Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-01-15
STATE SOLONS.
Legislative News of interest to Ham
cock County Readers.

for election of a United States senator.
The vote in the House yesterday was tied
up by four progressive members, VIII o
voted for f.. NJ. Thompson, OF Augusta
Mr. Burleigh and Mr.. Gardner each re-
ceised Y votes. In the Senate, the vote
was on party lines-Burleigh, Il Gardner,
10. The failure Of the House to give a
majority yesterday throws the election
into joint convention to-day.
The voting in the House yesterday was
preceded by lively row when an order was
introduced to unseat three members, who
are postmasters. Parliamentary tactics
to delay the vote on this order were re-
sorted to, with the result that only one
had been installed when the hour for rot
ing for senator arrived, and other husi--
ness had to he suspended. The fight will
be renewed in the House this morning,
with the Burleigh supporters resorting to
every means to prevent final vote on I'M
seating the postmasters before the hour
for joint convention arrives.
In the meantime, the postmaster mem
bers have telegraphed their designations
as postmasters to Washington, in hopes OF
retaining their seats by this method.
The progressive members held con-
vention last night, after which it was an
nounced by one Of them that while he had
considered himself bound to vote for Mr..
Burleigh on the first ballot, he no longer
felt so bound. How many others there
are who take this view is uncertain.
This is an exciting day at Augusta, and
the voting at the joint convention will be
the Climax
Standing committees Of the Senate were
announced Wednesday. Senator Hagerthy
is on the committee on bills in the second
reading, and Senator Patten on the COM
mittee on engrossed bills.
Senate and House on Friday passed an
order limiting the date for receipt of petit
tion and bills for private and special legis-
iation to Wednesday, Feb. 8.
In the Senate Thursday, Senator Hager-
thy introduced bill to repeal the act
under which the clerk of courts is recorder
of the Ellsworth municipal court by virtue
OF his office, aud providing for the appoint
ment OF a recorder by the governor.
Senator Hagerthy on the same day pre-
sented a bill to amend the laws in regard
to boards OF registration, providing for
their appointment in towns OF $500 in
stead OF 1900 as at present. The enact
ment of this law would make a board of
registration necessary in Ellsworth, in
stead of the work OF registering voters be-
ing done by the municipal officers as at
present, the population OF Ellsworth ac-
cording to the last census being $3.50.
In the House Thursday Rep. Sherman
presented resolve in favor OF an appro-
priation of q, 900 q year for the Bar Har-
Dor hospital, and Rep. Kicker presented an
act to amend the scaliop law. MIR.
Ricker's bill provides penaityos $50 for
depositing scallop refuse over, on or near
scailop beds. 1t is the present practice OF
those catching scallops TO throw all shells
and rims OF the scallops overheard, which,
1t is claimed, is an injury to the beds. II
is understood the law is advocated by the
fishermen themselves.
Rep. Brsgdon, OF Sullivan, on Friday
presented a bill to prohibit the taking OF
smelts in Egypt bay, franklin bay and
Taunton bay and river and ttbeir trlbu-'
taries lying above Sullivan Falls, in any
manner except by hook and line. The
penalty for violation is a hneaot not more.
than SO or imprisonment Tor not more
than thirty days for each offenses The
bill was accompanied by several petitions
in favor of the same.
The honor OF presenting the first petit
tion of this session for woman suffrage,
fell to @ Hancock county representative,
j. Nj. Hutchins, OF Penobscot, who
presented petition Of Mrs. l.. NJ. N.
corresponding secretary, OF the Maine
w. &. L. u.
Rep. Mcbride, OF Mt. Desert, yesterday
presented four petitions for the opening OF
all roads in the town OF Mt. Desert west OF
Somes sound, to automobiles.
BAR HARBoR AUTO LAW.
Two bills providing for the admission Of
automobiles into the town of Eden were
presented Wednesday, one by Senator
Patten in the Senate and the other by
Rep. Sherman in the House.
The Senate bill provides for the opening
up OF any or all public highways within
the town il the citizens so vote.
The House, bill repeats the present
automobile exclusion law, and permits
the use of motor vehicles on two high
ways leading directly through from the
town OF Southwest Harbor and fremont
TO the Eden town line. The House bill
furt her provides that at town meeting
the voters may close to motor vehicles the
following highways: Norway drive, be-
gIning at Liscomb's corner and extending
on the Eagle Lake road to the Young's
district schoolhouse; Breakneck drive
between Hull's Cove and the Eagle Lake
road Ocean drive, beginning at the
bridge at the foot OF the hill near the
Satterlee property to driveway OF the
Country club near Otter Cliffs.
Both bills went to the judiciary commit
clause, but this is meeting with an OPP
position which will probably result in
that claus being stricken out, as 1t can
hardly be urged that the admission OF
autos to Eden concerns the "health, peace
or safety of the State" as required to con-
stitute an emergency act.
Thus the admission OF autos would be
delayed until late in the summer, when
the law, il passed, would become effective
without the emergency clause, and opens
up still further possibility of delay II the
law passed requires submitting the ques
ton to a vote of the citizens of Eden, or II
the referendum is invoked by the anti
auto faction. 1t is easily possible that the
bars against autos will stay up through
another summer.
LEGISLATION OF GENERAL INTEREST.
In the Senate Wednesday an order for
Joint select committee TO investigate the
high cost OF coal in Maine was presented.
There was a breezy little discussion on
this order Thursday, and it was given
n