Ellsworth American., 1905-01-11

have multiplied with profit and with
safety, capital and labor have thrived
together, and the wage-earner has not
lacked opportunity to work or incen-
tive to save.
The people of Maine have been al
ways humane, public-spirited and gen.
erous. They early looked with pity
ing eye upon the helpless and unfor'
tunate, and as early inaugurated meth
ods for their support and relief. They
saw that education was the founda-
tion-stone of all progress and civiliza-
tion. and began the upbuilding of a
common school system whose natural
sequence was the Normal School, the
Library and the University. They
knew that society required protection
against the depredations of the Grim
inal and evil-minded, and they built
prisons and iails But these were not
torture chambers, and better still, the
wayward youth of both sexes were
placed under restraint-wholesom
and implying no disgrace--that should
incline their lives toward industry and
sobriety. They realized that an in
famed public opinion might at some
time threaten law and order, and they
established militia service that
should make not only for the peace Of
the community, but that should aid
the National Government when the
country was called to arms. They
sought to protect and husband the
natural resources of the State; to
preserve its fish and game, to make
public the most intelligent and eff
Client methods of forestry, to collect
statistics relating to the progress of
Industrial development and labor to
check epidemics and to suggest ways
of safeguarding the public health, to
encourage and foster the pursuit of
agriculture and kindred subjects, and
to prevent contagion among cattle.
With the increase of wealth and the
profitable expansion of business came
the agitation and discussion of new
questions affecting the economic well
fare of the State. A commercial de-
velopment was taking place that re-
quired far more capital than could be
furnished by individual resources. and
one that to successfully accomplish its
purpose must ask and receive certain
privileges that only the State can
give. Corporations multiplied. and
special and practically exclusive
rights were granted by the Legisla-
ture. To encourage this development
along lines of safety, to protect the
investor and not infringe upon the
rights of the citizen, to aid the corpo-
ration and at the same time guard
the physical and financial interests of
the public, and all the while to secure
for the State in taxes a fair and
arnftahia f.nps oil
were vexatious problems requiring
for their satisfactory solution the ut
most care and ability and the keenest
sense of justice. Such corporations in
particular as railroads. savings banks.
trust and insurance companies deal
with the public generally and in order
that their proper relation to the
State might be defined and fully I'M
derstood, comprehensive system of
laws was adopted that should specify
accurately the terms and conditions
upon which they might enjoy certain
rights and privileges.
While the State gradually assumed
and exercised the functions here
enumerated and many more. and die
this in conformity to law, yet the pas
sage of laws alone could not insure
the transaction of this public business
in a prompt and satisfactory manner.
Executives and responsible heads were
necessary. and so, cotemporaneous In
many instances with the laws them
selves. and receiving authority under
them, there came into existence the
various oficials, Boards and Commis-
sions. whose duties, clearly defined and
mandatory, consisted In managing
these subordinate departments of the
States business and concerns. Inas-
much as every citizen has the right to
know the business Of the State. and 1t
is assumed that he desires such knowl-
edge. one OF the most important essen
tials In conducting the Affairs Of these
several departments is the element of
publicity. II is the duty. therefore, of
each ofhcial or oficiai body charged
with administration. to make and sub
NIT to higher legislative or executive
authority, at stated and frequent peri
ods, a full and complete report of all
the business transacted during the in
terval of such periods. And with this
there has grown, properly enough, the
custom Of embodying In these reports
such recommendations bearing upon
the future conduct and management OF
the business as in the judgment of
those familiar with 1t may appear to
be for the best interests of the State
and for all concerned. l believe that
the officials to whom reference is here
made have administered the affairs of
their several departments with wis
dom, economy and honesty, and that
they possess due sense of their re-
sponsibility to you and the public they
serve.
Without pretending to have acquired
full and comprehensive knowledge
of the States many and diverse inter
ests, | have examined and studied the
reports in question, and with the heads
of nearly all the Departments have dis
eussed in conference or correspondence
the purposes and leading features of
their work. AS rule they have dis
played great care and conservatism in
following the law. and tact and discre-
tion in those instances where the law
permitted the use of their own judg-
ment
The public acts of an official are
1nlx .t.s A. ~