tabled prior to March 29 be automatically placed before the Senate tomorrow. In support of that motion I wish to call to the attention of the Senate the many matters which have been on the table for some time, and that we are not making much progress toward relieving the congestion on our calendar. I think such action should be taken now. The motion was agreed to. Mr. Mr. THOMBS of Penobscot: President, I move that we take from the table An Act allowing clerk hire to the sheriff of Penobscot county. The pending question being action on the report of the committee, ought not to pass, on further motion by Mr. Thombs, the report was accepted. ing to the recording of deeds, was taken from the table. On further motion by the same senator, under suspension of the rules, the vote whereby this bill was passed to be engrossed was reconsidered. The same senator then offered Senate Amendment "A." Senate Amendment "A" to S. D. 106 Amend Senate Document 106 by striking out the word "incorporated" in the tenth line of Section 17, and in serting in place thereof the word "unincorporated." Senate Amendment "A" was adopted and the bill was amended and passed to be engrossed. On motion by Mr. Thompson of Knox, H. D. 399, An Act to regulate boxing exhibitions within the State of Maine, was taken from the table. Mr. THOMPSON: Mr. President, I tabled that bill yesterday to get a chance to look at it. In my judgment it is nothing but licensing prize fights, and nothing else in the world. I want to go on record against licensing prize fights in the State of Maine. Mr. PRESIDENT: Has the senator any motion to make? Mr. THOMPSON: Mr. President, I move that we indefinitely postpone the bill. Mr. FOLSOM of Somerset: Mr. President, I wish to heartily endorse the statement of Senator Thompson, and I hope the motion will prevail. Mr. PARENT of Androscoggin: Mr. President and fellow members of the Senate, this House Bill No. 399, I have not any particular interest in. It is a matter which has been presented to the Committee on Judiciary and reported out unanimously, ought to pass. They have heard the evidence upon this matter, and there were a large number of ladies from different parts of the State present. They were there for the purpose of opposing bill, some of them, at least. After hearing this bill taken up section by section, after hearing read the present law on th estatute regulating and the permitting boxing exhibitions, they withdrew all opposition. There is more to this bill than perhaps the Senator from Knox and the Senator from Somerset realizes. The hour is late and I shall not take but a moment of time. This bill not under proposes a commission, pay, which may license boxing exhibitions. Under the present law boxing exhibitions are promoted and conducted in are carried on and many, many cases, over 50 per cent., nearer 75 per cent. of the boxing exhibitions as promoted and conducted under the law as it is in our cities, are conducted in this manner or a similar manner: The contestants arrive and it comes down to the night of the exhibition, and through a mutual disagreement or dissatisfaction, after the patrons have paid their money, anywhere from a dollar to two dollars, and the war tax, much to their surprise they are disappointed, the exhibition is not to proceed or it becomes a farce. Under this new bill that cannot take place, and those who wish to attend these exhibitions are secure in the fact that a real boxing exhibition will take place and that the patrons will not be deprived of getting their money back if it does not. I thoroughly believe that this bill will promote the efficiency of the exhibitions, which are now authorized on our statute books, and have been for a long time. I think it is the duty of this Legislature to recognize a unanimous committee report. It should be respected, whether it is the Judiciary committee or some other committee of the members of this Legislature, unless, or in the absence of their overlooking some important feature. I believe the committee reports should be respected, as they have been in previous Legislatures. I hope this motion will not prevail. Mr. THOMPSON: Mr. President, I hope the Senator will not misapprehend the purpose of my objection. I undertook to state that I have no objection to the bill, if the Senate wants to vote it or if the Legislature of this State wishes to enact in into law I think I have no objection. I am making no attack on the personnel of the committee or on their judgment. I was not able to be present. We all know that when Senators are otherwise engaged in another committee they do not have the opportunity. If I had had the opportunity I should have been there. I do not do this for the purpose of making any attack on any committee, or upon the understanding or design of any committee. This is the only opportunity I have had to discuss this question, and that is all I am going to do, and that in a very limited way. This is no more, in my judgment, than a prize fight, and for the purpose of justifying that observation-I only