Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1921-04-05

After one OF the most extended de-
bates Of the session the house on Tues
day passed the bill to establish the
Maine Medical School rs state institu-
ton, and the resolve sppropriating
$780, 900 for Its maintenance for two
years. The vote was taken on . roll
call, the second for the session, and was
90 to Al. One of the warmest advocates
of the school, both on the floor and In
personal work among the members, was
DIR. L. P. Gerrish Of Lisbon, . former
principal OF Paris High School. The
position of the opponents Of the bill is
that We are establishing another state
institution which will demand incress-
ipgly heavy appropriations from the state,
while there 10 no certainty that the re-
suits accomplished in the production Of
more doctors, desirable a. they are, win
be ut AL In proportion 10 the expsndi-
ture.
closed BY action OF the legislature. The
bill which would permit the closing Of
falls and transfer of prisoners to other
jails at the discretion of the county COM
mlssiouers Was adversely reported, and
the report was accepted, without debate.
Geverror Baxter made his first veto
Friday, when be returned without sp-
proval the resolve giving the Austin W..
Jones Co. Of Veazie the sum OF $l0, 900
for loss sustained In the burning of their
barn and stock. The fire 10 supposed to
have been set by patient In the Bangor
State Hospital who was ont on parole,
and the ground of payment 10 that the
man Was dangerous lunatic, and that
allowing him at large was negligence on
the part Of the superintendent OF the
hospital. Two reports were made by
tbs committee, majority report, which
was accepted, awarding the amount Of
the claim directly, and Q minority re-
port permitting the claimant to bring
suit against the state. In bis veto mes
sage the governor says that the resolve
would establish dangerous precedent
His veto was sustained In the senate, BY
q vote of 10 to 10. There is . hint In
the governors message that he would
not veto IN act in accordance with the
minority report, and 1t Is likely that
such an act will be- passed.
Town divlsion matters have taken mp
considerable time ut this session, and 10
bitterness OF feeling. Two somewhat
similar were the Wells case, In which
the residents Of Ogunquit seek to be
made . town by themselves, and the
South Thomasson case, In which Owls
Head wants 10 be o town. In each of
these cases the part asking . separation
10 Q colony OF summer people who de-
clare that they can not secure the I'm
provements which they desire. In both
cases the fight was carried on 70 the
floor OF the house. In the Wells case
the house adopted referendum amend
mont leaving the matter 10 DO decided
by the vote Of the town, and then
promptly voted to postpone the whole
matter indefinitely. In the South
Thomsston matter there was no ques-
ton of referendum, but the bill was
incidentally postponed without prsliml-
naries other than some debate.
A bill which 10 now pending regarding
the mileage OF members Of the legislature
may appear peculiar ut first, but has q
reasonable basis. II gives the members
q dollar Q mile instead of the twenty
cents now allowed. The legislature 10
largely made mp Of business and profess
sional men, who must give some attsn-
ton to their business 1t home. They do
this by going home over she week ends,
II they are within convenient distance
from Augusta. Members from . long
distance must either come TO Augusta
and remain through the session at large
expense. or they must spend . large
amount for travel In weekend trips. IL
has been somewhat carefully figured out
that this will just about squalixs things
In o session Of the ordinary length. That
II, the dollar . mile will Just about pay
the expense OF going home over the
wsek-ends for each member, or, II he
lives 20 far distant that the trip takes
too much time, the mileage allowance
will help out on the expense Of staying
In Augusta over the weekend. Under
present conditions the members from
Aroostook and other distant counties
are at Q great disadvantage. and hardly
svsr 60 home more than once or twice In
session.
Hearings were held BY committees up
to Friday afternoon, when they ended.
No measures were accepted for action
after Monday. The session has been
characterised By large hearings. For
several weeks the hall OF the house, the
largest room In ths state house, bad to
b used for hearings each afternoon
from Tuesday to Thursday, and the SEN
ate chamber has been many times util-
lied, while the regular committee rooms
have been ovsrcrowded ut many Of the
hearings.
A number Of the important matters
still remain to be acted upon In the
closing days OF the session, including
the dlstribution Of the school fund, the
revised railroad tax blu, tho forty-eight
hour Law, and q number OF others.
To expedite the printing and engross-
ing, which 10 large item 10 the rush Of
the last days, sessions are now being
held In the evening when necessary, and
this week, with the ommittee work
done, Of course there will be sessions
forenoon and afternoon till everything
10 disposed Of.
It 10 expected that the legislature will
adjourn finally the last Of shls week.