The Portland daily press., 1888-05-12
THE STATE TREASURY AND THE
covERNoRsHIP.
The Kennebec journal "confesses
and Avoids"

To the Editor of the Press:
In last Tuesday sPREss / Iventured to ask II
it is quite the thing for the dominant party to
nominate the State Treasurer for Governor,
and pointed out some Of the more serious OBJ
jections to such departure from the imme-
mortal usage of the State. On the very next
morning. the Kennebec Journal, a newspa-
per owned and edited, believe, although l
do not find the usual notice Of the fact in the
paper by the Treasurer's son, in an editorial
hastens to re-assure 'the people of Maine
by an authoritative promise. that the State
Treasurer, will, If elected Governor this
fall, proceed to resign the treasuryship. Ed
itor Burleigh having thus promptly given the
highest possible public recognition Of the
soundess Of my position by Fastening to re-
cord this pledge of his father. Treasurer Bur
leigh, it is to be regretted that he has been
pleased to weaken the force of what might
otherwise have appeared magnanimous
promise, by attempting to belittle both my
article and his father'ss pledge by sneer-
ing unnecessarily about professional arts
and graces of special pleading" and "hair-
splitting" Both my article and his fathers
square declaration" as he is pleased to call
it, purport to be sincere and candid express
ions Of our respective views, and are likely
to be so regarded by ourreaders, unless need
less suspicion is thrown upon them all by
such uncalled for insinuations.
"a word to the wise is sufficient" and it is
believed that little reflection and certainly
a very little good advice from his friends will
convince Editor Bnrleigh that after the
confession and avoidance involved in the
publication Of Treasurer Burleigh's "sdoare
declaration" Of his intention to withdraw
from the Treasury ''in case of his nomina-
ton and election in ample time before the
first Wednesday in January to allow Gov
ernor Marble and his Council to appoint a
Commissioner of the Treasury" it is waste
of time to discuss or question the cogeney Of
the arguments which had the honor to pre-
sent in the communication which has already
proved its efficacy by bringing to light the
Treasurer's promise now before ''the people
Of Maine"
My communication, therefore, has by
Treasurer Burleigh's own admission, passed
beyond the stage of discussion and controyer-
sy the question now is upon the new issue
presented by the Treasurer, viz: Will the
promised resignation of the Treasuryship by
Goyernor-elect Burleigh cure the confessed
difficulties and embarrassments Of the sup
posed complication?
confess that it strikes me otherwise for
the:following reasons:
1. 1t introduces a needless and trouble
some confusion into the practical admins
tration Of the most important department Of
our State government at an inopportune
tlme The election will be held September
10, and presumably Governor Elect Bur-
leigh will redeem his pledge by vacating the
treasury at the end of the quarter, viz: at
the close of that month. This act will throw
upon the retiring governor an unenyiable
task; the selection of a suitable and compe-
tent commissioner to take up and bear Tor
three months the burden thrown of by the
gevernor-elect. II must be remembered that
the commissioner, coming in Tor this tran
sient period with a compensation limited to
$500, an Insignificant appointment without
dignity or profit, must give bond In a