Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-03-16

ehNi VIII htNc u UC CoHSluGIcu III d
much broader way than it can be con-
sidered at this time, and the majority
of the committee thought that it would
not be wise and just to these State Off
Gals nor for the benefit of the State to
pass the bill as it was originally pre-
scented, to cover that short period of a
year only, but that it would be better
for matters to go on, SO far as those
features were concerned, as they have
been going. until such time as the
State auditors office should be in
operation. So far as these railroad
passes are concerned. all the testimony
before the committee was to the effect
that the persons holding these passes
had held them before they came into
Office. that they We're their personal
property. that they were in a manner
compensation for some services which
they had rendered personally to the
corporations that gave the passes. that
they were not given them on account
of their official position and had no re-
lation to their official position. but that
they used them as their private prop
erty and if they were required to give
the State the benefit of them. that they
SHOULD give tlit IdSStS ul' anu siNN tHN
benefit to the railroads and in the fu-
ture charge the State the actual fares
paid out. so that any action in the
line suggested by the gentleman from
Cumberland would not benefit the
State during that year or more
single dollar: consequently a majority
of the committee decided that 1t would
be wiser and better to let the thing go
and not open up that question until
after state auditor has been provid
ed for in this state.
SO far as am concerned personally.
if were a State official. | would either
give up the pass and charge the State
as I would have a right to charge it
under the law. for the actual money
paid out, or if | kept the pass. would
give the State the benefit OF it, but J
believe that is matter which should
be left to the conscience of the State
official. | believe it will be better for
the State and for everybody concerned
to leave that matter so that the State
officials can make their returns as they
think right and best, and | think the
State will fare better under that rul5
and policy than ii will to force them
into a position where they Will give W
their passes and charge the State every
dollar which they pay out. That is the
practical question which was submit
ted to the committee. and that is our
reason for the action which we have
taken.
e. ! will say further that SO far as am
concerned personally, I hope to live to
see the day when the issuing of all
passes will be prohibited to State Off
Gals and persons connected with the
government. whether with the Legisla-
ture or any branch of the government:
but that is not the question to be de-
termined now. That question is too
broad to be taken into this measure,
consequently the committee have made
the report which they have. Why
have they made this report? Why did
mite postponement of the whole mat
ter? l think I am justified in saying
that some of the committee preferred
to pursue that course. The reason
was that there seems to be no regular
settled method of making out these
| statements or accounts and auditing
these bills. My friend. the senator
| from Cumberland. has read some of
in which they are made out, and it
seemed to the committee after the tes-
| timony came before them, that we
| ought to embody some of the features
of this bill of the gentleman from
| Cumberland at the present time. so
| that during the next two years before
the Legislature is held which will pre-
| scribe the duties and powers of the
| l.. -
be done in a regular, businesslike, uni
form manner: consequently we report
! ed in favor of requiring itemized state
ments of accounts on the part of these
officials and the certificate from them
that this money was expended on Off
cial business and not on private bust
ness. The bill reported by the majority
of the committee only goes to that ex-
| tent and it is for the Senate to deter
mine which policy it is better to pur-
| sue at this time. We have had no seri-
| Gus differences or friction in the COM
mittee, but simply a difference of judg
ment in regard to this one feature of
/ the matter, and so far as | am con-
rerned. representing as / do. the ma
! jority of the committee, I shall have nc
possible feeling on the matter whether
you accent the majority report or sub
| stitute the amendment of the senator
/ from Cumberland.
| Mir. Vickery of Kennebec, spoke in
favor of the majority report.
Mr.. Weeks of Somerset. speaking in
| behalf of the majority report, said that
| the bills filed with the auditing COM
i mite of the Governor and Council
| were in a condensed form, and every
| State official had a full. complete and
| itemized statement of all the expenses
which he had incurred upon State
| business. which were accessible. al
though they We're not filed with the
! accounts.
The question being on the adoption
| of amendment A,
The amendment was rejected.
| The bill was then read the second
| time and passed to be engrossed I'M
| der suspension of rules.
Mr.. Stearns, for the committee on jul
! dietary. reported ought not to pass, bill
| an act to amend section 2. of chapter
4 .a6N'S