
Mr.. Stetson previous to March, 1905. the
committee state their feeling that u Is
''repuguant to the moral sense OF the
people of the state, and should be con.
demned whenever and wherever found"
The highway bridge bill, putting the
maintenance OF bridges more than forty
feet in length on the state, which passed
the house nearly two weeks ago, has
been put over in the senate until We'd
nesday of this week.
Mr.. Dyer, in what 10 pronounced an
able speech, participated In Wednesdays
debate In the house On the bill to abolish
the Biddeford police commission. Mr..
Dyer spoke in support Of the majority
report of the legal affairs committee,
"Ought not to pass" which was accept
ed by strict party vote.
Exercises in observance OF the centen-
NAL of Longfellow's birth, in charge OF a
special committee of the legislature, were
held in Augusta City Hall Wednesday
evening.
The investigation of the fish and game
commission was long session on wed
nesday, and Is understood to have re-
yealed nothing of sensational nature,
and little that was in any way damaging.
The commissioners answered all ques'
tions fully and frankly. Commissioners
Carleton and Ring stated that previous
to December, 1904, they had travelled on
passes and charged fares to the state,
but had not done it since that date.
A statement submitted by the finan.
cial affairs committee the first OF last
week showed that up to that time bills
and resolves had been passed and signed
by the governor calling for 81, l97, 1904
| for 1907, and $377 1908 so for 1908. Pend
ing before the legislature and the com
mittees are bills and resolves calling IN
addition for about S1,219,OOO for l9o'
and 1924, 900 for 1908.
A fish and game bill introduced las
| week makes several changes in the laws
one of the most startling of which is al
increase of the length of trout which
may legally be caught from five to eigh'
inches.
The senate holds strictly to the order
limiting the introduction OF private
legislation to Feb. 10th, and indefinitely
postponed late arrival which had beer
let in by the house on the ground that Il
was delayed in the mails.
The bill repeating the arbitration
clause of the Maine insurance law mac
an interesting hearing Tuesday, with
number of speakers on each side. Thu
is the third legislature in which Thu
question has been threshed over, but TIT
bill to repeal has failed in the last two
The objection to the present law Ia tina
] it deprives the man insured OF the RICH
to a Jury trial in case Of lack OF agree
ment on the amount OF loss.
The legal affairs committee has actet
fayorably on bill to prohibit prize fight
and sparring exhibitions. Sparring ex
hibitiOns are not absolutely prohibited
BY the bill, but are limited to six three
minute rounds, and there shall not be
difference of five pounds In the weigh
of the contestants and no decision shall
be given.
The effort of the opticians to establish
q state hoard of optometry fails In com
mittee. >,
The University of Maine evidently viii
not get its two-fifths of mill state tai
for which bill was put in. The ma
jority of the committee reports In fayo
of giving the university $95, 600 in 100
and the same in 1908, about half OF which
| is to be used for extension of plant ant
half for maintenance. This report Il
signed BY seven members OF the com
mittee. The minority report, signed b.
Senator Stearns of Penobscot and Repre-
sentative Gleason OF Mexico, provides TO
an annual amount for maintenance equa
to one mill on the state valuation, will
SAC. 600 additional in 1907 and $50, 900 IL
1908 for extension of plant. The ma
iority stipulates as a condition OF the ap
preparation that the course leading II
the degree of bachelor of arts shall b.
discontinued after the first OF next July
The reports were discussed in TIT
house Thursday, and the matter wa
continued until Wednesday OF this weel
for further discussion.
Resubmission had its day in the senate
Thursday. The resubmission resolve
had two reports from the committee OF
tenn perance, the majority report, signet
by seven members, being against resub
mission, and the minority report, signet
by three members, in favor. Senate
Hastings, the only Oxford County maj
on the temperance committee, signed
the majority report against resubmis
sion. When the matter came up In TIL
senate on Thursday, speeches in favo
of resubmission were made 6y Senate
Heselton of Kennebec, Republican, ant
Senators Staples of Knox and Merrill o
Cumberland, Democrats, and In oppo
sition by Senator Mills of Hancock. Thu
vote resulted 10 to 10 in favor Of resub
mission-a majority vote but not tn
necessary two.thirds. Several Republi
cans voted with the Democrats for re
subm ission.
The bill allowing the Union Watel
Power Co. to deepen the outlets OF thu
Rangeley Lakes, which has reused 81
much interest both general and special
gets two reports from the legal affairs
Committee. A majority report in favol
of the bill in new draft is signed b!
seven members, and the minority re
port in opposition by three members
DYER of Buckfleld signed the majorit!
report, and Stearns of Norway the minor
ity report. When the reports came VI
| In the senate Thursday, Senator Hast
ings of Oxford created great interest BY
his remarks in support of his motion tC
substitute the minority report. In thu
course of his remarks he stated that HI
understood a meeting was held the pre-
vious evening by the powerful lobby o.
the Union Water Power Co., in which
the lobbyists 'spportioned and marked
off each one Of us to be slaughtered,
and expressed his WEAKNESS at the lob
byipg. The bill was finally assigned to
Thursday of this week for consideration
The bill to create system OF superior
courts made its appearance Thursday
The act provides for court OF one CHIEF
Justice and three associate justices who
shall hold terms In the counties of andre
scoggin, Cumberland, Kennebec, Oxford
Penobscot and York. The court Is to
have jurisdiction In civil cases up to
$500 and in all criminal cases. Terms In
oxford County to be held at South Paris
and Rumford Falls.
The temperance committee reports un'
favorably on two bills that were before
It. One Is the druggists bill, allowing