Daily Kennebec journal., 1906-08-17
Mr.. Davis on Mncreased" Salaries.

Mr.. DAVIS on Increased" Salaries.
| one of the features of the speech
which Candidate Davis is delivering
throughout the State in his campaign
for the gOvernOrshp is his state
ment that the salaries of the
State officials have increased
$4,000 in the ten years from
| 1883 to 1905. 1t is mentioned as an alb
solute fact, without any qualification
or explanation. and is intended doubt
less to convince his hearers of the out
| rageous extravaganza which has pre-
| vailed under the Republican adminis-
| tfatlon of State affairs. 1t sounds i'm
pressve and while, for various reason;
| which We shall point out, Mr.. Davis
statement he says enough to give the
| impression that there is a lot Of graft
hidden away somewhere and a lot of
| treasury -sacking INDUCED in which the
Democrats would promptly put an end
| 10 If they were placed in power.
Let us see what process Mr.. Davis
went through in getting that total of
$4,000 which he says represents the in
crease in the State salaries in the past
10 years. To begin with, the State
now pays the court stenographers di-
rectly from its treasury, while they
were paid by the counties 10 years ago.
This has added $1O,5OO to the salary
roll of the State, but of course it is on
~ so much of a burden taken off the
counties. The increase i'm this instance
is only apparent, but of course Mr.. Da-
Wis couldn't be expected to stop and
explain that. Then the salaries of the
increased within the past 10 years, this
Increase adding $4,000 yearly to the
salary roll of the State. But Mr.. Davis
was member of the salary committee
in the Legislature of 1901 when the sal
aries were raised $500 each, and in the
House in 1903 when the second raise
was made, and neither in the commit
tee nor in the House did he object to
the increase. On the contrary he sign
an increase which everybody admits
was just and deserved. This takes
care Of $4,000 more of that SCI coo in
crease, but of course Mr. Davis could
mt be expected to explain that he fav
ored this and helped bring it about
These two items take care of over
There is $5,400 more which has been
added to the salary list within the past
10 years as a result of the erection of
The Eastern Maine Insane Asylur,
Did Mr.. Davis object to the creation OF
that institution, or would he abolish it
today The State has called for sew
eral new offices during the past dec
ode; assistant attOrney-general, and
commissioner of highways. Would Mr.
Davis d bolish these Offices and the sal
airy which is paid their incumbents? /?
Then very large part of this in
crease" of SOL 900 in the past 10 wears
is only a matter of bookkeeping. and
really is not an added expense at all. 1t
has come about in the abolishment of
the fee system and the placing of vari-
Gus State officials upon a salary, while
the fees are turned into the treasury.
This whole talk of an increase of
S61, 900 in the State salary list in the
past 10 years is a tissue of deception
on the part of Candidate Davis, a sam
pie of the half-truthS which he serve,
up to the people and which he fools
himself into believing are winning him
votes. If he were Governor of Maine
there is not one State Office which he
would abolish, or one state salary
which he would reduce. What do the
people of Maine think of a candidate
who makes such statements as he
makes, and who has no detailed plan
or remedy to offer or even suggest, in
case he really. believes his own allega-
tions?
h. Ia hot II