The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-02-25
Matters at Augusta.
What the Legislators are Doing and Sayin
woMEN's SUFFRAGE HEARING.

The biennial plea for women's suffrage
was held before the committee on judi
ciary in the Hall of the House of repre-
sentatives February 18th. George II.
Allen of Portland conducted the case for
the proponents of the measure and there
was no opposition. Mr.. Allen spoke at
some length, and was followed by Mrs.
Fannie j. Fernald of Old Orchard, the
president of the Maine Woman's Suffrage
Association. ''We only ask, said Mrs.
Fernald, 'that chance be given to the
men of Maine to vote on the question as
to whether or not the women shall be
given to right to Vote Mrs. George +.
French, one of the overseers OF the poor
and president of the Civic Club OF Port
land, was the next speaker. The oppo-
nents of this measure, SAID Mrs:
French, 'have conceded the fact that 1T
is impossible to shape logical argument
against woman suffrage which does not
apply with equal force to man suffrage.
They have left the field of debate and
taken a position, which to them seems
impregnable, behind the statement that
political freedom for woman is just and
right but not expedient. Miss Anna
Shaw of Philadelphia, the president of
the National Woman's Association, was
the last speaker of the afternoon. She
made an eloquent plea for suffrage for
women and told of her experiences in
Colorado and other States where the
women have the right to vote.
STATE CHARITIES BILL DEFAULTED.
The bill to create a State Board of
Charities aud Corrections was decisively
defeated in the Senate February 18th
after thorough threshing out in live
" debate. Politics did not enter into the
question The vote, which was on
motion to indefinitely postpone the bill,
was as follows:
Yea-Boynton, Donigan, Eaton, Cow
ell, Hamilton, Hill. Howes, Kellogg,
Macomber, Mullen, Osgood. Reynolds,
Shaw, Smith, Staples, Walker, Wyman.
Total yeas, II.
Nay-Baxter, Colcord, Hastings, lrv-
ing, Looney, Milliken, Therriault, War
ren, Wheeler. Total nays;9
Absent-Emery, Knowlton, Lowe,
Minott Total absent, 4.
AFTER THE CORPORATIONS.
Senator Wheeler of Cumberland has
presented to the Legislature an act
which provides that the Secretary of
State shall prepare a list of all the cor
porations whose franchise tax for 1907 re-
mains unpaid and the amount due from
each The charters of such companies
as fail to pay this tax and expense of
collection before December l, 1909, are
suspended and a penalty of $500 is pro-
vided for persons who undertake to do
business for one of these suspended cor
porations This is likely to hit some of
the million dollar corporations, with
nothing paid in.
HEARING ON THE sTURGIS LAW.
A hearing was held before the commit
tee on judiciary Thursday afternoon upon
the repeal of the Sturgis law. No one
spoke for the absolute repeal of the Stur-
gis law, although some thought they
might favor its repeal, provided the Eat
on amendment to the constitution giving
the Governor the power to remove de-
linquent sheriffs could become effective,
which they very much doubted. EX-
Senator Sturgis, Rev. Charles E. Owen
of Watervile, the secretary of the Anti
Saloon League, Mrs. Lillian M. Stevens
of Portland, National president of the
Women's Christian Temperance Union,
and the Rev. Wilbur F. Berry, president
of the Maine Wesleyan Seminary at
kent's HILL and former field secretary
of the Christian Civic League, opposed
the repeal of the law.
THE PENOBSCOT BAY WATER CO.
In the Senate Thursday morning Sena-
tors REYNOLDS of Kennebec introduced an
act to incorporate the Penobscot Bay
Water Co., naming w. T. Haines, E. H.
Gowing and John j. Moore as incorpora-
tors to supply the towns of Searsport and
Stockton Springs and the city of Belfast,
all in the county of Waldo, with water.
The supply may be from Boyd's pond in
the towns of Stockton Springs and Pros
pect, or from Goose Pond in the towns of
Swanville, Frankfort and Searsport. The
capital stock is placed at $500, 600.
PETITIONS, RESOLVES, ETC.
By Mr.. Morse of Belfast: Remon-
STRANGE Of c. L. Wright and 60 others of
Belfast against resubmission.
By Mr. Jones of Bucksport; Petition
of H. P. Burrell and 10 others to set off
a lot of land from the town of Bucksport
and annex same to town of Dedham.
By Mr. Colcord of Waldo: Petition of
E. T. Haskell and 81 others of Monroe
and vicinity for retention Of the Sturgis
law.
Also: Petition of W. L. Bradeen and
"A others of Troy for retention of the
Sturgis law.
Also: Petition Of w. L. Bradeen and
"a QUILTS VI lIOy lOI Ildllu1Coly lIIPIlo-
onment of the liquor seller.
Also: Remonstrance of E. T. Haskell
and 81 others of Monroe against resub-
mission.
Also: Remonstrance of W. L. Bradeen
and 81 others of Troy against resubmis-
sion.
By Mr.. Cook of Unity: Petition of
Edward D. Sylvester and IA others of
Eustis for resolve for $50, 900 for hatch
cries and fish protection, of DIR. S. 2.
Nash and others of Somerset county for
same.
Mr. Nickerson from the Waldo county
delegation reported fought not to pass"
on bill an Act to amend Chapter
1913 of the private and Special Laws of
1907 relating to records of real estate in
the county of Waldo.
By Mr.. Kelley of Boothbay: An act
providing for the taxation Of yachts and
pleasure craft, whether propelled by
steam, gasoline or otherwise.
By Mr.. Cook Of Unity: Petition of C.
M. Howes and % others of Montville in
favor of increasing the mill tax for
schools by one mill; of M. M. Reynolds
and Is others of Burnham for same; of
E. A. Twitchell and 80 others of Burn
ham for same.
By Mr.. Morse of Belfast: Petition of
n Roll and ~ Ofhnrs for samo