The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1907-03-28
LEGISLATIVE NOTES.

! House amendment A and as amended pass
ed to be engrossed. The Senate reconsidered
whereby the bill was passed to be engross-
ed. House amendment A was adopted in
| concurrence; and the bill as amended was
passed to be engrOSSed.
Two reports were received from the Ju-
dietary committee relative to the bill to en-
able the city of Portland to raise the money
for its capital offer. The committee is even
ly divided, Deasy, Hastings, Davies, Good
win and WaldrOn favOring the Portland
proposition, and Senators Putnam, Smith,
Montgomery, johnson and Weeks report.
/ ing "ought not to pass" The bills were
tabled for printing.
Final reports were received from the COM
mitteeS on taxation, temperance, insurance,
railroads, military affairs, banks and bank
ing, State lands and State roads, shore fish
cries, Indian affairs, claims and State school
| for boys.
The committee on temperance made two
reports on the bill repeating the Sturgls act,
the eight Republicans OF the committee
reporting "ought not to pass the two Dem
ocratic members reporting fought to pass
The same committee reported adversely on
the Brown bill to practically redraft the
prohbitOry law, also on the Brown bill tor
a test vote on the question of resubmission
and made favorable report on the lleSel
ton bill to revise the entire liquor agency
system.
The committee on taxation reported
number of biiis Increasing the taxes against
corporations. The railroad companies and
palace car companies are increased from 4
to a. per cent in the maximum tax on gross
earnings. There is an increase of to D
| per cent on express companies, While iran
chse taxes are doubled on all corporations
| whose capitalization exceeds 100000.
| Resolve proposing an amendment to Artl-
| Gle of the Constitution of the State of
| Maine, using IA peoples vote through the
optional referendum and direct initiative
by petition at general or special elections
| On the final passage of the foregoing re-
| solve yea and nay vote was called Tor and
ordered and the vote being had resulted as
| follows: Those voting yea were Messrs.
Aver Bailey, Rarrows, Clarke, Curtis,
| DeaSy, Eaton, Foss, Garcelon, Hastings,
| Heseton, Houston, Irving, Libby, Merrill,
| Mills, Parkhurst, Proctor, Putnam, Rice,
Sewall, Simpson, Stearns, Theriault, Wy
man (26.) Nays none.
So the order was finally passed.
| The House passed the good roads bill,
| which bill provides for a tax of one-third of
! one mill on the assessabe property in the
| State, the proceeds to be distributed among
| the towns 20 aid construction of improved
| highways. The smaller towns are to re-
| ceive proportionally greater aid than the
| larger, the total amount to be $12l,960. The
| principal change made in the ways and
| bridges committee from the original bill
| was the change Of the special tax from one
Hill 10 Uub-tuilu VI d uIlll vi edCu uOllttl VI
| property. Every city and most of the larger
| towns will be taxed more than will be re-
turned. Towns of less than 100000 valua-
| tion receive more, towns of S500,000 to ,0O0,-
600 valuation receive the same, and towns
of more than S1,000,000 valuation receive
less, the scale being sliding one. All
towns in order to receive the State aid
must make special appropriations for i'm
proved highways of one mill on each dollar
of valuation.
The Capital moving matter came up and
was assigned to Thursday.
The Speaker appointed to the vacancy on
| the committee on county estimates caused
by the death of Mr.. Randall of Montville,
Mr. Colcord of SearSpOrt.
Mr.. Colcord from the committee on taxa
tiOn reported "0ught to pass" on Bill, San
Act to amend Section 70 of Chapter 10 of
the Revised Statutes, relating to the collect
| tiOn of taxes.
| The temperance committee has reported
| to the legislature a bill to practically rewrite
! the entire iquor-agency law. This bill was
| introduced by Senator George w. HeSelton
| of kennebec county, in consequence of the
| persistent call for an investigation of the
| State liquor agent, which investigation was
! given up because of the sickness of that
official with appendicitis. The bill provides
| that the liquors, wines. and other alcoholic
| substances purchased by the State liquor
agent shall be bought in accordance with
| bids after advertising III the open market.
! The conditions of the sale shall be for all
goods to be of the standard required by the
national laws for pure foods and drugs,
and to be bottled in bond and so certified
| by the u. s. internal revenue officials.
In the Senate March 21st there were short
debates and some important measures were
acted upon The b. & A. 2-cent mileage bill
was indefinitely postponed, the free pass bill
given its passage, the Kittery Water Dis
trict bill given its passage, the Waldron
small quantities was indefinitely postponed,
and the bucket shop bill was given its
| passage.
The Eaton resolve for an amendment to
| the constitution so that the Governor may
| remove delinquent Sheritfs was passed 20 to
! 7 on yea and nay vote, and then, in accord
ance with notice previously given, Senator
| Eaton introduced bill repeating the
Sturgis law when the resolve went into
effect. 1t was referred to the committee on
judiciary
The resolve in favor of Harry A. Furbish
was finally passed
The proposition of capital removal met
! its Waterloo in the House, when a vote
was finally reached after three hours of
i oratory the Portland people were put to
rout by a vote of 10 to IS and then a little
later on another phase of the same prop
| osition by vote of 81 to S. The victory
to those opposed to capital removal was
complete.
Resolve to provide for the maintenance
of the University of Maine was finally
| passed.
| The Senate March 22nd voted to "insist''
| on the passage OF the bill for removal of the
| State capital to Portland and to ask for
committee of conference. This action was
taken on the motion of Senator Walter B.
| Clarke of Lincoln county after the senate
! had voted down motion of Senator George
| w. Heselton of Kennebec county that the
senate "recede and concur with the house
| There was no debate.
| The senate voted to fix the State tax rate
| for 1907, and also for 1908, at three mills up
on each dollar of valuation, an increase of
one mill from the tax rates of 1905 and 1906.
| The total State tax upon the valuation of
1898, 49,, 900 will be S1,184, 1887. The taxes
/ of 1905 and 1906, on a valuation of 1866, ,514,-
| 019, at % mills on the dollar amounted to
| $91S,1 ,174.l9 A large part of the increase is
due to the voting of an addition of half
mil tU tbs one mill tax previous assessed
| for State aid to schools, and the establish
ment of new mill tax of One-third of
mill for State aid to permanent improve
ments on the highways.
The resolve in favor of l.. C. Morse was
| fuaily passed.
| The Senate in executive session took up
| the u. of Nj. question again. 1t was stated
that students had sent improper letters to
| Senators, and another attempt will be made