The Republican journal., 1915-03-04
Legislative Notes.
What is Said and Done at Augusta.

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bill to limit the hours of employment of
women and children to 81 hours a week.
AS was predicted this has come in in an
amended form. Mercantile establish
ments have not been exempted, but a
provision has been made so that the bill
will not apply from the 18th to the 24th
OF December, inclusive, of each year, MOI
during the eight days prior to Easter
Sunday in the millinery shops or in the
| stores.
Members of the State Grange appear
ed before the committee or education
| Wednesday afternoon in behalf of the
bill offered by Representative Perham
OF Woodstock to provide the distribution
of the common school fund on the basis
of the aggregate attendance in the ele-
mentary common schools. H. w. Cakes
of Auburn was counsel for the propon-
ents. G. 0. Purinton of Bowdoinham.
lecturer of the State Grange, made an
exhaustive argument in favor of the bill
and was followed by E. T. Clifford of
Winthrop, George Plummer of Newport,
Edward Evans of Belfast, John F. Abb
bolt of North Berwick and Representa-
tives Tuttle of Caribou, Mckinley of
jackson and Mcintyre of Waterford.
George E. Googins and E. S. Clark of
Bar Harbor and Mayor William L. In
graham of Portland were among those
who spoke in opposition to the measure.
81 would like to have the people see
just what real prohibition is like; in fact,
lwould even like to see national prohi-
bltlon for while, so rigid and well
enforced that tongues would be hanging
out all over the country" declared Will
liam M. Pencil of Brunswick, sheriff of
Cumberland county. before the commit
tee on temperance Wednesday afternoon.
Mr.. Pencil opposed the bill presented
by Representative Fossett of Portland
which would permit druggists to sell
under certain restrictions for medicinal
purposes. The measure was also oppos-
ed by representatives of temperance
organizations on the ground that it would
open wide door and that the law would
be abused. The Maine Pharmaceutical
association at this hearing did not
favor the proposed bill, but members of
the State association stated that thew
believed some law should be devised
whereby druggists might be allowed to
sell liquor for legitimate purposes with
out breaking the law.
John F. Sprasue of Dover appeared be-
fore the committee on legal affairs Feb.
23d to urge an amendment to the direct
primary law so as to provide that the
period for voting at elections under that
law shall be the same in all cities and
towns regardless of population. Under
the present law the polls are open from
IL to 6 p. m. in places of 5000 or less
population and from IL to 9p. m. in all
other places. The amendment would keep
the polls open in all places until 9 D. m.
Mr.. Sprague argued that, as the law
stood at present it was unfair to the
agricultural towns. If there were any
places where the polls should be open
it was in such towns. 1t was a prac-
tical impossibility for farmers to get
to the polling places between the
hours OF IL and 6 p. m. An amendment
such as he suggested would do much to
remove the objection to the primary law
that it placed the control of offices in the
city and larger places. AS it now stood
the law was not workable.
Rep. Benn, author of bill similar to
that advocated by Mr.. Sprague, said
that one of the reasons why change in
the voting hours was necessary was be-
cause, at present, with the easy tele-
phone communication the result in the
small towns was learned very quickly in
the large centers and then hustle could
be made until 9 p. M, and the wishes of
the rural section overcome.
Five different bills for the collection of
poll taxes and their prompt payment
were taken up together for committee
hearing Feb. 23d. Rep. Albert of NADIA
waska said that he believed in the en-
actment of law which would compel
the payment of poll taxes right after
town meeting. He said that all the men
were generally at home at that time,
while at other times in the year they
were absent from home, most of them
Being away at work.
Sen. Burleigh of Aroostook said that
he believed in law which would pro-
vide for the early payment of the poll
tax. His town of Houlton had quite a
floating population in the spring, but in
the fall of the year when the collector
goes after the taxes the people cannot
be found. During the past year in Houl-
ton 200 men who owed poll taxes could
not be found. The prompt payment of
the poll tax would save hundreds, yes
thousands of dollars, every year to the
municipalities of the State.
Two resolves for small appropriations
for bridge work in Dresden and White
field, vetoed Feb. 23rd by Gov. Curtis,
who held that they should be included in
the general appropriation bill to be con-
sidered later, were passed again Feb.
oath in both branches of the Legislature.
This action, which was unanimous, was
said to be unprecedented. 1t was taken
at the request of Gov. Curtis.
A majority report was made IN favor
of a change in the ballot law to conform
to the Massachusetts system of voting.
The committee on labor reported new
draft of the bill to make it unlawful for
women and children to work more than
81 hours a week. The new draft pro-
vides that the act shall not apply during
seven days before Christmas and eight
days prior to Easter Sunday IN depart
ment and millinery stores.
The committee on taxation reported
ought not to pass on act to exempt live
stock from taxation; on act for increas-
ing exemption of taxation on musical in
struments; on act exempting any resi-
dent of Maine who served in any war of
the United States from payment of poll
tax.
Another commission for Maine that
of immigration and pubhcity-was pro-
posed Thursday in a bill presented by
Senator Cole of York in the upper branch