Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-03-09
MR.. SPAULDING's
FRANK CONFESSION.
Re.read the Case in the Light Of
Mr.. Titcomb's Calm Analysis.

Clarence b. Bureligh. Esq, Editor
Kennebec Journal, Augusta, Me.
Dear Sir--In reading the editorial
| columns of this mornin's issue of
your paper. / notice that you refer to
Alderman Locke as having monopolzed
the furnishing of the supplies in his
line at the poor house. 1 am willing
that my department shall be criticized
but l want it to be done fairly and
not with misleading spirit
1 submit that your editorial is mis-
leading. inasmuch as you do not give
the facts relative to the duties of the
| overseer of the poor. and you do not
show that any other grocer has re-
| ceived any part of the poor department
trade.
Acting under Private and Special
Laws of 1905, Chapter 1913, See 7, it is
| the duty of the Overseer of the poor to
purchase by contract such supplies "as
in their nature will permit for use at
the almshCuse and city farm, and it
is his duty to advertise for bids each
year and make yearly contracts. This
has been done each year and as a
matter of fact Mr. Locke has been
awarded a part of the supplies. not
because he was a Democratic alder
man, but because he was the lowest
bidder on the articles which were
awarded him and he was responsible
party. Mr.. Locke, as a member of the
city council, has nothing whatever to
do with the purchasing of supplies for
the poor department. and has nothing
to do with the awarding of contracts.
That power is vested in the overseer
and no one else.
In following your editorial one is led
to believe that Mr.. Locke is furnish
ing practically all of the provisions
used in the pood department. Now
want to present a few figures to the
taxpayers of the city of Augusta. Dur
ing my two years of office. from
March, 1906, to March, 1908, the fol-
lowing firms have furnished supplies
under contract as follows:
Webber & Hewitt. s42565
Merrill Bros, LOO. "a
3. +. Parrot Co., S17.89
+. .ocke, 777.31
b. w. Cote, 1897
H. NJ. Springer, 57.4S
Every grocer in the city has had d
chance to compete for this trade. but
the above are the only ones who have
put i'll bids Contracts have been
awarded to the lowest bidders ire
spcctive of party affiliations. 1t will be
seen by these figures, the truthfulness
Of which can be shown by vouchers,
that Republican firms have been get
ting more trade from this department
than has Alderman Locke
l request that you give this cOmmu-
nication prominence in your Friday
MORNINGS issue on your editorial page
Yours respectively.
]. F. SPAULDING,
Overseer of the Poor
1--WE are glad to print the confession
Of Mr.. Spaulding over his own sigma
ture, that he and Alderman Locke
as public officials of the city Of Au-
gusta have been guilty of violating
the plain provisions of the statute law.
mo MEMBER OF A CITY GOV
ERNMENF SHALL BE INTEREST
ED DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY IN
ANY CONTRACT ENTERED INTO
BY SUSH GOVERNMENT WHILE
HE IS A MEMBER THEREOF; AND
CONTRACTS MADE IN VIOLATION
THEREOF ARE VOID"
1t would seem as if this provision
of the law should be plain enough to
be clearly understood by any official
of the city of Augusta.
1t makes no difference whether Mr.
Lockes prices were lower than others
The plain fact is that UNDER THE
LAW HE HAD ABSOLUTELY NO
LEGAL RIGHT TO ENTER INTO
ANY CONTRACT WITH THE CITY
while he was a member of the board
of alderman. The law is mandatory
| in this respect. 1t distinctly forbids
| a member of a city government from
entering into a contract of this char
acter-and yet Mr.. Spaulding over his
own signature. confesses that Alder
| man Locke grossly violated this plan
| provision of the law, and that he. an
| other city official. was a party to it,
1t is he says a part of his duty ITO
! make contracts for the department.,
| and he gives list of firms, dur
ing his two years. as overseer of the
poor have furnished supplies under
contract" to the city of Augusta.
But the confession of Mr. Spauldin,,
brings to light the fact that Mr.. Locke
was not the only Democratic member
of the city government to be guilty
of violating the statute by entering
inc a contract with the city. In fact
the more the affairs of the present
administration are probbed the more
amazing are the revelations brought
TO light. 1t appears that not only is
Alderman Locke guilty of breaking
the law, but that Democratic Council
man r. w. Cote of Ward is guilty
of similar offence. Mr. Spaulding dis.
tinctly states that among the supplies
furnished the city under contract
were goods to the amount of S343 q
: from Mr.. Cote, Taxpayers of Augusta
t what have you to say to this? Do yol
believe that a public office should BE-
Il private snap? Do you believe tina
men sitting in your city government
should be guilty of breaking the stat
ute law of the State in their mao
scramble for city patronage? These
are questions for you to answer at tn.
polls on election day, honestly. fear