Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-09-14


according to my recollection, was in
July or August of 1907. He sent Miss
Drawn blanks upon which to make out
her account, and from that time until
November, 1908, more than a year, he
allowed her bills without any question
whatever He did not then and has
never since raised any question to me,
and l am informed that he never has
to her that the charge is not legal, that
her expense bill was wrong, or that
there was any difficulty whatever
about it,
After October, 1908, Mr.. Hatch for
some reason best known to himself re-
fused to allow any of my expense ac-
count or Miss Brawn's account In
April, after having been without my
expense account or her account being
paid for five months, took the matter
to the Governor and Council, and in
June 1909 my expense accounts were
paid and Miss Brawn's account was
paid Later, finding that Mr.. Hatch
was still holding up my expense ac-
count and Miss Brawn's account, l
| stated the facts to the Governor and
| Council, as they are here stated and
I was informed that Miss Brawn's ac-
counts would be paid and they have
been paid. My private account for eX-
penses for April, May, June, July and
August is still unpaid.
If it took Mr.. Hatch fifteen months
| to ascertain that Miss Brawns account
was wrong, he should at least, at that
time, have notified Miss Drawn or me
| of it, Miss Brawn's services have been
by direction of the Board and so far
as | know have been entirely Satisfac-
tory, and her bills have been approved
by the Auditor Hatch until November.
1908. What his reasons have been for
cutting off her salary on November,
1908, | have never known from him in
any way by communication or personal
statement to me. until / read his
statement in the afternoon papers of
September 9.
Third: The statement is that 1 have
bought books of Baker, Voorhis & Co,
to the amount of $500, and sent the
bill to the State Auditor for approval.
Section As of Chapter 81 OF the Re-
vised Statutes provides that the board
| may expend a sum not exceeding
thirty-two hundred dollars annually in
procuring necessary books, maps.
stationery, and statistics, and in de-
| fraying expenses incidental and neces-
| sary to the discharge of its duties. and
| procuring the assistance of mechani-
cal expert in the examination of iron
bridges That statute has never been
| repealed.
| During the legislature of 1909. two
acts were presented to the Legislature,
one known as the 'Hersey Act" which
| was designed to give the railroad
| commissioners larger powers in rela-
| ton to freight rates upon railroads. AT
| the same time another act was intro
| duced and went to q committee. max
| ing the railroad commissioners Public
Utilities Commissioners. The act was
copied. as / understood it, from the
laws of New York, creating a public
| utilities commission of that state.
| Not knowing whether either of these
statutes would be enacted, l purchased
a book published by two eminent
members of the New York Bar in re-
lation to the control of public utilities.
1t is a book of 1149 pages. / also pur-
chased another book by Edward w.
Hinds of the Louisville Bar, OF 24S
pages, in relation to the power OF
states to regulate railroad rates. |
felt it my duty to inform myself as
much as possible in relation to these
two matters. / bought the books for
the railroad commissioners Mr.. Hatch
so states. The bill was made, as l re-
member it, to the railroad commits
sioners. but was sent to me at Dover.
T approved it. the other two commits
sioners approved the bill, and sent it
TO Auditor Hatch for approval
Inn, hon
upon the state to pay for books which
go into my private library. He says
IF these books went into the library
of the railroad commissioners at their
office at the State House, it would I'M
doubtedly be proper charge so that
the only thing he questions in the
| transaction is that the books are still
in my office. although they belong to
the railroad commissioners office at
Augusta. The books are the property
of the State of Maine, and belong in
| the railroad commissioners office at
Augusta when ! do not want them, but
as Chairman of the Board of Railroad
Commissioners it is my duty to be in
formed in relation to the legal part of
the commissioners duties.
| This contention on Mr.. Hatch's part
it seems to me is puerile. Nearly every
month I send to the State Library and
have books sent to me for the purpose
| of examining authorities. I never be-
| fore have supposed that as chairman
of the board of railroad commissioners
/ was barred from taking books out OF
the library of our own department or
| out of the State library, and / do not
| cOncede it now. / can not so readily
F., absorb a book Of eleven hundred pages
full of decisions in relation to such
| matters, as some men can who are not
lawyers. 1t is my duty to examine the
cases cited, and the books will remain
| in my office until l have got through
with my study of them.
! 1 shall not indulge in any impudent
sarcasm such as Mr.. Hatch has in the
closing paragraph of his statement It
may be that he can afford it, but as
chairman of the board of railroad
commissioners. being a quasi. court, i
So 4