Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1925-03-30


the Maher resolve proposing an
amendment to the constitution to pro-
hibit the use Of public funds for other
than public institutions or purposes
is one of the big matters which will
engage the attention of the Solons Of
the S2nd Legislature early this week
The feeling has been growing during
the past few days that with the Bar
wise sectarian bill defeated, the law
makers may decide to take the dras-
tic step provided by the Maher re-
solve, which would require two
thirds vote of the Legislature to be
submitted for a direct vote of the
people.
Briefly. the Maher resolve proposes
an amendment to the State constitu-
ton to prevent use Of public moneys
or gifts to all educational institutions.
The exemption to this provision are
these: The University of Maine, pub
lie Libraries, and a reasonable amount
Of compensation to those hospitals
performing free patient work when the
patients are unable to care for them
selves.
Further terms of the resolve specify
that if given passage it will not be-
come effective until 1881, this to give
those educational institutions affected
by the ban an opportunity to readJust
their financial status.
May Offer Amendment
It is understood that an effort is to
be made this week to attach an amend
ment to the Maher bill, the amend
ment to change the six-year limit to
10 years. AS the resolve is now
drawn it is an exact duplicate almost
to the punctuation marks of a law now
existing in Massachusetts with the ex-
ception that where the Bay State law
exempts its soldiers home the Maher
bill exempts the University of Maine.
There are several unusual circum-
stances relating to the Maher bill
worthy of note. Up to the time of &C
ton on the Barwise bill there had
been no lobbying in behalf of the Ma
her bill. Since the death of the Pe-
nobscot senator's pet measure there
has been considerable lobbying in be-
half of the Maher measure, from which
lobbying, by the way, the author him.
self, Senator Maher, has completely
obstained.
Recognizing that it Is never safe
to predict the vote of Legislature
on so closely contested an issue as
the sectarian one yet it appears that
from the sentiment being freely ex-
pressed around the State House
the Maher bill will vanquish the
against it and roll like an omnibus
| from the House of Representatives
into the Senate, carrying with it the
| necessary two thirds vote of the
| House
| In the Senate it will again bump
| against stiff opposition but with VOL
| unteer boosters of the bill predicting
| a change of four votes from the I'M
| favorable lineup on the BarWise re-
solve last week it again appears that
| the Maher measure will continue its
| steamrolling course into the Gov
errors chamber, leaving behind IT
the ironed-out remnants of the brill
liant oratorial opposition that Will
surely essay to block it's way.
Adherents of the bill do not stop
here in their optimistic predictions
but insist that it will come forth tri-
umphant with the Governors sigma
ture to meet the entire electorate OF
the State at the polls of special
election.
| The Stitham Resolve
The opinion generally expressed Is
that the Maher resolve has much
better chances for passage than the
| Stitham resolve proposing a const-
! tutional amendment regulating the
use of public funds for the support
of educational institutiOns-a COM
promise measure between the Bar
| wise and Maher bills.
This measure after having been
amended last Friday. survived the
attempt of Representative Hale to
indefinitely postpone it. The bill will
| probably come before the House this
afternoon.
The Bath Bridge Project
The Bath bridge bill continues to
pass through it's legislative stages.
! having been passed to be engrossed
last Friday in the Senate The new
draft of the measure appears to have
gained many supporters who are
strong in their conviction that the
project will receive favorable action
by this Legislature.
Taatxion Reports ue
Among the important committee
reports which are due early this
week are those of the committee on
taxation relative to the proposed
excise tax on hydro electric compa-
MES, and the act providing for an