Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-06

| ing officers of the two branches. The
| inaugural address of Governor Fernald
is awaited with much interest, as it
| VIII outline in a way the policy of the
new administration and influence
largely the course of legislation during
| the coming weeks.
The 74th Legislature will be Republi-
can in both it's branches, the ratio be-
| ing about three to one in the Senate
and two to one in the House, and the
Republican party. as practically all the
| be responsible for the legislative en-
| actments of the winter. That the peo-
pie Of the State have again entrusted
this great responsibility to the Re-
publican party is an endorsement of it's
splendid record through the years that
have passed and an expression Of con-
| fidence that the legislation of the COM
| ing winter will be such as will promote
the welfare of the State and be for the
best interests of all the people.
| There will be many important mat
| tiers brought up before the lawmakers
of Maine during the session which has
| now begun. Some of them were left
| over from two years ago and some are
| wholly new matters. Many of them
VIII grow out of the report of the
special committee upon taxation, and
there will be the ever present problem
of the regulation of the liquor traffic.
Various State institutions will call for
| increased appropriations to meet their
| growing needs. There is the work of
| GOOD roads to be continued. There are
| many matters suggested by the re-
| ports of the various departments
which have just been made public. We
| doubt not that every member of the
| legislature comes to Augusta deter
mined to give the people of the State
the best that is in him toward the solu-
of the enactment of only laws that are
just.
We feel sure, also, that the assem-
bled lawmakers are determined to
guard against extravaganza in any
form and to keep the expenditures of
| the State safely within it's normal
revenues. With the State now prac-
tically free from debt and with the
possibility of taxation revision which
will bring forward new courses of reve-
nue., there will be the inevitable temp
tation to increase appropriations here
and there, but this temptation must not
be yielded to except in urgent cases and
wnere the welfare of the State as a
whole warrants the increase.
Both the Senate and the House are
to be congratula upon the selections
made at the Republican caucus of last
evening 1t will be President Deasey
of the Senate and Speaker Weeks of
the House. and il the career of these
two men as presiding officers is to be
and their earlier service in every
position of trust to which they have
been called. it will prove worthy Of
the strong line Of men who have been
their predecessors. in these important
stations Mr.. Weeks is especially
fortunate in having had an unusually
long term of service as member Of
both branches and few men of the
State are more familiar with the
processes of legislation and with the
matt ,rs which the 74th legislature
will he called upon to consider. Sena-
tor Deasey was an active member of
the Senate two years ago, is an able
lawyer and is in all respects we'll
equipped for the office to which his
fellow senators will elect him this
morning.
The reelection of Mr.. harrington as
secretary of the Senate and of Mr..
Thompson as clerk of the House comes
as matter of course and without the
slightest opposition. Before election
to their present positions they had
served as assistant secretary and as
sistant clerk respectively and their
promotion was a deserved recognition
of their fitness. For the subordinate
positions as we'll as for those OF greater
responsibility and Importance, the Sc
lections were wisely made and both
branches may well be satisfied with the
results of last evenings majority eau
Gus.
AS city, Augusta warmly welcomes
the returning legislators and sincerely
hopes that the weeks which they Will
spend here will be pleasant to them
selves as we'll as of advantage and
nrof1t to the constituencies which they
represent. Along with the sterner
work of the SESSION there are social
Measures and the forming of many
lasting friendships which always at
tend these legislative sessions. SO that