Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-15

Speaker. / entirely concur in the re-
marks of the last speaker. l believe II
we do not concur in the amendment AS
adopted by the Senate we shall be put
ting ourselves or record as establish
i ing a precedent which is not in accor1
I with our sense Of justice or our right
J.! as men. 1t seems to me that every de-
/ partment of the State is entitled to
know and have specifications filed
against them if they are to be investl-
| gated. To commence a series OF lnVeS-
| tig9 tons by insinuation and innuendo is
| all wrong. If there is department OF
this State. be it the highest or the low
| est, that is derelict in its duty in any
sense and any member of this House
has any reason to believe that they are
| wrong in any sense, then it is the duty
| of that member to specify or at least
| to state from his position here in the
| House something in the nature of the
| charges that they may have to make:
and l sincerely hope that the order as
| amended by the Senate will be sustain
| ed, and that we shall put ourselves on
| record as having the manhood and the
| honor to step up and make charges
| against any department of this State
! that We want TO investigate-not go
| beh nd sore Gems and whisper that some-
thing is wrong in some department and
| not have the honor to say what il is.
| Therefore, ! hope when this House
| votes it will sustain the position that
| the Senate has taken which is the hon.
| ora BILE position that anybody can take
when they charge up anything against
any department of the State, against
you and ! or any other member of this
House. / sincerely hope that the Sem
ate amendments will be sustained.
| Mr. FROWN of Auburn: Mr.. Speak
er, this whole thing is centered and
! dependent upon the investigation Of
our state Liquor Agency; and it is said
| that nothing shall be done in the dark.
| Now, l am not here to state what /
| know, but l have heard it whispered
and l think upon pretty good authority
| that the LIQUOR which is furnished to
| our agency is costing US So 4 gallon.
| whereas ! am told We can have better
| liquor laid down at our doors, bought
| in the open market for So Il gallon.
| N.aughter) If anything is being done
| behind q screen let US have the screen
| off and know where this extra So is
going to. If we have State officials t.
whom We are paying $500 year and
| their positions are worth as many
thousands, it is time the State knew
il.
Mr.. MILLIKEN: I would ask the
gentleman if he would have any objec-
ton to making that statement before
| the committee?
Mr.. BROWN: I have no objection
to stating what have heard.
Mr.. NEWBERT: Mr.. Speaker, I
think We will all agree that suspicion.
grave suspicion may exist and yet no
man be quite able to file definite
charges against a State department.
believe that given an honest joint spe-
cial committee who will employ an
honest attorney who loves his profess
sion and will do his duty. believe that
same committee will often uncover
rotteness that no man, even in Maine,
believes now to exist 1 don't want the
power of initiative taken away from
this Legislature. I don't believe in
obtaining this thing by this method. /
don't believe in allowing the amend
ment offered to close the door to a just
inquiry into the business transactions
of our State departments.
Mr.. WALDRON: Mr.. Speaker /
W
to close the door against any honorable
and just Investigation: and if the gen.
tleman from Augusta (Mr. Newbert>
will specify any charge against any
single member OF any State depart
ment, | will vote for it, on his word of
honor; but to commence a series of i'll
vestiGatinns which includes every off
GER of this State from the highest t.
the lowest simply upon somebody's in
situation or innucndo or suspicion is
not proper and is not right.
Mr. JOHNSON: Mr.. Speaker, I de-
sire to say one word. | do not under
stand, as l stated before, that this
means an investigation in the sense OF
imputing any dishonorable conduct &c
any State official. but do stand upon
tnis principle that this Legislature and
this House, if it desires TO know the
methods employed by any department,
Of this State in the mana cement of its
business. has a right to obtain informa-
ton through it's regularly appointed
committee. That is all the order passed
by the House asks. that this commit
tee obtain this information. There was
evidence in the investigation of one de-
partment of this State, asked for by tho
official himself, whereby it appeared
that that official obtained free trans.
portation from the railroad companies
of this State and charged up to the
State OF Maine as expenses, money that
ne never paid for travelling expenses
and he said in excuse and extenuatior
OF that that it was the common practice
and mad been among the State officials
Of this State. l say, to inquire as to the
methods of different departments. anG
particularly as to what has been paid
| expenditures for transportation, is op.
perfume at this time.
Mr.. WALDRON: May I ask the gen.
tlenan from Waterville a question?
| Mr.. JOHNSON: Certainly.
Mr.. WALDRON: Was not Mr.. Stet.
soh investigated upon charges made
particularly against Mr. Stetson anG
his department?
Mr.. JOHNSON: am not able to an.
swer. | understood that the gentleman
himself requested the investigation
that there were charges in the press
but none filed before the committee
Mr.. WALDRON: Have any charge.
| in the pragS haar Ypa6a ooaipst ,rx