Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-12

boards, without examining not only
the books, original papers and officer :
returns on all the criminal papers OF
Kennebec county, but also the books
papers and officers returns on the
different warrants and complaints is
sued from the municipal courts in
Kennebec county. At the same time
there is so much insincerity and
juggling with facts, such apparent ef-
fort to tell half truths and suppress
the whole truth, such unfair COM
parison of Democratic results with Re-
publican work, that l feel you can
readily understand that the whole card
is another campaign fusion, intended
to deceive-in brief. it is a collection
of half truths, mis-statements and
falsehoods.
In the first place, the comparison of
the average costs for 10 years in
criminal cases in Kennebec county
with cost of criminal cases for 1907
is unfair and intended to deceive.
There were no extraordinary criminal
cases, like murder, in Kennebec coun-
ty in 1907; there were not large
number of trials of criminal cases out
side of liquor cases, but on the other
hand during the 10 years proceeding
there had been several murder trials
and a large number of manslaughter
trials and a great number of criminal
cases other than liquor cases. Had
this card called attention to these
facts or given the details of those ex-
penses, the people in this county
would have readily appreciated the
reason why the expenses were so small
in 1907 and had averaged so much more
during the 10 years proceeding. 1t
may have been the mere fact that Mr..
Plaisted was sheriff in this county that
prevented murders, manslaughters,
robberies, larcenies, etc. This is a
reason for his reelection but some OF
the good people of this county will
believe that it was due to our good
fortune in not having in our midst
that class of law breakers. Had
Mr.. Plaisted been called up
on in 1907 to summons for the
State 50 or 100 witnesses to convict
murderers. Had the resources of the
county been exhausted in the trial of
such important crimes, then we can
readily see the expenses of criminal
prosecution in this county would have
been as they were some years during
the administration of his predecessors
in office. He was no more responsible
for the small amount expended in the
prosecution of criminal cases in 1907
than were his predecessors for the
large amount expended to convict these
criminals in the years before. He didn't
save a cent on this account to the
county of kennebec. We have to
thank our good fortune in having
none of these fearful crimes enacted
in our midst.
This card says (and it was evidently
prepared chiefly to show what fine
administration the sheriff of this coun-
ty has given to it's citizens and it may
not be improper to say that the sher-
if says) that the average cost to the
county for enforcing the prohibitory
law during the last 10 years was
$3.50 per year and under his admins
tration it was $5518. Had he selected
as period of comparison the years
1906 and 1907 he would have found
that the cost for such prosecution was
in favor of the Republican administra-
ton by $S59.39. but that wouldn't have
accomplished the purpose of convey
ing this false impression. BY the mag
zeal use of figures, he SHOWS the COM
parison between the average cost for
10 years of the Republican admins
tration with his administration in 1907
The average costs were larger because
during those 10 years. the Republicans
enforced the law better. indicted more
viulatorS of the law and punished more
of them, than was done in 1907. AS q
matter of fact, the indictments and
liquor prosecutions for those years