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

of the various State departments for
transportation, clerk hire and Office
sundries, and report by bill or other
wise; and Ordered further that the
committee have power to summon per-
sons and papers and to employ a
stenographer and any other assistants
necessary for the performance of the
duty with which the committee is
charged" The Senate amendment
strikes out everything after the date
OF the order and substitutes the fol-
lowing:
Whereas, this Legislature depre-
Gates investigations of departments
and officials merely upon suggestion,
but believes in the fullest investigation
Of any department or officer whose Of
fetal conduct is critised or questioned,
Therefore, be it ordered, the Senate
concurring.
THAT the joint special committee on
salaries and fees be authorized and d.
rected to make a full, thorough, public
investigation of any State officer or
department whose official conduct is
called in question by any written COM
munication filed with the committee
signed by any member of the Legfsla-
ture or any reputable citizen OF the
State. Such committee to report by
bill or otherwise"
Now, I object to this part of the
amendment, that it is necessary that
an indictment be filed against any
state officer or any department before
this Legislature may cause an invest-
cation to be made. The gentleman
who introduced this order in the House
evidently had good reason for doing
So or it would not have been introduced.
The order simply asks that the COM
mittee on salaries and fees make an
inquiry into the expenditures by the
various State departments for trans
portatiOn, clerk hire and office sum
dries. Now, | am unwilling to sub
scribe, i say, to the principle that this
Legislatu must file an indictment
signed by any member Of the Legisla-
ture or by any reputable citizen. There
Is no imputatiOn in that order that
there has been any misconduct on the
part of any State official; but l be-
lieve that this Legislature has the same
right as the directors of any large
corporation to know What it's officials
are doing. to audit their accnrnts-the
same right that any large employer Of
labor has 10 examine tn accounts of
his clerks to see If they correctly
kept; and | believe there is no imputa-
ton upon the honesty or official con-
duct of such clerk or such treasurer,
If such employer or the directors of a
corporation desire to see how his books
are kept and what are his methods of
bookkeeping and audit his accounts,
than il is here | do nor believe iS
necessary here any more than in such
a case that there should be a direct
accusation filed. / think this Legisla-
ture has the power to examine the oc-
counts of all State officials 1 think it
is no imputation upon the official con-
duct of those officials, and / believe
that the order should stand as it pass
ed the House. | do not believe that
the Senate amendment should be
adopted.
Mr.. MILLIKEN' of Island Falls-Mr
Speaker, it becomes proper perhaps in
this connection to say q word as to the
purpose of the original order l agree
entirely with the gentleman from Wat
erville (Mr. Johnson) as to the right of
the Legislature to inquire into the ex-
penses or the management of any de-
partment of this State at any time.
The order was introduced with that
idea, that inquiry should be made just
as an inquiry is made by the directors
OF any corporation at any time into the
conduct of any department or that
corporation and the management of its
affairs. The intention was, not to cast
any imputation upon anybody or
act hot Al 10.
ing done that was not entirely
proper. but merely to make an
ordinary quiet and business like
auditin. j You please. of the accounts
and management of the various de-
partments Unfortunately. perhaps. in
this order the word investigation was
used; and that word has lately come to
have. in the minds of some at any rate
a special meaning. 1t has come tc
mean more than q simple auditing of
accounts. 1t has come in the minds OF
some people to have the idea of indict-
ing. Of suspicion. of being hailed before
tribunal and tried for some alleged
misconduct in office.
think there Is no disagreement as t.
the original purpose of the order.
don't know OF anyone who objects to 4
proper and careful auditing of accounts
and Of the management of the various
departments by this committee. The OBJ
lection which gave rise. as | understand
: it. to this amendment was the objoc-
ton I have alluded to, that in the
minds of some-although that was not
the intention ON my part. and although
/ still think the original order carried
nothing of that sort with it-that ir
the minds of some this might imply
some misconduct and might propcrly
demand on the part Of any person who
shall appear before the committee al
a public trial or hearing, n writer
statement of any charges which he had
to make.
Now, my position in the matter is
simply this: That in my view of the
language of this amendment which has
been added to this order by the Senate
does not change in any degree the prac-
ticai result which would come from the
passage of the original order. do moi
sec that it interfcres with the commit
tee III the discharge of their duties: and
so long as the Investigation" has come