Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-20

-doiiddE VIII marx the beginning
OF the 9Th Week Of the 18th Legisla-
ture AMI still all the big questions
Of the session with the exception of
tn" destructive portion Of the liquor
program Of th" dominant party re-
MAIN IL be considered. Some meas
nres hav" received the signature o.
the Governor during the past week
but the only one OF any large impor-
taiec is the measure providing u close
time on scallops. Which was passed as
an emergency measure.
The resolve to resultant the pruhbi-
tory amendment Of the constitution to
the people has passed both Houses to be
ensrossel. the repeal of the Sturgis law
is we'll under va ard il is not ex-
pecteG that there will be any more
opposition in the House to the abolish
'ng of the liquor agency system than
here was in ,hc Senate. The ncXl
question is What constructive legis-
latlpn in relation to the regulation
If the liquer traffic is to be adopted
by the dominant oarty. "A great many
believe that III" automatic Sclf-en-
forcing, license and town agency law
with assessment cf damages proyis-
ions attached, introduced last week b.;
Representative Otis of Rockland, is
the piece of constructive Democratic
liquor legislation with which the DEM
ocrats propose to so before the peo-
pie and in regard to which 50 much
was said whom the legislators re-
turned from their homes two weeks
ago. II this is the bcyt that the Dem
ocrats can do in re gard to conStruc-
l..
are not likely to meet with any great
degree of popular approval and il is
very doubtful if such a measure pass
IS either Housa.
The announced policy OF the Demo
cratic leader; to cling to the present
Maine ballot. with minor changes. is
proving somewhat of a disappGint-
ment to many OF tine members ot the
party who expected that Z new deal
also implied II neW ballot. Srultnr
Donigan took this implied promise Sc
riously aud offered the Connecticut
ballot. but tho campaign to eliminate
hln from the situation. which began
at tie famous secret conference held
early III the session at the GuodWi in
EouSe. Was cUnsummated at the Joint
caucus held one evening last week
in the hall of the House Of Repre-
sentatiVcS.
The ponigau bridge bill is assigned
for debate Tuesday in the Senate
Some argue that the Senate viii adopt
tn" ulcasure as Il compliment To the
Somerset gentleman, who is looked ur-
or rs good follow ind whose feelings
shouldn't be hurt, and then leave it
to the House to finally after a some
what heated debate turn the bill down.
Others say that the plan which the
leaders adopt will be TO diSpos" Of ID
for good in the Senate, as theH think
that it win hardly be safe to trust
1t n the House. where many of thu
representatives from the suIall nut
inequalities are known to b" in favor
OF it. For instance in Kenuebcc and
Somerset counties it W1uld be assured
of IL good vote, one kcnneboc city
at least being strongly in favor of it.
another big fight yet TO come ls
over the school mill fund tax. Tho
Osborn act, which is endorsed by the
legislative committee of the Maine
state Grange. Which provides for thu
distribution of the school fund ac-
cordng to school population. has been
heard ty the committee or educa-
ton ana although that committee has
divided upon il the two reports have
not vet been presented to the Senate
senator Millikcn of ArooStook has al
SO introduced a bill providing for the
distribution of the fund according to
the average school attendance. This
bill has not yet bcen assigned for a
hearing by the committee on cduCa-
ticn and it is understood to be await
ing another Dill for the distribution
of the fund according to a method diff
ferent from. any get devised. This bill
will probably be introduced the pres
| ent week. Both the Osborn and the
Milliken act will be opposed by the
representatives from the larger cities.
while it is understood that the new
measure will favor the cities to 4
greater extent than either of the
| others.
Public utilities commission talk has
quieted down, but is likely to be re-
vived again at tn" PROPER time. Not
only will vigorous fight be made to
prevent the passage of the bill in its
present form, but 1t is doubtful If the
bill gets enacted in any form. 1t Is
| true that the Democrats were prac-