Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1888-01-24
Our Public Building.

| for its absolute disregard of its pledges in
favor of Civil Service Reform, did not for
get to refer to the conduct of the administra-
| ton in relation to our public building in this
city. After speaking OF the corrupt means
/ that would be used TO carry the election this
I year, Mr.. Hale said:
/ have, Mr.. President, already seen this
| illustrated in nv own State. In the post
office building which IS now being built at
Augusta, the capital of Maine. when the
foundations had been laid in readiness for
I the structure TO be imposed. a. in all other
like cases for years past, proposals were
made for the furnishing of material and the
erection of the building upon due schedule
and invitation from the Department having
charge of the work Bids were made by
several well-known and responsible con-
tractors. and when it was discovered that the
lowest bid was from firm engaged in the
granite business. at whose head was proml-
nent Republican, the Democrats of Augusta
petitioned the Department to reject all bids
and to allow the work TO be done by the
Government. which, through lis agent,
should employ aud pay the men; and for
the first time in the whole course of the
bushes, of erecting public buildings for
l.
to ami this course adopted hy the Depart
ment.
: II is not great matter, sir; but venture
TO say that the laboring man of Augusta who
will not vote the Democratic ticket this year
will have a. little chance for employment
upon the public building there as he would
if he were an inmate of the States prison.
!, Mr. Hale did not state all the facts in con
/, nection with this public building and while
the matter is fresh in the minds of our
citizens we desire TO again call their attention
TO this matter Mr. Thomas Lambard, one
of our oldest and most respected citizens, a
lifelong Democrat. who never contributed
by his means or his vote or his voice TO the
success of the Republican party, was az
pointed superintendent of this public build
ing by the late Mr.. Manning, Secretary OF
the Treasury. twas an appointment eminent
" fit to be male which gave general
satisfaction to all good citizens. We have
no sympathy with Mr.. Lambard's political
views, bnt we are not SO blinded by partisan
ship but that we frankly admit that this was
a wise appointment; nay, more, we think we
do no disparagement TO any man, when we
say that we doubt, taking all things into con
sderatiOn, if so good an appointment could
have been made, had any other citizen OF
Augusta been selected. Mr.. Lambard dis
charged his duties faithfully and without feal
or favor. He was Inherently removed from
the Office. Why: 1t was alleged at Wash
r ington that il was in the interest of economy
} This was hollow and false pretense. Every
citizen who knows Mr.. Lambard knows tina
, il was not for the love of gain or the emou
ments of office that he accepted this position
He is IA philosophical man; he took pride
as he always has, in the development anc
{ progress of Augusta. and possessing grca
r taste, he desired to see building reared her,
D which should be monument credltable alike
= to the city and to the government. We hav,
no doubt that Mr.. Lambard, if this govern
- ment had been poor and this administra
ton so deeply interested in economy that i
felt it was not able to pay for the services o.
/ superiutend, would have gladly per
A formed the work without charge and withou
pay.
He was removed because he was not
bitter and dirty partisan; he was removed
; at the instance and at the instigation of Col
Morton, Capt. Black, and little coterie o.
Democrats who could not use him for thei
own base partisan purposes, aud prominen
Democrats in this city, like Col. Milikcn
Mr.. Fowler, Mr.. Holway, Mr.. Chase ant
others, if they did not aid and abet in Thu
removal, stood quietly by, permitting it to b,
done and chucklcd when it was accomplished
! How has this Democratic administration
treated Mr.. Lambard in the matter? DcnieC
a hearing; is letters unanswered, it frs
permitted it to be asserted in despatch from
+ Washington, which appeared in the columns
of the Boston Globe, that Mr.. Lamhard wa
removed because he had purchased lumbe
for this building from firm in which he wa
an interested party. When this mean an'
miserable pretenSe was shown to be silly
stupid and without fourdation. what charg.
did they resort to to sustain their action? Why
/ that Mr. Iamhard was not a sound Democrat
that he was on terms of personal and social re
latons with some of our prominent republican,
and that therefore Mr. Lamhards nrmocrac,
was questional le. Did ever weakness o
stupidity 60 further than this DO these gen
tlcmen who make this charge fully realize
what SANDER they are putting upon their owl
administration |, it SO partisan that n,
Democrat can he appointed, can hold office
if he Sustars any personal or social relation!
with Republican: II they are willing t,
take this position, certaul, the Republicans
of Augusta can afford to let them take it.
Mr.. I.ambard was removed ny Democrat
ic administration. after having been appointed
to this office by the same Democratic admin
stration which removed him. 1t cannot es
cape the responsibility that he was removed
not because he had social and personal rela
tons with Republican for much as we dis
like this administration. we do not believe il
to be guilty of such a contemplate course as
this but because he would not do the dirty
work of the men who were determined To use
this public building tor base partisan purposes.
These gentlemen seem to forget that the ap-
preparation for this public hujIing passed a
Republican Senate, was signed by a Repub-
lican President; that the appropriation was
secured by the efforts of Republicans that
the building was to be erected in city large
ly Republican that common sense would have
dictated that it should have been erected aud
constructed upon business principles partic-
ularly when the administration came into
power upon profession of 10 devotion to
civil service reform. We doubt if, in the
whole history of political partisanship. from
the formation of the government to this hour
although, as Mr.. Hale says, it is not a great
natter there has ever been displayed such
offensive, base and indecent partisanship as
has been displayed by the administration in
its management of the construction of this