read the bill this morning, for the first time, and then casually, I will read Section 5: "No boxing or sparring exhibitions shall be held unless one member of the boxing commission, or some person deputized to act for said commission, is present. The commission shall have authority to declare forfeited any remuneration or prize or any part thereof offered for any contest conducted under this act, where one or more of the contestants do not act in good faith. The commission may when satisfied that one or both contestants are not acting in good faith order the prize, purse or any part thereof, confiscated and sold and the proceeds given to the local charities." It is a prize fight, that is all. And there is a great deal that may be said more, and in my judgment it is teeming all over with the language of the ring and the prize fight. It repeals the existing law in regard to the supposed innocent subject and makes it stronger. So that the new law carries more brutality with it. As I said, I do not want to go on record as being in favor of this bill. I think it is a prize fight clothed in the habiliments of respectability, pure and simple. I desire to oppose it for that purpose and for no other. Mr. PARENT: Mr. President, just one word more. Under our present law one may attend a boxing exhibition in the city of Lewiston, and I know it has been true in the city or Portland and I presume it is true in Bangor and Augusta and other cities, and young boys attend those exhibitions of any age at the present time, eight, nine, 10 and 12 or 14 years of age. Under this bill they are prohibited from attending. I have not attended a boxing exhhition for three or four years. I did at one time enjoy attending them, but it became such a farce, that we would buy our tickets, a dollar and a half or two dollars, and sit around for an Four or so and then find that the contest was not to be pulled off, since they became so numerous I have not even attempted to attend. Under this bill no person can participate in a boxing exhibition under the age of 18 years, and no exhibitions shall take place on Sunday. And it prohibits betting on these exhibitions, and no spectator under the age of 16 years shall be permited to attend any exhibition held under this act. It seems to me there are a lot of good features, inasmuch as boxing exhibitions are now permitted. This law is drafted after the law of New York and Massachusetts, where they have boxing exhibitions. I do not sce that there is any detriment to or disgrace on the name of the State of Maine. This promotes the efficiency under the present law. The pending question being on the motion from the senator from Knox, Senator Thompson, that the bill be indefinitely postponed, a viva voce vote was had, and the Chair being in doubt a rising vote was had and seven senators voting in the affirmative and 12 in the negative the motion did not prevail. On motion by Mr. Parent of Androscoggin, the bill was given its second reading and was passed to be engrossed. On motion by Mr. Eaton of Oxford, An Act relating to the salaries of sheriffs was taken from the table. The pending question being on the acceptance of the committee on salaries and fees, ought not to pass, on motion by Mr. Eaton the report was accepted. On motion by Mr. Thombs of Penobscot, Adjourned until tomorrow morning at 9 o'clock. HOUSE Thursday, March 31, 1921. The House met according to adjournment and was called to order by the Speaker. Prayer by the Rev. Mr. Ecob of Augusta. Journal of previous session read and approved. Papers from the Senate disposed of in concurrence. From the Senate: Resolve in favor of the clerk, stenographer and messenger to the committee on Inland Fisheries and Game. Comes from the Senate read twice under suspension of the rules, passed to be engrossed. In the House, on motion by Mr. Wilson of Presque Isle the rules were suspended, the resolve received out of order, given its two several readings, and passed to be engrossed in con currence. From the Senate: Resolve in favor of Sarah W. Pike for services as stenographer of the Committee on Judiciary. Comes from the Senate, read twice under suspension of the rules, and passed to be engrossed. In the House, on motion by Mr. Wing of Auburn, the rules were suspended, the resolve received out of order, given its two several readings and passed to be engrossed in concurrence. From the Senate: The joint standing Committees on Manufactures and State Lands and Forest Preservation submitted their final report. Report accepted in concurrence. Senate Bills In First Reading Senate 138: An Act to amend the first two paragraphs of Section 38 of Chapter 219 of the Public Laws of 1917, as amended by Chapter 37 of the Public Laws of 1919, relating to the protection of deer. (On motion by Mr. Crafts of Green ville, the rules were suspended and the bill given its third reading and passed to be engrossed in concurrence.) Senate 155: An Act to amend Chapter 132 of the Laws of 1919, entitled An Act to create the Maine Water Power Commission. (On motion