Daily Kennebec journal., 1874-09-04
OFFICE HOLDERS At THE GRAN
IIE QUARRIES.

The Maine Standard follows the Argus
in taking Fernando Wood as authority for
large increase in the number of office
holders, and contributes the following or
iginal paragraph:
"This increase in the number of office hold
ers is still going on. The kennebec Journal
of August 25th contains the following: 'Mr.
Henry Chase, formerly of this city, has re.
ceived an appointment as clerk in the granite
cutting business at Clark's Island The next
dav it contained the following: 'Dr. VIM.
McDavid has received an Appointment as time
keeper at Dix Island. These granite quar-
ries along the coast are political hospitals to
which appointments are made whenever and
wherever the interests of political ring mas
ters require and the people are taxed to foot
the bills. A part of the cost paid for every
mouthful of food and every rag of clothing
purchased by the laboring classes is tax to
support this useleas army of ofiiceholders.'
The following article in the Rockland
Free Press Of Wednesday shows just what
the number of officers at the granite quar-.
ries is, and just how many OF them owe
their appointment to Mr.. Blaine, whom
tIC otduutt " utS represented LuS cAcIISC-
ing control over all these offices,
! We observe that the Maine Standard Is at.
tempting to cast reprOach upon Hon. James
G. Blaine on account of the appointments OF
Government officers on the granite quarries in
this vicinity but it is evident that journal has
no actual knowledge of the facts in the case.
We are reliably informed that of the various
officers on the quarries two only owe their ap.
pointments to Mr.. Blaine-a very nodes
number, it seems to US, for a man of Mr..
| Blaine's position. But the Standard not only
| filings at Mr.. Blaine it also intimates that q
very large and unnecessary number of officers
are employed in behalf of the Government in
those positions; it is however undoubtedly as
ignorant Of the actual number of these and
their duties as it is relative to the sources
from which they receive their appointments
The truth is, any man can be satisfied upon
inquiring into the facts, the number of officers
employed by the Government for supervision
and clerical labor at the Quarries is less, ow-
ing to the perfect system employed, than
would be required by private individuals con.
Quoting similar works. At Hurricane Island
the Government officers consists of q Super
intendent, Storekeeper, Timekeeper and
Clerk, and the Government workmen are up.
wards of seven hundred. Will the Standard
point out private works of the same impor-
tance conducted by less number Of officials
1t will trouble it to do so. At the Vinal Ha.
ven qurries are between four and five hun.
dred workmen and the same number of offici.
ais who paid by Governments; at Dix Island
about the same number of workmen and one
additional official, appointed. no doubt in an
ticipation of an increase of the working force
The duties of these officers are responsible
and though there are a few days in each
month when they are not required to work
very hard, there are other portions in which
they are often compelled to work far hey ond
the common hours of labor. If the Standard
will take the pains to send its editor to Hur-
| ricane, Vinal Haven or Dix Island, and ex
anime into the employment of the Govern.
ment officials abont whom it makes such q
touse, he will learn how groundless and un.
just are his complaints. But justice and fair.
ness we fear, are foreign to the object of the
Standard, and therefore the public should give
little credit to its fault finding.