Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-02-15
Osteopathic Bill
(Continued from PAGE Cne)

\NOUtlUuCU dS0 WV
tax rates of from 40 to 81 mills and
that the exemption of soldiers es-
tates up to 5000 in these towns
was Il great hardship.
Representative Overlook of Wash
ington. said there were thirteen sets
of buildings in the little town oil
Washington that came under this
exemption, two of them as good as
there are in the town. The soldiers
and their widows in his town had
money enough to pay their bills,
while in some other towns they did
not. He believed that the exemp-
ton granted by the 10Th Legislature
was unwise and unnecessary and
claimed that it was not asked for
by the soldiers or their families.
Senator Hinekley of Cumberland
| opposed the Overlook bill. THE
| only persons affected at the present
time are the veterans of the Civil
War, the youngest Of whom are Is
| years of age and we will have them
! with us but short time" he said.
IF it had not been for these men
we would be two or more warning
| countries instead of the great ma
| ton that we now are. When they
went to war they had no bonus.
their widows and children were not
cared for"
William J. Thompson of China,
master of the State Grange, and
former chairman of the State board
| of assessors, suggested that wiser
way to give aid to the Civil War
soldiers and their widows would be
| by State pension or direct act OF the
Legislature.
| Matthew c. Morrill, of Gray, for
mer State Senator and Civil War
veteran, said that the exemption
| granted the soldiers would not be
! missed, IF the assessors were as
keen to look up the taxes on wild
| land townships. intangible property
and water power holdings" Mr..
| Morrill, said that although he was u
Civil War veteran he proposed to
pay his taxes despite the exemption.
as long as he was able to. but that
this exemption was needed in a
| great many cases.
George Warren Paul of Farming
dale said with feeling, as he pointed
to the flag at the Speakers desk, the
hearing being held in the hail of the
House of Representatives: Il am
! surprised and amazed that a man
can stand in front of that flag and
oppose the old soldier and put Il
| smaller loaf of bread on the widows
| table"
! George f. Gay of Augusta. de-
| partmcnt commander of the G. A.
r., took issue with Representative
| overlook as to the great number OF
soldiers of the Civil War living in
the smaller towns. when 1 be-
came commander of the Der2 rtment
of Maine 1 found that out of the
/ 100 posts in the State. 80 could not
get out members enough to hold a
meeting"
Mr.. Gay also charged that the tax
assessors in Augusta deprived the
| veterans OF their exemption through
raising OF the valuation over $1,000.
when 1t was not warranted.
"WhateVer you do for the old SOL
der. do il now: if YOU are going to
help him. or if YOU are going to slap
HIM in the face" Mr.. Cay concluded.
4 Representative Gilmour of West
brook presented the protest of
, Cloudman Post. G. A. r., against the
! removal of the present exemption.
Hearing On Sash Law
| II. Herbert Sturgis of Portland.
one OF committee of five from the
! Maine Lumber Manufacturers AS
/ Soclatlon appearing before the COM
mlttee on State lands and forest
Y preservation "Wednesday afternoon.
I In opposition to the act amending
| the slash law, paid his respects TO
/ the forestry department OF Maine
by saying that it seemed deplora bic
mat department supported by the
state should be obliged to admit
i that its figures were not worthy of
! consideration.
He SAID this in commenting on a
! previous statement by Forest Com
missioner Samuel 7. Dana that re-
| ports on forest fires received from
municipal authorities by the depart
nleht were not reliable. either as to
| the extent of the losses or the
causes. which in some fires were not
reported at all.
Eut Mr. Dana had a reply to Mr..
! SturglS statement the instant the
Tortiand man sat down. for the for
est commissioner remarked that Mr..
Stursls argument was based on the
Ner! llgureS which he had admitted
were inaccurate. He added that the
lault was not the departments. buf
rathcr lay with the municipal Off
. GERS. VIII
MT. Dana was the first speaker in
FAVOR OF the bill. and he said that
FOUR major changes were contemn-
iated IN the present law. In the
.,ist pace the amendment PROVIDE
,hat slash along railroads and pub-
! nc highways should be removed FOR
distance of 30 feet from the edge
vi the highway, instead of the cen
yer, as Is now the law. Again. there
Vas Il chanse in the method of ret-
! ING fd of this slash. Ordinarily If
was SIMPLY pulled back in vim
uroWs, but under the pronosod
chahSe in the law it would be hnrn
Aio.her change is that all slash
on lou OF land shall be removed
LOT distance of 80 feet from al
JoihiHS lots. whether owned by an
rsner person or not. and the last of
.nc principal provisions of tho
"lIeHument is that municipaI off
oeiS may designate areas in which
siasn creates serious menace pa
aerrlng TO the forest fire situation IN
ssIieral outside the forestry distr;ct
NJ. Dana said that the statistics
s Mtre not complete. owing to tbe
aailure OF the municipal Officers 70
seHu IN accurate reports.
MI sturSis began his argument ~
oppositlon by reading resoi,,tion ~,
opposing the amendment ana , ,loiIS
ca by the lumbermen at meatino
Held last week. He unotoh .ins
statistics obtained from the foro o.ue
department showing thai Gra o,,e es
outside the forestry district 'o1 ,sss
rs noo 'iio'hted to but little over
poseI ana allowed that this pro
great o U.'nse IN the law was "a
lDcrp iS