Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1913-03-26
STATE soLoNs.
Legislative News of Interest to Ham
cock County Readers.


President MiIlken of the Senate and
| Speaker Peters of the House met in con-
| ference Saturday, and agreed that adjourn
ment sine die would not be possible in
| March. The session will run into next
| week. Two sessions day, however, may
| accomplish wonders.
The Ellsworth municipal court bill
| received its finishing blow Wednesday.
when the Senate voted TO ecede from its
| former position, and to concur with the
! House in accepting the minority report,
| fought not to pass.n
A bill for the protection of deer ON Isle
an Hsut was reported favorabiy, in new
| draft, Thursday.
The bin for the use OF Australian ballots
in elections in the town OF Eden has been
| reported tavorably by committee.
resolve in favor of the Bar Harbor
hospital was favorably reported Friday.
In the Senate Saturday, the committee
on ways and bridges, on resolve IN aid of
road around Chick hill, reported same in
new draft under title, "Resolve in favor of
survey for road in towns of Amherst and
Clifton and that it fought to pass"
The act in favor of close time on lob
! sters in certain waters OF Hancock county
has been reported favorably, in new draft.
The act to change the name of the town
of Eden TO Bar Harbor was signed by the
governor yesterday. After Jaly next it
will be the town of Bar Harbor.
The amendment to the Ellsworth city
charter was signed by the governor yester-
day.
The act to repeal the gang hook law has
been signed by the governor.
HANCOCK COUNTY SALARIES.
Rep Mcbride, of Mt. Desert, ON We'd
nesday presented a batch OF seven bills
for changes in salaries of Hancock county
officials, as follows:
Judge of probate - Increase from 1,1oo
to q, 200.
Register OF probate - Increase from
81 900 to =, 800.
County commissioners - Decrease from
$50 TO 500 each.
County attorney - Decrease from $3.50
to $500.
Sheriff - Decrease from 81 600 to 81 500.
Register of deeds - Increase from 81 300
to $500. with 300 (instesd of 5000 for
clerk hire.
Clerk of courts - Decrease from s2,1oo
to 81 500.
The enactment of all these changes
would result in a net decrease in the
Hancock county salary list OF $1,000.
BAR HARBoR AUTO LAW.
The Bar Harbor automobile bill, with
emergency clause attached. was passed to
be enacted in the Senate Wednesday, and
Immediately signed by the governor.
But by some body's oversight, the en-
acting clause, ''this act shall take effect
when approved" was omitted from the
emergency clause, and lively little dis
cussion is on among lawyers as to
whether this omission does not make
void the emergency clause, and make the
bill effective only after ninety days have
elapsed.
Several eminent lawyers have already
expressed the opinion that this is so, while
the proponents of the bill reply: "All
right, but automobiles began running in
Bar Barbor as soon as the hill was signed
hut hse - sa
on the other fellow. Who is going to
make trouble on mere technicality? One
man may be arrested for test case, but the
courts will govern their decision by the
intent OF the legislature; and before the
test case is settled, the ninety days will
have elapsed anyway. So there you are"
MATTERS OF GENERAL INTEREST.
In the Senate Wednesday new draft of
the resident hunters license law was re-
ported by committee, fought to pass"
Tn is act makes the possession of firearms
on wild land sufficient evidence that the
person having them is hunter.
The bill to change date of State election |
to November will die between the two
branches, the Senate being opposed to the |
change and the House in favor. The |
Massac husetts ballot law bids fair to die a |
like death, though there is some possi- !
bility OF the two branches getting together |
on this measure.
Al tAc f1ousc inuIouhN d lcsoiNc WINS
troduced proposing an amendment to the |
constitution OF Maine and providing for !
the recall OF public officials. The act pro- |
vides that every public officer in the |
State holding Office, either by election or |
appointment, is subject to recall from |
such Office, by the qualified electors OF the |
electoral district within which such OFF, |
Ger has power.
Fifteen amendments to the public utili- |
ties bill were offered in the House Thurs |
day. Friday the House adopted all the |
Senate amendments, added three import |
ant ones of the fifteen presented in the |
House, and passed the bin along.
For the purpose of putting more teeth in |
the prohibitory law, Hon. James 5. |
Wright, of South Paris, member of the |
executive council from the first district, |
appeared before the committee on judi |
ciary Thursday in favor of an amendment |
making it the duty of the attorney |
general to take charge of all investi- |
cations before the grand jury where |
q sheriff, deputy-sheriffo or county attorney !
neglects or refuses to enforce the law.
In the Senate Saturday morning the
judiciary committee reported on the work |
mems compensation act, sought to pass,
in new draft. The new draft contains |
features OF the bills introduced in |
the Senate by Senator Stearns and in the |
House by Smith of Auburn. The new
draft was prepared by a subcommittee
which has been engaged in this work for
the past four weeks. This bill will be the
Important matter before the legislature
this week.