EN ee eee eG 
STATE HOUSE GOSSIP = 
(By Our Special Correspondent. ) 
EW EE eed 
TL LL 
DEVOTED 
» 
There has been, for a long time, 
feeling of dissatisfaction in regard to the 
taxation system of the State. Conse- 
quently last year the Legislature referred 
all taxation legislation to a recess commit- 
tee composed of four senators and eleven 
members of the House of Representa- 
tives, with the hope that this vexatious 
subject could be rounded into some pro- 
pershape. ‘This committee, after a six 
months’ session, made a report which 
has been submitted to the Committee 
on [Taxation of the present Legislature. 
The present Legislature is also in re- 
ceipt of a petition from the leading busi- 
ness men of the Commonwealth asking 
for the appointment of an expert com- 
mission to investigate and report on the 
subject of taxation. This petition, of 
course, was also referred to the Com- 
mittee on J axation which places the 
committee in a rather ridiculous position 
for they cannot report favorably on the 
business men’s petition without practically 
throwing the recess committee’s labors 
of six months entirely away. “The gener- 
al impression at the State House is that 
the Committee on Taxation will report 
on the suggestions contained in the recess 
committee’s report before taking up the 
later petition. [here is much specula- 
tion as to whether the committee will 
report favorably on the petition, but the 
general opinion is that the subject of taxa- 
tion is such a large and intricate subject 
that it will require further consideration 
which can best be obtained by a commiss- 
ion composed of men who are experts in 
the subject. 
Lt. Governor Draper will cuide the 
“ship of State’? in the absence of Gov- 
ernor Guild at Jamestown. 
The bill which provides for the joint 
use of street railway tracks was the sub- 
ject of a rather bitter debate in the sen- 
ate on Tuesday when it came up for re- 
consideration. Senator Linehan of Bos- 
ton in an attack on the bill said that 
Senator Shaw of Manchester had not 
right to vote as he has a pecuniary in- 
terest in the bill. The reconsideration 
was postponed until Monday the 29th. 
On Tuesday the Legislature began to 
hold morning sessions. 
Last week Governor Guild signed the 
bill entitled “‘An Act Relative to the Sale 
or Possession of Small Lobsters,’’ which 
reduces the size at which lobsters may be 
taken from 104 to 9 inches. For years 
there have been attempts to change the* 
law in regard to the taking of lobsters 
under 104 inches. It has been the atti- 
tude of the Fish and Game Commission 
for years that the small lobsters should be 
protected and the taking of large lobsters 
NOME SHORE BREEZE, 
should be permitted. But this year the 
commissioners have come to the con- 
clusion that the large lobsters should be 
protected rather than the small ones on 
the ground that lobsters do not lay eggs 
to any extent until they have reached a 
length of 11 or 12 inches. 
The plan of the Commission is to 
regulate the sale of lobsters in the future 
by enforcing the use of lobster traps with 
a mouth restricted to 34 inches in diame- 
ter. ‘The present law is very difficult to 
enforce as the lobsters are, in many cases, 
cut up as soon as caught. “The Gover- 
nor, after carefully considering the bill 
and with the belief that this kind of legis- 
lation is only the forerunner of better and 
more scientific legislation on this subject, 
signed the bill as stated above. ‘The sign- 
ing of this bill puts Massachusetts on the 
same basis as New York, Connecticut 
and Rhode Island. 
His Excellency on Thursday of last 
week returned to the Senate, without his 
approval, a bill which provided for an 
increase of $500 inthe salary of the clerk 
of the Superior Court(for civil business ) 
for Suffolk County. Previous to 1904 
the Legislature had been besieged by peti- 
tions from clerks of courts for increases 
in compensation received. In 1903 a 
recess committee was appointed to con- 
sider this subject and to establish some 
fixed compensation. “The committee 
went into the matter with great care and 
prepared an act which was adopted by 
the Legislature in 1904. “The compen- 
sation, by this act, was based on the 
population in different counties. “The 
bill which the Governor vetoed was in dir- 
ect contravention of the act of 1904. If this 
bill had become law, the clerk of the 
court would have received the same com- 
pensation as the justices. Under these 
circumstances the Governor deemed it 
his duty to return the bill without his ap- 
proval. 
The Public Opinion Bill, so called, is 
one of the most discussed pieces of legis- 
lation on Beacon Hill atthe present time. 
This bill provides that ona request, sign- 
ed by 1000 voters, asking for the sub- 
mission of any question for an expression 
of an opinion, the Secretary of the Com- 
monwealth shall transmit such request to 
the state ballot law commission and if 
this commission determines the question 
is one of public policy, the commission- 
ers shall draft the question in simple and 
adequate form, and if 5000 voters sign 
these forms the question shall be placed 
on the official ballot at the next state elec- 
tion. Resprestative Luce of Somerville 
is the sponsor of this bill. 
Office Stationer When you write a 
jy. business letter, 
write it on a neatly printed letter head; that 
is the kind we furnish. We can furnish you 
with printing paper, envelopes, etc., at low 
prices.—THE BREEZE OFFICE, 
Warning. 
The Board of Selectmen of Manchester here- 
by gives notice to the public that Section 7 of 
Chapter 208, Revised Laws of Mass., which 
reads as follows: ‘‘Whoever by wantonly or reck- 
lessly setting fire to any material causes injury 
to, or the destruction of any growing or stand- 
ing wood of another, shall be punished by a fine 
of not more than $100, or by imprisonment for 
not more than six months,’’ will be strictly en- 
forced by their agents, the Board of Forest 
Fire Wards. 
SELECTMEN OF MANCHESTER. 
SALEM EMPLOYMENT AGENCY. 
J, A. HOULAND, PROP: 
Thoroughly reliable and competent HELP 
of all kinds furnished at Short Notice. 
Our list includes chauffeurs, mechanics, 
coachmen, butlers, gardeners, tiremen, 
watchmen, foremen, cooks, chefs, maids, 
governesses, etc. 
Telephone 1165 Salem, or call at 
2464 Essex St., - SALEM 
SUMMER 
BOARD 
WANTED | 
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Each year hundreds of people all over the 
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If youintend to accommodate boarders the 
coming season, it will be to your advantage 
to send your name and address, together 
with a description of your place and the 
accommodations you offerto the BOSTON 
TRANSCRIPT COMPANY, 324 
Washington Street, Boston, Mass. 
