Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-21

and pay these stenographers because |
they could do it much more |
economically"
Surely there would have to be a
mighty economy for the taxpayers of
the counties to save the nearly $1,000
of which they have been relieved by
the States assumption Of this salary
list. Let US see how the organ of Mr..
Davis would bring this about if its
re commentator were adopted, and the
entire amount of these salaries put
back again upon the county taxpayers.
The only saving it suggests to offset
with its proposed return to the county
system the nearly $1,000 in practical
relief afforded by the States assump-
ton of this payroll is the saving
which it thinks could be effected in
travelling and hotel expenses" Be
SIDES it thinks it sees very great adj
vantage to the counties in having their
| own stenographers of which, it SOL
/
plenty of competent ones"
| Let US examine this proposition.
There are eight members of the Su-
preme court. Each one has his official
stanographer. These stenographers,
with the transcripts Of testimony and
other duties required of them are kept
l I,.tc.x a ,trin he Of
these stenOgraphers reside in Maine.
Here then are enough competent, ex-
peri,nced stenographers already en-
ployed by the Supreme court to repre-
sent eight of the l6 counties; but terms
of court are held in all the counties
consequently these stenographers must
either travel into these other eight
counties with the judges whom they
serve, or else they must remain al
home while resident stenographers are
secured to do the work in the counties
outside of those i'm which they reside.
This is the system advocated by the
organ of Candidate Davis, DESTROYS as
it is Of saving travelling and hotel ex
penses."
Under the system advocated by the
organ Of Candidate Davis our Supreme
court will have Is official stenogra-
, the now employed. These stenogra-
piers must under the stern rule advo-
Gated by the organ Of Mr.. Davis, be
strictly home products and under no
circumstances must they be permitted
2 to incur travelling and hotel eXpens-
t es' by wandering beyond the limits of
their respective counties in the pursuit
, Of their Official duties!
: This plan of the organ of Mr.. Davis
t fer providing each county with its own
Z landlocked court stenographer would
: seem st second thought to have some
f disadvantages.
Court does not sit continuously in al
Il the counties. In some of them the terms
o are very short. 1t is evident therefore
II that if 8 stenographers are now able t
= do the entire work for the sixteer
o counties by working practically ALI
e the time, the employment of eight more
Il making one for each county as ad
q vocated by the Sentinel-would NEAR
t that all of them would be idle eight
" sixteenths or one-half of the time. Thi:
lie might, it is true, seem to have some
e disadvantages; but only think of TIT
y time these idle pen pushers Woul'
" contemplating the beauties of Demo
~ cratic rule. and the great Saving ef
IA fected for the State in "travelng an,
y hotel expenses"
= We had always supposed that TIN
ts taking of court testimony, court argu
n ments and judges charges called TO
d the very highest type of verbatim
10 stenograp pliers. That we think is tn
70 impression that prevails generall
20 among judges. lawyers, men who hay
6 had experience of juries, newspape
;. reporters and others familiar with thi
., class Of work. We thought men capa
Bile of doing 1t were a somewhat scare
- article. A few weeks ago we tried I
!, find one to make a verbatim report 70
y, us; but were unable to secure one;
j. the few whom we knew of who wer
capable Of doing this class Of wor
were all employed-for the most PAL
by the courts. Now we are glad I
learn from the Sentinel that ever
county i'm Maine has plenty of com
petent ones" We should be glad In
deed to have the editor of the Sentin'
give us a list of them. We are sur
that it would be of interest to the vol
ers of the State generally, and yer
useful to ourselves and others VIII
have had considerable difficulty in Sc
" curing this class of talent when
I'd have been in need of it. We assure OF
lg neiphbor the Sentinel that for II