Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1919-02-11
Notes from the Legislature.

Notes from the Legislature.
Old members-meaniDg those who
have served in past legislatures, either
in recent years or longer sgo-note the
"dead quiet" which has characterized
the first weeks of this session. They
declare that so far there has been moth
ing doing. No big political battles, nc
clash of large corporate interests, nc
fireworks accompanying holly contested
hearings on important measures. In
deed, much of the time there have beer
around the state house very few outside
of the official family whose duties KEEP
them there all the time or large portion
of it.
Last week the dome of the capitol re
sounded somewhat with the stir of the
session business, when among the hear
ings there was one on Wednesday after.
noon on a resolve providing for an
armory at Lewiston. This brought q
special car from the twin cities filled
with people, a considerable fraction OF
whom were young men in the khaki oil
officers uniforms, and the senate cham
Der was comfortably filled at the hear
ing, which was before the committee on
military affairs. The Lewiston people
are bound to have an srmory il they car
get IL.
Aside from this hearing and the con.
tested election case from Androscoggin
County in the senate, there has as yet
been nothing which has drawn any con
siderable crowd to the state house, either
to bear facts and gather information, OF
to hear orators and nesr-orators and
watch the game.
The legislature has by no means been
idle. The financial problem has been
receiving constant attention, with q
steady grind by the appropriations com
mittee and the other committees which
are concerned with the state institutions,
and the governor and council. A good
part of the work along this line has now
been done.
Others of the committees have got
well into their work and some of the less
important will get their dockets prscti-
cally cleaned up this week. Others have
q number of weeks work ahead, not to
mention the new business which will be
coming In more or less up to the last Of
the session.
The act authorizing the Oxford Elec-
trio Co. to discontinue the operation OF
it's rsilruad has finally been referred to
the committee on public utilities, and is
pending before them.
fought to pass" has been reported by
the committee on towns on the act to
repeal the charter of the town Of Graf
ton All school funds and moneys in
the possession of the town of Grafton
are by the act to be turned over to the
treasurer of state, to constitute fund
for school purposes, of which the in
come only shall be used for the school
ing of children resident within the limits
of the town. The library belonging to
the town of Grafton, and all the town
records are to be turned over 10 the
selectmen of the town of Newry and be-
come the property of that town. The
county commissioners of Oxford County
are authorized to repair the Grafton
highways this year, and assess the ex-
penditure against the township In the
tax OF 1920. An emergency clause is
attached, so that the act will take effect
Immediately on approval.
Favorable report has been made by
the committee on towns on the act pro-
viding for the election of road commits
sioners by towns. The act provides that
the towns shall elect road commission
ers, but gives them the option Of in
stIucting the selectmen to appoint II
they desire. This will not apply to this
years elections In any event.
A resolve submitting proposed
amendment to the constitution empow-
ering the legislature to authorize the
division of towns into voting districts for
state and national elections has been
favorably reported from the judiciary
committee.
In the senate Wednesday a unanimous
report was made by the committee on
elections unseating Senator Edward r.
Parent of Androseoggin County, q Re-
publican, and seating DIR. ii. L. Irish of
Turner, bis Democratic opponent. This
case hinged on the evident irregularities
in the vote of Ward Four, Auburn. The
report of the committee surprised many.
II has not yet been acted on, and is
assigned for Wednesday Of this week.
Governor Milliken on Friday sent to
the legislature message Of some length
which rather indicates a prolonging OF
the session. Space will not admit of
giving it in full. In substance the gov
ernor says that he has notified the com
mittee on ways and bridges that be can
not approve special resolves for high
ways and bridges, in view Of the neces-
sarily large expenditures, but that che
committee is continuing with the hear
ing of these resolves, and has announced
a policy favorable to them. No budget
proposal will be presented, says the
governor, until 1t is settled which policy
the legislature will adopt. He points
out that the special appropriations re-
ferred to open the door TO log-rolling
and extravaganza, and warns that the
pork barrel and the budget can not exist
in the same legislature.
The ways and bridges committee Is
strongly in favor Of some special sppro-
priations. The house chairman, Ernest
r. Clasen Of Lisbon, is especially out
spoken in this line, and has been making
q canvass of the members to ascertain
whether they would stand behind the
There may yet be some
fireworks on this measure.