Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-03-25

it is wise that this thing should not be al
lowed to happen. You may say, Of coulse
that in many towns you know your man
and you get the right man and it won't
happen, but of course as matter OF prac-
tice no man is put into such a position in
the first place when it is supposed there
will be any trouble. 1t is only after years
of carelessness perhaps, that trouble de
Velops and then it is too late to remedy it.
The time to stop it is before it commences.
| Another thing. The town treasurer, upon
the failure of the collector, is authorized
to issue his warrant to the sheriff OF the
county, commanding the sheriff to collect
that money of the town collector, or, i'll
case he fails to find the property or get
the money on demand, to arrest the town
collector on that warrant That is to say,
Mr.. "A is both collector and treasurer.
AS collector he gets into trouble. As
treasurer he commands the sheriff to ar
rest him as collector and put him in Jail.
That is an inconsistency II ought not to
be allowed in our law. And as a matter
of public welfare it seems to me that the
law should stand as it is and that this
proposed act should not have a passage.
Mr.. DAVIS of WaterVille: Mr..
Speaker, believe that the most of Us
have not yet to learn that you can by
legislative act make a man honest.
Whether in individual or official capa-
cities, and | think the only reply that
needs to be made to that phase of the
question, and very briefly, is this. To
provide against dishonesty of officials.
where two officials may be one and the
bned in one, it is only proper and right
that a town or a city see to it that an
official in his single or dual capacity is
properly bonded to the faithful dis
charge of his duty, for that is what the
city or town is interested in. And, MIR.
Speaker, l think it is no argument to
offer to this House that because q
measure has been proposed and has be-
come a law, that therefore it should not
be repealed l believe that when we know
that IL piece of legislation works a hard
ship, is detrimental to the interests of
cities and towns in our State, we should
frankly place our diSapproV3l upon that
act and repeal it. And | submit that the
only proof | need to offer this morning
that this law is not law that we want,
| is the fact that the cities and towns are
coming here and are asking for an enab-
| ling act to enable them to avoid the very
prov lSlpllS Ol tllS law AuSuSltt tLllilc ~
| you only n few days ago asking for this
| very thing. And. Mr.. Speaker / submit
| that we should hesitate before we fasten
| this law upon the cities and towns OF this
| State when by so doing, in divorcing those
| two Offices the one from the other you
work hardship. you work an added eX-
| pense to the State which you nave no
| right to impose upon those cities and
| towns.
| Now, my argument is simply a matter
of economy. l submit that no other ar
| sument need to be considered here, Tor
| the objections that have been raised can
| all be met in natural and proper way
| The argument of economy we are bound
| to consider. The treasurer and collector
| their duties. the two Offices work well
| together, they have for many years and
| can for years to come. The collector IN
| his capacity as such can so about his
| duties as collector. turn in his funds COL
| lectcd and can do much other OF the town
business in the capacity of collector and
| treasurer And, Mr.. Speaker, in view Of
the fact that you can sufficiently bond
| these officials to protect your treaSurers,
| in view Of the fact that it. is your duty
| to compel Your auditors or your select
see that they are doing their duty, and
in view of the economy that IS IN the
question. l believe we shall do right in
annulling this wrong law which has been
Mr.. CAKES of Auburn: 1 merely wish
| to suggest. in view of any possible d4:f'-
| Guilty which may occur in the present
year on account of the passage OF this
act. and the possible lack OF information
| on the part of towns In regard to 1t, tina;
an act has just BEEN passed to be en-
crossed by beth branches of the Legis-
| latpre making valid the acts OF any
| towns which have elected officers with.
out understanding this act. So there viii
be practically no difficulty during the
coming year on account of 1t.
Mr.. THOMAS of Topsham: Mr. Speak
err, one idea came to me when this matter
came up. Under the new law it seems tc
have been taken care of. The gentleman
| from Watervlle has not toucned upon
| it. Surprising q case of man who Is
elected as collector and treasurer in a
f! town. and he furnishes as bondsmen
three men as bondsmen as collector, and
a case where the man fails to account
! for the money in his hands suit is to be
brought, and the great difficulty Is TO md
out whom to hold. Can you sue MN ano