Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-12-30
THE 18th LEGISLATURE Will
CONVENE, WEDNESDAY, JAN. |.
Republicans Control Both Branches==Party
Primaries Have Decided Senatorial Can
didates==Measures to Be introduced and
Some of Men Who Will Introduce Them

/. 1t will be the first session of the
Legislature to convene on the first
day of the month since the Legisla-
ture of 1879 which chose Alonzo NJ.
Garcelon, a Democrat, Governor, there
being no election by the people
The new Legislature will be Repub-
lican in both branches, the official nst
of members showing q Republicans
and 10 Democrats in the Senate and
rs Republicans and 10 Democrats in
the House, thus giving the Republl-
cans a majority of 16 on joint ballot.
This is a complete over-turn from
two years ago when the Democrats
controlled both House and Senate and
had a majority on joint ballot of 30.
Governor elect William T, Haines
of Waterville, who will take the oath
of office at 10 A. NJ, Thursday. Jan.
.. will be the 46th Governor of Maine
and the goth Republican to be choseri
to that office. He has served in both
House and Senate and also upon the
Governors Council so that he comes
into office richly equipped in legisla-
tive experience.
Big Crowd for Opening.
The return of the Republican party
to power in the State will attract a
big crowd to Augusta for the opening
of the session and the bookings at
the local hotels for the week begin
ming, Dec. 80. are unusually large.
The lobby will probably be large
one as in addition to the many i'm
portant new measures TO be intro
duced at this session number of the
old favorites will be on hand. 1t is re-
ported here that a bill for creating
big hydro electric power at the head
waters of the Kennebec. such IS was
sought two years ago by the kenne-
bee Dam & Reservoir Co, two years
ago, will again be an issue. 1t will be
remembered that the Kennebec Dam
&, Reservoir Co. charter was referred
to the next Legislature by Represen-
tative Pattangall of Waterville, now
attorney general, in a somewhat SEN
sational speech in which he abused
the newspaper men and all opposed
to the measure. The Act to Incorpor-
ate Roman Catholic Parishes, which
provided for the adjustment of the
corporation sole, as the Roman Cath
Ollie bishop of Portland is styled. own
ing under that title all the Catholic
/ church property of the State, will
again be introduced in this. Legisla-
| ture Two years ago this bill failed
! to get by the legal affairs committee
| that body reporting, ought not to pass.
Election of u. S. Senator.
The election of a United States
Senator to succeed Hon. Obadiah
Gardner of Rockland will be one of
the important matters to occupy the
attention of the 18th Legislature. The
choice of the party candidates for the
first time in the history of Maine has
been decided in advance of the Legis-
lative caucuses by the party prima-
ries In these primaries, which We're
held in June, Hon. Edwin c. Burleigh
of Augusta, who represented the Sd
Congressional district from 1897 10
1910 was the choice of the Republl-
can party and Hon. Obadiah Gardner
of Rockland of the Democratic party.
Some Proposed Legislation.
No attempt is likely to be made by
the dominant party to reopen the
liquor question but it is rumored that
a measure may be introduced by those
who wish TO again start something in
/ the way of local option in the shape
of a change in the initiative and ref
, erendum amendment, so as to have II
apply TO the constitution. Should the
initiative and referendum amendment
be thus changed it would be an easy
matter to secure 10000 signatures to
a local option amendment and have
| it placed before the people of the
State for their vote. Another piece OF
| legislation which may be introduced
at the present session is Druggists
! bill which would allow the druggists
of the State uIder certain restrictions
to sell liquor.
Public utilities commission, work
| ingmenS compensation act and a
Presidential primary preference act
are among the measures which are
| likely to come up early in the session.
| Acts looking to tax reform and the
hetterment of the highway system of
the State were promised by the Re
publican party in the last campaign
and such measures will undoubtedly
be introduced by the party in power
Among the Grange measures which
will be introduced at this session will
be an act providing for the recall of
delinquent officials which has been
strongly endorsed by that organiza
ton.
A number of important changes in
the existing educational acts will be
introduced at this session, including,
probably a new method Of distribu
ton of school funds, old age pensions
for teachers and an act forbidding the
organization of secret fraternities in
the public schools.
The codifying of the existing fish
and game laws will probably be pro-
vided for in a bill to be introduced
early in the session as well as the
legalizing of fish and game farming.
a close time on bull moose, a resident
hunters license and non resident fish
ing license.
The workingmens compensation act
already spoken of will by no
means be the only important act
of labor legislation that is likely TO
be introduced at the present session
of the Legislature. The legislation
backed by the State Federation of
Labor, which is likely to be introduce
ed at this session includes a 54-hour
law, a bill to provide for the estab-
lishment of a Labor Sunday to precede