Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-13
STATE HOUSE.
Gov. Cobb Dismisses En-
forcement Deputies.
New Sheritts to Be Given Free
Hand After January |.
Railroad Hearings at Portland To-
day...The Corporations.
STATE HOUSE CALENDAR.
Next Meeting Of Governor and Council.
Thursday, Dec. 10, at 10 A. N.

The following letter issued from the
office of the Enforcement Commission
crs confirms rumors which have been
rife during the past few months to the
fleet that The new shcriffS to take Of
flee Jan. l in the several counties, will
lie given an opportunity to enforce the
law without the aid of the enforcement
deputies. The announcement which is
IN the form of letter from Gov. Cobb
to the Commissioners, follows:
STATE OF MAINE
Executive Department.
Augusta, December II, 1906.
Waldo Pcttengill, Norman L. Bassett
ami Alfred II. Lang.
Enforcement Commissioners,
Augusta, Maine,
Gentlemen
Chapter 81 of the Public Laws of the
State of Maine for the year 1905 is AN
Act to provide for the better enforce
ment of the laws against the manu-
facture and sale of Intoxicating liz
uoIs." This act is the so-cailled Stur-
6is Law and it created the Enforce
mcnt Commission. 1t also specifies the
powers and dutic:; of that Commission
and states that the authority OF the
latter shall be exercised with the adj
vice and under the direction Of the
Governor"
Inasmuch as nothing in the act in
question relieves the local officials of
any responsibility assumed by them
when they took their oath of office. it
was hoped that it's mere enactment
by the Legislature would call the az
t.ntion of such officials sharply to the
fact that the people of the state re-
scented both notification of the prohib-
tory law and illegal local option. In
some counties its enactment immcdi;:-
tely corrected or lessened the abuses
against which it was aimed: in others
it produced no marked change.
Since the appointment and contirni!-
| ton of the Commission in April 1865
You have been satisfied that there has
been no occasion to put the law in Op-
Grafton in amy counties of the State
except the following, namely. Andro
| Scoggin, kennebec. Knox, oxford and
Saeadahoc. and in this opinion. with
full knowledge Of the facts. | have con-
| CURED. I believe, too. that the same
reasons that first prompted you to ex
| ercisc your authority in the above
named counties exist today. and that
your presence there now is altogether
justifiablc.
| But on January |. 1907. as Il result Of
| the September elections. every sheriff
elect must take his oath of office. and
no ole has any right to assume that
such sherriff~elect will be iaithlcss 10
the trust imposed upon him by The
votes of a majority of the citizens Of
his county.
| In three Of the five counties now re-
curing your services new sheriffs have
been elected. In all fairness to them.
and in full accord with what | conceive
to he the real purpose and spirit of the
law. Their" can be no question but that
You should Withdraw from those coun-
ties January !. 1871. in order that such
4 sheriff. may HAY" full opportunity t.
prove their intention and ability TO en-
i force the laws.
| In the two remaining counties the
/ ShcrffS have been reelected. and it
may h. argued that there is 10 good
reason FIR believing that they woul
charI" tho course pursued by them
at the time IN" Commission was Gre
dt"d. ant tile course that logically and
finally caused y"u To take action IN
tno~c counties. Bui in sens" they.
too. aIc new officials. They at least
take u new oath of office, and in view
of the public attention heretofore TO-
Cusrd upon the conditions prevailing
| there. il may not b" expecting too much
(" h. LEY" or hope that If you with
draw from their counties also. they,
too. viii undertake after January
lM', % enforce tn" prnhihtory laws
with viEpr ana determination. Surely
NJ harm can come from afrording n
al Sh"riifS the same opportunity Il
hcgin The new year under precisely tho
same conditions
j am convinced. therefore that in al
fairness to the officials in question. and
out "f regard for this particular IL y
II is for the best interests of the State
that you notify every deputy enforce
m"ut commissioner that his service
will terminate Dec. 81. 1906. and thai
his commission will he Withdrawn.
advise and direct that this he done.
, Beginning Jan. !. 1907 the sheriff il
every county in Maine will be the mas.
ter of his own community, and II vii
he for him Ia demonstrate, as he prop,
crly should. whether he possesses bot
u'Slit ana fhIdCltN w enforce tlc idN'
ot the State without aid or interior
cnCc.
The Enforcement Commission itse!
should lee retained in full authority anc
power. ready to act again as befOr
should occasion require. for l believ'
: more firmly than ever that until SOM
!, better measure can be advised or unit
our present prohibitory laws are chang
cd. the law creating that commission
designed as it was for no purpose Othe
than TO prevent notification. will u
l timately win its way and completel
justify its existence.
ii Very truly yours.
(Signed WILLIAM T. COBB.
Governor of State of Maine.
Hon / Y Peaks of Dover Ben mi