Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-27

. ASSphuS tucSc tWu oiucidtS was cONSlQ-
cred very different. These officials
: We're not singled out by us-they were
singled out for us, singled out by the
organic act which put them into office,
singled out by the bills which were
brought before our committee, singled GU,
because the eyes of the people of the Statt
have been upon those two high officials
alone. And whenever the question was
agitated over the fees of the county Off
Gals, which we admit are far beyond what
should he received-and which deserve
your attention now or at some other TIME
but whenever an effort has been made te
reach those county officials there have
been many people disapproye entirely OF
right to reach out after them, but we will
not move until you reach out after more
conspicuous offenders" and use the term
/ in no offensive sense-that these two
State officials named in these bills have
| been left in Office and have kept emolu-
ments which have increased far beyond
! their expectations or the expectations OF
anybody. The fact that they have been
| left there has been used and will De used
| as an. argument against doing anything
else in any direction
What were the facts as demonstrated
| before the committee? The bill under dis
\ cussicn, as | understand, is the bill regu-
| lating the salary of the attorney general;
| but the principle involved in both these
/
| discussion to the office of the attorney
general; What are the facts established
there? The gentleman near me, my friend
from Waterville (Mr. Davis. mad the in
| formation long before / did, owing to his
greater astuteness and alertness in those
matters. | have them now, and since 1t
has kept his several months buttoned up
in his coat and has not used them. ]
would like to inform this House what
| these figures are, and hope Mr.. Speaker
that, I will not by doing SO deprive the
| oar m nj q I1rSft mil, l,f
take two years from now in using them
with greater effectiveness elsewhere.
| QLaughter).
| The corporations organized in 1860. OF
which the attorney general gets what is
called an initial fee of IS, numbered $50
giving the attorney general who occupied
that office at that time-and | do not re-
| member now whether the present incun-
| bent or his predecessor-Giving him $3.50
In addition to that in 1900 there We're 2OU
excuses filed, excuses of corporations who
| had failed to give their returns, at Tie
rate of s. an excuse, making $1,000. These
sums added together make $780, which
added to the salary of $1,000 gave him $515O
| fer the salary and emoluments of the at
torney general in the year 1900 In 1901
there We're 400 excuses filed, making $1,000;
the number of corporations was $3.50, giving
! him $4345, and these sums together with
| the salary of $1,000 makes a total of $7345
as salary and emoluments OF the attorney
general for the year 1901. These are the
lowest figures, gentlemen, and when l give
you these figures they are presumably the
| under figures; not that anything was kept
| back but that something might have
been valuable that was not asked for In
1902 the number of corporations organized
was 1867, the initial fees of which amount
ed to $685.; the excuses filed numbered 224
equal to $1120. and these two amounts to-
gether with the regular salary make an
amount of $3.50 as salary for last year
And $3.50 is added for expenses of the at
torney general, as you will see in the last
report of the attorney general. making
he q y1tn of SSu00 bn co L., nj
uments of the attorney general of the
State of Maine for the year 1902.
We are of course interested as to the
future. We can judge perhaps to what
we are coming by getting at the estimate
for next year by the ratio of the increase
i'll the number of corporation formed in
this State. In 1900 the number of cOrpor
ations formed in this State with a capital
OF $325,000 or less were sos; in 1901 the num-
Der was 660, an increase of "a per cent. H.
1902 the number was $40. and the total
capitalization of these corporations in 1909
was something over SIG, 900, 900, and in 1901
it was something over $685. 900, and in
1907 it was $513. $50, 140
by substituting this minority report in
place of the majority report the lowest
estimate of the salary of the attorney gen
eral together with the emolunents will be
$1120 for excuses and $S505 as initial fees
with the salary of $1,000, making a total OF
$lO625.
On those figures it was argued by the
minority members of the committee
whether the principle of putting these two
great offices on salary basis was not
lust one. It was admitted that it was,
just one. The only question seemed to be
the question of devising a salary which
would be sufficient and which would be
generous enough, and to fix a date which
And in the spirit of compromise and in 8
fair spirit towards all parties, placed the
time as 1904 when this rule would go into
opera ton. The only objection offered by
the rpDOrt of the attorney general
that 1905 would be a fairer year to have
this law go into operation.
Gentlemen, the attorney general in this
State began with salary of $500, and since
that time the salary has gradually in
creased.
Do you think, gentlemen of the House,
that you will not be able to get the legal
ability required for this office at a salary
four times that for which these men were
willing to serve? Do you think that you
cannot get that talent for the salary for
which the judges of our supreme court
have been serving until we recently raised
their salary? Do you think that the tims
to the business of the State cannot receive
ample compensation in a salary of $4,000
q year? DO you fear that you will have
difficulty in getting gentlemen to fill this
occupying these positions will resign ii
you act upon this bill according to the
recommendations of the minority of this
committee? l think not. | see right here
on the floor before me two gentlemen, can
didates for this Office of attorney general,
and who would fill it creditably, and since
the agitation of this subject | have not
heard of either of them contemplating
withdrawal from the fight. 1t may be
said that it is unfair. Everything will be
said this afternoon that can be said on
the other side. Mr.. Speaker. because this
ma tier has been thoroughly canvassed in
the committee, and fear that it has also
been canvassed outside of the committee
| You will have all the possible objections
urged against the adoption of this report
1t will be said that it is not fair to take
| two mon elected or appointed for a term
of years and cut down their salaries or
emolumentS before that term has expired
| That is an argument that has been adj
dressed individually to the members of our
committee; it has been the argument ao
dressed by none less than the attorney
general himself.
They will tell you finally that you have
appointed commission to settle all these
matters, and that by the appointment of
| that commission you took it out of your
own hands to reach these high officials
They will say that the contemplation of
| that resolution providing for the appoint
ment of that commission was that all the
offices shonld be surveyed and that action
should be taken on all simultaneously, Il
taken at all
Gentlemen. the people of the State of
Maine are just-they are thoroughly just
ard fair, they are generous and desire to
be generous in the matter of salaries gen
eroIls even beyond their means. They
| WOULD ccorp In take from any man labor