Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1911-01-31
Notes from the Legislature.

not. Like previous legislatures, this one
has been criticised for doing so little in
its first weeks, but in point of fact, il did
about all that was possible. No business
of importance can be even introduced
until after the committees are organized.
and no hearings can be held until after
seven days notice, so that little actual
work can be done in the first three
weeks.
The flood of new measures is now al
full height, and in the lot are few old
friends of former years, some of them
slightly changed in appearance. Among
these are the bill establishing a state
board of charities and corrections; the
DOnigan bridge bill, putting the main
tensnce of all large bridges on the state,
which seems TO have about the same
chance of passage az in former sessions;
and the resolve in favor of Michael
Bnrns Of Augusta, the original original
package man, which has been turned
down by every legislature for nearly two
decades.
bill introduced early last week pro-
vides for the merger of the Maine Cen
trail Railroad and the leased lines which
it is now Opersting-the Washington
County, the Somerset, and the Sebasti-
cook and MoOsehead. If this is passed
it will abrogate the tax rebate on the
Somerset extension, which has still a
number OF years TO run.
Another act provides for the electric
cation of branch Of the Canadian
Pacific Railway in Aroostook County,
and another authorizes long extension
of the AroOstook Valley electric road,
foreShadowing an extensive electrified
ton of the railroads in that part of the
state.
ballot bill has been introduced by
Senator Donigan which provides for a
form of ballot practically such as is used
in Connecticut. This is party column
ballot, and according to the description
IT is apparently less simple than the
present Maine ballot.
Davies Of Yarmouth has introduced a
resolve for a constitutional amendment
providing for the election OF Secretary of
4 State, State Treasurer and Attorney
\ General by the people, instead of by the
legislature as now. This has been urged
4 by Mr.. Davies for some time
Representative Bisbee of Rumford has
introduced bills 10 extend for two years
the charters of the Rumsord Falls and
Bethel Street Railway, and the Raugeley
Lakes and Megantic Railway.
A bill To amend the apple law intro
duced by Representative Wheeler fixes
the size of the standard bushel box and
the barrel, and provides that smaller
packages shall be marked "short BARREL
or .'short box"
The expected measure providing for
the division of the common school fund
entirely on the basis of school pOpula-
ton, aud not partly on the basis of valua-
ton as now, was put in last week II
will have both strong support and strong
opposition.
bill introduced to regulate the tax
ing of fish in the waters of the state pro-
vides that no person shall catch more
than forty fish in any one day Another
bill makes an open time of three months,
from Sept LIST to Nov. 30th, on gray
squirrels, ON which there is now no open
time.
On Tuesday Mr.. Davies sprung a sur
prise in the house, by introducing a reso-
luton declaring, in view of the value of
Names uDdevelOped water power and
the position taken by the last legislature
against the transmission of power out
side the state, that This legislature will
continue that policy. "tO the end that no
corporation engaged or to be engaged in
the transmission of power shall be grant
cd unrestricted rights of eminent
domain" Although a surprise, this
was passed under suspension of the
rules, and by a practically unanimous
vote The next day il went through the
senate in the same way.
Senator Stearns has introduced a bill
changing the time of the regular meet
ings of the county commissioners of Ok
ford County from the second Tuesday of
May and September to the first Tuesday.
Senator Stearns has also introduced a
bill permitting the Mexico Water Co. To
take water from Swift River and to sup
ply water to the towns of Roxbury and
Byron.
The much-heralded bill 10 incorporate
the Kennebec Dam and Reservoir Co.,
popularity known about the state house
as "the octopus" made its appearance
Wednesday. Ii seems to have been
shorn of at least some of its objection
able features, though il will be closely
scrutinized in any event. At the same
time there was introduced by Mr.. Pat
tangall bill which modifies the present
law with regard TO electric light and
power companies, and allows com.
petition in territory when so decreed
by judge of the Supreme Court after
investigation.
The committee on legal affairs report
ed favorably on the bill to abolish the
Office of assistant attorney general, and
the house accepted the report and pass
ed the bill by vote of 40 TO 10.
10 a caucus of practically all the Demo-
cratic members Thursday night, it was
decided to support bill for the creation
of public utilities commission. This
will take the powers of the board of
railroad commissioners. which will be
abolished, and will also have other ex-
tensive powers, including the regulation
of rates on railroads, gas, telephone,
water, and in fact, all public utilities.
Considerable work is being put into
the matter of the reapportionment of the
state for senators and representatives in
the legislature, the workers taking
various points Of view. IL seems to be
settled that Hancock County will lose
one senator, and in the five counties to
one of which IL might possibly go Is in
cluded Oxford. But it is not likely that
this Democratic legislature will give an
other senator to a county so nearly GER
tain to go Republican as Oxford, espe-
cially when there are two or three other
counties that have quite a claim to il.
On the other hand, It is quite probable
that Oxford will gain representative,
increasing its number from seven to
eight.
The senate committee on the contested |
election case has decided in favor of DR.. |
Fred A. Chandler of Addison, the sitting |
Republican, finding him elected BY
plurality OF thirteen votes In total vote
of about 5000.
The committee on insane hospital pro-
pose to investigate those institutions
thoroughly, and according to what is in
timated, they expect to find something |
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