Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-01-31
ITS FIRST REPORT.
Enforcement Commission
Issue Statement.
The Work Done In Kennebec
County and Results.
The Net Expense Of the State Has
The Net Expense Of the State Ha.
Been S28,740.70.

The first annual report of the En-
forcemcnt Commission created by the
provisions of the Sturgis act, passed
by the led Legislature, has been sub
mitted TO Governor w. r.. Cobb. The
first two pages are devoted to a copy
of the Sturgis law. or Chapter 80 of the
Laws of 1905. An abridgment Of the
report follows:
To his exccllcncy, William T. Cobb,
Governor:
The Enforcement Commission has
hitherto made no public statement eX-
crpt a financial statement for the year
ending Dec. 81, 1905. At that time any
extended report would necessarily have
been incomplete and unsatisfactory.
During the present year no account OF
the work of the Commission could have
been given even for the purpose or
clearing away any misunderstanding
without a liability of the motive being
misconstrued as hayinG a political bear
ing, and, considering the best interests
of the work. this liability was especial
" to be avoided. At this time, however,
il would seem proper for the commas
sion to make to you. as Gov
ernor Of the State and the authority
with whose advice and under whose
direction it has acted, a report of what
il has done. We believe that the citi-
Zcns of the State desire such lhtorlna-
ton and we hope that 1t may De OF
somc value in the consideration OF a
question of public Importance.
The Commission was appointed by
YOU April 6. 1905 qualified and organic
r-ith tho selection OF MI,
Pettensill as chairman and Mr.. Bassett
as secretary. 1t was provided win an
Office in the room of the President OF
the Senate. April Goth Warren +.
Doughty was appointed clerk with
salary of $40 per month. to commence
Nav 1st and to be increased to $1,000
a year after January 1. l'oo. MI
Doughty resigned in April 1906, to ac-
cept another position ana announcer cieth
was not appointed. Since May inc
Commission has employed Miss Marion
Brainerd as stenographer with COIL
pcnsation of $40 per week. july TO-
1405. Mr. Lang was elected treasurer
Of the Commission.
ri. first question considered by the
Commission was the nature ana extent
of tho MOWERS conferred and the duties
;pnoscd nv the act creating it (Chap-
az q, of the Public Laws of 1909 In
thi. connection we would request all To
hear in mind that the act was ne"
legislation. that we had no precedehts
or mast experience to assist, that we
fully realized that every step taken
would be subject to unsparing critic
ism. that we should meet with direct
and indirect opposition and at best
there would be numerous difficulties.
r. was ONLY after consultation with you
az the authority under whose advice
and direction our powers were to be
exercised that We arrived at those con-
illusions for which we should be ana
are willing to be held responsible.
The commission began to act IN
Kennebec county September :, 1903.
During the time intervening the ap-
pointment of the commission ana It's
beginning work in AndroscogGin coun-
ty it was charged with the intention
of avoiding action and statements We're
freely made that for political reasons
If would not act at all. But the time
which ELAPSED was necessary for our
plans with reference to that county.
During this time there were
many complaints made to the
commission of the inactivity OF
the sheriff's Office in kennebec
county. In Waterville there was
friction betwene the mayor and the 10
cal deputy sheriff. In May the sheriff
was asked by the mayor to appoint
special deputies as had been done the
wear before. On May 20 the sheriff an
nounced that no special deputies would
be appointed in the county. The mayor
Informed us that he wanted assistance.
With any controversy between the
mayor and county officials or with any
dispute as to whether the officers
of Waterville should do their own en-
forcing the commission had no concern
and took no part. We received many
complaints of the conditions in the city
of Augusta and outskirts and in the
town of Randolph. On June IS MEM
Der of the commission conferred with
Sheriff Ham and discussed the situa-
ton as understood by the commission
stating that its purpose was to DE
frank and fair. The sheriff said he had
tried to enforce the law but was non-