Ellsworth American., 1880-04-15
Expensive Reform. 4"

Reform" as eNemplIfed by the Fusion
party of Name has proved very expensive
| indulgence. AT the time when the leaders
were making the loudesi ouicry about the
saving 10 the State which would result from
/ the rule of the Fusionisis they were actually
/ resorting to petty tricks and low devices, for
the purpose Of lining their pockets with the
public funds. such a. have never been
dreamed Of by Republican officials and
should never be tolerated by public senti-
ment. The Executive Council. was a con-
spicuous branch OF the government. in ihi.
respect and is very properly shown up by
the Bangor u bag as follows:
| The hrst session Of the Executive Council
begins on the day Of the Inauguration of the
State government, and continues ill the ad-
journment of the Legislature. The paw Of
each Councillor is $50 and mileage The
/ Legislature Of 1879 convened on the / - of
January and adjourned on the 5th Of March
| The Council. 10 secure double mileage. made
up their paw roll 10 February 2sth. and then
continued IN session till the sih of March
/ The three days after the 5ih thel called
new session and charged not only their ~
per day. but also mileage. though they had
not been away from the capital. This pro-
/ cess Of splitting up session which was really
continuous was continued throughout the
Councils term Of office. II worked 10 a
charm.
The records show that the Council was in
continuous session from the l. eth day Of No
yember TO the Sis, day of December. but
this period j. split up in the pay roll into
three sessions thus enabling the Councillors
TO draw mileage three times Between No
yember 22d and oath, the ter,ening day
/ being Sunday,l on both of which da,s the
! Council, according 10 their records, vas in
session, Councillor Parker seems 10 have
made trip to Aroostook. a. he is allowed
| SO in the pay roll for 31j miles OF travel
which must have been made on the 23d. as
he was in Augusta on the I'D and 2ith.
Councillor Parker received $50 for the
legislative session. slIi for - DAYS attend
ance on other sessions twhen the council
journal shows he Was present only ~ dAy., }
sS99 for trdrol s292 for visits. etc. and
sl3l for advertising 81 GIG. Very
good for "reforner." II also appears iha,
al the last session of the Council, ending
Dec. 81, he was not present a single day !;
Vet on the 9TH day Of January, 1850. he WAS
allowed $40 for his attendance a, that ses-
sion. He was also paid S23 for time and
expenses visiting State Liquor Agency, ..ps
2lst, 22d and %, the Council then oeing in
session, and he reoeirrng pay fSr attendance
on The same He also rece!Ted pay for time
and expenses on ''special committee on
what service no: staied-in Dec. '19-the
council beirs in session from Nov 28th. till
Dec. 81, inclusive
The other councillors dipped in in much
the same way, encep, that living near the
capital they could not come the mileage"
dodge 20 the extent that Parker did. Fogg
for example. received S6l.Oo for visiting
the Indians" at the time he made his elec-
tcn speeches at Calais; S2i.25. or $3.50
per day and board. for visiting the Normal
school al the time the council were in ses-
sion and when he was drawing his regular
- per day at Augusta; S63 for visiting the
liquor agency twice 1926 for visiting stat !
institutions; and Sls2 for canvassing re
turns and committee work from NOV lI,l
10 Dec. 3lst, notwithstanding the counci
were in session all the time ey zen, day,
during this period, and be was receiving hi
regular per diem as a council lor-,hus show
ing that part Of this Sl.;2 was paid hin
illegally and improperly. And no, satisfie,
with this. ex-Gov. Garcelon testifies that b,
paid the councillors sA5O more for ..extras,
out of the $4,000 which he disbursed from
his pocket treasury after he went out o
Office.