Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-02-22

| ,,o :, .I.r;, If courts ] know Of Il
| ,,,.t where the. clerks are appointed
| Nv the Judge. For several years 'nef"
was in that court an incompetent clerk.
! The Judge. out of the Kindness Oh ms
heart. from personal and not from 70
| liticaI motives, did not remove mat
clerk and the public service suffered
thereby. All the work was done by =
| subordinate in that Office. Ana that
| vouid be he result in ease we give the
renbCrs of I'll" supreme court the
same powers that the judge of that
court now holds. The members Of the
supreme court Of this State now stand
ON n plan. far above any personal or
rnliIicaT Influences: and it should be
| thn earnest wish of this Legislature To
Keep them there so that they may for
a,e, be a credit to themselves ANA an
honor to the state.
move YOU, Mr.. Speaker. that this
bin be indefinitely postponed. Cap
plHuscD
Mr. HOLMES of Caribou: Mr. Speak
or. | wish tn second the motion of the
gentleman from Portland, (Mr. EaXtcr)
that this measure be indefinitely post
poncd. Every member of this House
who is in favor IF keeping the supreme
court of Maine free from the suspicion
of politics. should vote for this motion
Of the gentleman from Portland. Maine
stands. today, second to no State in
the Union i'm the reputation for ability
Which the Judges of the supreme court
of our state have earned ana VIII NOR
it. The opinions of the court rs found
in our Maine REPORTS are models of
their kind. the law COnriStly stated
and fearIeSSly applied. This eminence
which the courts of this Stat" have at
| tanned is due in Il large measure to the
/ policy Of Maine in Keeping the Sll-
preme court free from political infu-
ences thereby allowing the judges the
| opportunity of disrosing of eases with
/ the elements of self-nterest entirely
eliminated. Our court stands for jus
tire first, last and all the time. fairly
ana impartiAlly administered. without
fear anG without favor; and the near
CT the court clngS to the execution of
this duty the better the results which
will he attained.
This measure which has crept along
thus far upon its passage without our
nCtirc is the first step tending toward
pluuCin% the supreme court upon Il
! course of judicial appointments. If the
clerks OF courts should be appointed by
the judiciary. with just as much rea-
son SHOULD the judges Of probate. the
! regiSt erS Of probate. the county att0r-
neyS ana the SheriffS, and carrying the
matter a step farther, the county treas
llrer should be appointed by the state
| treasurer ana the county commission
erS by the Governor, and the only OBJ
ject in holding county convention
" ould be to meet and adopt resolutions
in favor Of an imperial form of govern
n,ent and then adjourn. The only de-
fence | can see to this bill is that for a
short time during each year while
court is in session in county, the
clerk of courts acts as Il sort of an as
sistant to the Judge and if that clerk
was appointed by that particular judge
the two might he Il trifle more congo
nirl Cor the brief period that they are
thrown together. But who is the best
Judge of the fitness Of clerk for his
office? Under the present arrangement
4 judge of the supreme court holds one
term Of court in the county on an aver
ace of not oftener than once in two
wears In other words. for three or four
weeks out OF over a hundred weeks he
meets the clerk in court in the dis
charge of one function of that clerk $
duties. while for the whole time of one
hundred and four weeks of those two
Years the lawyers and citizens OF that
county are in constant touch with that
same clerk in the discharge of all his
official duties.
Now, YOU cannot find judge of the
supreme court who will find any fault
with the clerks in the various counties
whom the people in their wisdom have
elected on the other hand, the judS-
rnent of the people has i'll every i'll
stance received favorable comnenda-
ton at the hands of the supreme court.
While the people once in four years
BASS upon the qualifications of their
county officers, it would seem as II TINS
rIust tend as an incentive to the faith
full performance Of their duty, which
incentive would be entirely lost were
those officers holding office by virtue
of AN appointment. No. Mr.. Speaker.
let us keep the reputation of the SUI
rreme court unsullied by even q breath
of political scandal, and let us not
abridse the rights of the people III any
particular and deprive them OF the
right of electing their public servants
who are paid by the people for services
rendered to the people. (Applause)
The question being on the indefinite
postronement of the bill, the motion
was agreed to.
on motion of Mr.. Powers of Houl-
ton bill. An Act to separate Sherioan
lantaticn. so called from the town OK
Ashland in the county of Aroostook'
was taken from the table. and on fur-
Their motion by the same gentleman
the bill was referred to the committee
ON towns.
ON motion Of Mr.. Powers of Houl-
ton, bill, An Act. to empower the
The county of Aroostook to purchase
and acquire title to lands adapted 10
agricultural purposes in said county
was taken from the tn Die. and on fur-
Their motion by the same gentleman
the bill was referred to the ArooStook
County delegation.
On motion Of Mr.. Morrison of Eden,