The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1901-01-14
And Suggests That He
Has Plenty of Proof.
A Matter Which Call For Tho
rough Investigation.

ACtttE III AcDAI W ONOAOeHAJ ~ UoAAoA AAAe
Keen's answer to his recent letter in the
Maine Farmer:
To the Editor Of the Press;
A copy OF the Daily PRESS of January
10 has been handed to me containing
what Secretary McKeen has to say in re-
gard 10 an articls of mine In the Maine
Farmer OF this week calling the attention
Of the Board of Agriculture to the neces-
sity that 1t Look more carefully after
its business obligations. The Importance
of this matter in its relations to the work
which the Board is commissioned and In
Its connection with tine agriculture of the
state Is such that 1 ask for space In your
columns to reply TO some OF MIR. McKeen's
statements.
That goodly measure OF the money
appropriated expressly fer institute work
has been unlawfully and improperly ex-
pended no candid man oan deny. In.
deed, Secretary McKeen himself admits
this in his reply, and excuses 1t by
saying that st went into the equipment
of the office, or along some otner line
that was q direct help" etc. just what
proprlety there is in using money appro-
priated expressly in aid of farmers insti-
tutes SO remote from the purposes ex-
pressed In the law, he does not attempt
TO show.
Secretary McKesn says that my state
ments In regard TO the use Of money for
singers sis misleading" They are
''misleadiDg' to the extent that 1 did not
give all the money expended in this man
ner This Items / gave were taken from
his report of expenditures made to the
legislature two years ago, and II incor.
rect as far as they 60 he is responsible.
In regard to MIR. Gowell's services at
the State and N. E. fairs, my point Is
not that he received too much or too
little. Mr. Gowsll was acting as expert
judge In the awarding of prizes offered
by the societies on the performance of
COWS at the fairs. He made up his re-
ports and signed them as judge and
copies were handed to me for publication
In the Maine Farmer, where thsy are
now to be found. There can be no more
reason why money appropriated for farm
ers' institutes should have been paid to
MIR. Gowell for that service than there
was why he should have been paid, as
the same record shows Expenses in at
tendance ON meeting for organization of
dairymen's association" at Winthrop,
where the attendance was entirely vol
untary; and certainly no more reason for
using institute money for that service
than there wouli have been In paying
the other expert stock judges at those
fairs from the same funds. Mr.. McKesn
claims 1t is all right for the reason he
was paid only ''actusl expenses
In regard to my reference to money
paid MIR. Moody for attendance on farm
ers' national congress, Mr.. Mckeen con-
firms what 1 stated and excuses Il by
claiming lit was less than hair his ex-
penses." In this connection would cay
fused to appropriate money to pay ex.
penses OF representatives to the national
farmers congress, and never yet has re-
coded from that position. line board,
however, does not hesitate to slap the leg
islature in the face, and do indirectly
what the legislature has repeatedly d.
reotly refused, and Secretary McKcen
endorsed It.
In regard to my statement that bills
had been charged up to the state that
never hal besn incurred, Mr.. MoKeen
knows the proof is in my possession, so
he admits it,and like whipped boy says
he will not 10 1t again.
Mr MaKaa, frsulv cavz that tho rnounv
OF the Pathological Society(s10o0l, is N ow
paid directly to the treasurer of that soci-
ETY.; but he fails to say that the way this
came about was that after their expert
ence with him the officers OF the Pomo-
logical Society went to the state officials
with a statement of how they had Jared
at his hands, and requested that the
warrant for the money due be drawn In
favor of the treasurer OF the society, and
IL has since been so done. MIR. McKeen
admits the money was held for time,
but does not attempt to give reason for
SO doing. He does not say what are the
facts in the case, that the money (sl000),
was all paid him at one time, early In
May; that he rarcelied out two payments
on 1t, amounting to $500, In the early
part Of the summer; that In June he
put OF this pressing request of the society's
treasurer with the pretense that she
would get the balance through the conn
oil at it's next session - then later his
excuse that "a storm prevented his reach
ing Augusta" then for time that sit
WAS overlooked" and finally that he was
forced to pay the last In September on
the ave Of the whole mattsr being made
public.
In the matter of the non-payment of
dairy premiums, Mr.. McKeen denieG all
knowledge that there Is anything Of the
kind. How is 1t that he can draw the