Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-03-28

oehci oiilce uHQer tne GIT OF the city
government
Sen. Lord Of York tabled pending
passage to be engrossed the Baxter
Dill relating to free transportation OF
nremen and policemen with the amend
ment Incorporating the provisions OF
another bill regarding reduced rates for
automatic fire sprinkler service.
Sen. Marshall of Cumberland tabled
pending passage to be engrossed, act
relating to commitment of girls to the
State School for Girls.
Report A, ought to pass, and Report
b, ought not TO. pass, from the COM
mittee on education on bill AN Act to
provide for the distribution of State
school funds available for the support
OF common schools was taken Up and
Sen. Kicker Of Hancock moved the ac-
ceptance of Report B. ought not to
pass.
Sen. Kicker reviewed the beginning
ana growth of the school fund from its
inception in 1898 up to the first mill tax
IN 1872. of l mill on every dollars worth
or property in the State and on TO the
assessment Of the special tax in 1909 on
the wild lands. which was after dis
cussion over its division between high
ways and schools finally went to the
schools.
Sen. Walker Of Somerset. chairman
of the committee on education, spoke
in favor of Report A of the committee.
ought to pass. He declared at the
outset that if the Senator voted accord
ing TO the special advantages that their
community would receive the Grange
bill would be defeated, three to one,
while if they voted from a state wide
view point it would win by about the
same proportion. If they voted from a
pohtlcai view point alone they would
be between the devil and the deep sea.
they would be damned if they did and
damned if they didn't.
Sen. Holt Of Cumberland in speaking
for the adverse report upon, the bill
pointed out that the measure was per.
haps the most important to come be-
fore this session of the legislature as it
dealt with the distribution of a fund of
$1.S43,2 4l.57 and affects vitality every
city and town In the state.
Hs declared that the bill did not as
it purported, divide the school fund ac-
cording to aggregate attendance for
there was no provision made for the
High schools. He also argued that the
fund that was thus proposed to be dis
trihuted was not an educational fund
and was not thought Of as such when
it was distributed.
Sen. Butler of Knox said he was not
so solicitous as some as to getting the
votes but he was solicitous in a matter
which was so important to all sections
of the state. In his own section, he
found that Knox county would gain
about $1,000, but he would have to take
away from the city of Rockland and
the larger towns to give to some others.
He had been unable to find any real
good argument for a change in the
present method Of distribution.
Sen. Peacock of Washington: We
are concerned in the education Of all
the children. because that was the only
way we could equip them to go out and
compete with others. He thought the
of distributing the school money, on the
basis of aggregate attendance.
Sen Deering of York had heard it
stated that we would vote according to
our local views, and the fact that Bid
deford would lose about $4,000 and
York county about $24, 1000 might lead
some to think that was why he would
vote against the bill. but it seemed
strange to him why Starks or Lubec or
any other place should have what his
places should lose. 1t was said that it
was Grange measure and we had
been urged to give the Grange this one
thing. He didn't see why his county
towns were not just as we'll fitted to
carry on Grange work as any other
places in the State, and didn't see why
they should suffer. 1t had been said
that God made the country and man
the city, but couldn't see where that
gave the Grange the right to grab ev-
erything in sight.
Sen. Deering Of York said that the
present time was wrong time to
change and especially so as there was
no State superintendent of public
schools at the present time, one man
caring for the duties of two and that
it was unfair to place upon the present
acting superintendent of schools all of
the burden of the proposed change.
"When we have new superintendent
of schools, If we ever do, it will take
him a year or two to learn the duties
of his Office and after that will be time
enough to make a change"
Sen. Googin of Androscoggin said
that he was a member of the Lewiston
School Board and disagreed with the
statement Of Senator Peacock that
Lewiston had more money to spend for
schools than it knew what to do with.
IF there was surplus we never knew
anything about it,"She declared. Sen.
Googin went on to urge the claims Of
the school children Of the city as well
as those of the country.
Sen. Ames of Washington in what
he called his maiden speech eulogized
the Washburn or Grange bill as the
grandest piece of legislation that had
ben introduced at this session. He
spoke of the falling off of the popula-
ton Of the country towns and the in
crease of the city population and that
it WAS not unreasonable that some of
the wealth should be returned to its
source. Portland, Bangor and Lewis
ton ought to be glad to contribute to
Portland is the clearing house of
the State and she owes a great debt to
the rural communities" he went on.
Industrial centers and their increase in
population and private institutions had
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