by Mr. Wing of Auburn, the rules were suspended, the bill given its third reading, and passed to be engrossed in concurrence.) Senate 119: An Act to amend Chapter 8 of the Revised Statutes, as amended by Chapters 111 and 168 of the Public Laws of 1919, requiring a permit for the burning of blueberry land adjacent to forest growth. (On motion by Mr. Mason of Ellsworth, the rules were suspended, the bill given its third reading, and passed to be engrossed in concurrence.) From the Senate: Bill, An Act to amend Section 3 of Chapter 144 of the Revised Statutes, as amended by Chapter 245 of the Public Laws of 1919, relating to the age of commitment to the State School for Boys. This was passed to be enacted in the House March 22. Comes from the Senate passed to be engrossed as amended by Senate Amendment "A" in non-concurrence. (Tabled temporarily by the Chair.) From the Senate: Bill, An Act to amend Section 10 of Chapter 117 of the Revised Statutes, as amended by Chapter 31 of the Public Laws of 1919, relating to salaries of reporters of the Supreme Judicial Court. This was passed to be enacted in the House March 25. Comes from the Senate passed to be engrossed as amended by Senate Amendment "A," the purpose being to correct a clerical error. In the House, on motion by Mr. Buzzell of Belfast, the rules were suspended and the action of the House whereby the bill was passed to be enacted was reconsidered. On further motion by the same gentleman the prior action of the House whereby the bill was passed to be engrossed was reconsidered. On f. ther motion by the same gentleman Senate Amendment "A" was adopted in concurrence, and on further motion by the same gentleman the bill was passed to be engrossed as amended by Senate Amendment "A" in concurrence. From the Senate: Majority report of the Committee on Judiciary reporting "ought not to pass" on resolve proposing an amendment to Article IX of the Constitution to permit the regulation and restricting by law of advertising signs and devices within the public view. Report was signed by the following members: Messrs. Gillin of Penobscot and Parent of Androscoggin of the Senate; Messrs. Buzzell of Belfast, Wing of Auburn, Cole of Eliot and Murchie of Calais of the House. Minority report of same committee reporting "ought to pass' 'on the same resolve. Report was signed by the following members: Mr. Farrington of Kennebec of the Senate; Messrs. Gardiner of Gardiner, Hinckley of South Portland and Maher of Augusta of the House. Comes from the Senate majority report read and accepted. In the House, on motion by Mr. Buzzell of Belfast, the majority report, "ought not to pass" was accepted in concurrence. From the Senate: Report of the committee on redistricting the State to which was referred the matter of reapportionment of State senators, reporting two Resolves: Resolve proposing amendments to Sections 1, 2, 4 and 5 of Part II of Article IV of the Constitution, increasing the number of State senators and providing a fixed basis for their apportionment; and Resolve apportioning the senators among the several counties; and that they "ought to pass." Comes from the Senate indefinitely postponed. In the House, on motion by Mr. Smith of Skowhegan, indefinitely postponed in concurrence. On motion by Mr. Hinckley of South Portland, it was voted to take from the table, Bill, An Act to amend Section 3 of Chapter 144 of the Revised Statutes as amended by Chapter 245 of the Public Laws of 1919, relating to the age of commitment to the State School for Boys. On further motion by the same gentleman the action of the House whereby this bill was passed to be enacted was reconsidered under suspension of the rules; and on further motion by the same gentlemen the action of the House whereby the bill was passed to be engrosed was reconsidered under suspension of the rules; and on further motion by the same gentleman Senate Amendment "A" was adopted in concurrence, and the bill as amended by Senate Amendment "A" was passed to be engrossed in concur rence. On motion by Mr. Hinckley of South Portland that gentleman was given permission to introduce out of order Resolve in favor of Arthur F. Tiffin for services as clerk of Committee on Bills in third reading. Mr. HINCKLEY: Mr. Speaker, I move that without reference to a committee it be given its first reading. Mr. DODGE of Portland: Mr. Speaker, it ocurs to me that there are a number of similar resolves to come in between now and the end of the session, and it seems to me that they may as well all be referred to a committee and thus be handled I am sure more expeditiously, and I move that this be referred to the committee on appropriations and financial affairs. The motion prevailed and the resolve was so referred. The following resolve was received, and upon recommendation of the Committee on Reference of Bills was referred to the following committee: Appropriations and Financial Affairs By Mr. Hinckley of South Portland: Resolve in favor of Kenneth F. Lee for services as messenger to the committee on Judiciary. |