Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-26

the office. 1t seems to me that ne
equitably stopped from asking for FUR
Their remuneration.
The next objection is that the pas
sage of this resolve will open the way
for every official who was in office at
the time the law was passed, VINO feels
that his remuneration for the balance
of the term should not in any way be
cut down. to come here at the next
session; and / should imagine, if the
resolve was passed, that the rest or
them would ask for further remunera-
ton.
The third objection is that this mon
ev, if it is to be paid at all, should be
paid from the treasury of the county
of Cumberland / understand perfect
w that there are legal obstacles in the
way of compelling the county of Cum
berland to pay, but it is for the county
and not for the State to pay 1t.
Those are the three prima facie OBJ
iections which l have to the resolve.
There is another objection, and that
is this: The same resolve was pre-
scented at the last Legislature ana
turned down. At this session II wills
presented and was referred to the
Cumberland delegation. And the dele
cation, of course, was IN an elhpaf
RAISING situation in the matter ana
could not very well do any differently
from what they did, that is, TO report
favorably. ] move that the resolve De
indefinitely postponed,
Mr.. WHEELER Of Cumberland: MT
President: | believe that the senator
from Aroostook, in all of his leslSia-
tive career, has been actuated by the
highest ideals of public service; ana
am sure that his only objection TO thiS
resolve is through mistaken zeal Tor
the public welfare.
do not believe that the senator
from Aroostook would Intentionally 40
Injustice to any man; but | do belleVe
that. if this resolve is indefinitely post
poned, it will result in IA grievous m
;nstice to one who is deserving Of bet-
ter treatment from this State.
Mr. Eaton, a disabled soldier or the
Civil War was register OF deeds ol
Cumberland county from 1903 to 1900
Nv a political custom, which exists IN
that county and which has been re-
ferrea to BY the senator from Aroos-
took the office of registry of deeds IS
being an unwritten law which pre-
walls there and no man has ever beeh
reelected to that Office. He serves
for a single term OF four years anu
then he goes out and another comes
in. And in the history OF the county,
I believe that rule has been RICHLY
adhered to.
Mr. Eaton was elected register OF
deeds in 1902 for a fouf-years terin'
beginning Jan. /, 1903. He expected
and he had a right to expect, that ne
would receive, for the term OF once
for which he had been elected, the
conversation and income of the office
as prescribed by law in existence a.
that time. He had every reason to De
lieyc that he would receive, as ms pred
ecessors had received, the unlmpalred
COMPENSATION of the office for the 1uli
term for which he had been elected.
He had a right to expect that IL any
reduction was to be made in the COM
pensation of that office, that the re-
duction should take effect at the COM
mencement of a new term.
l think we must all agree that 1T IS
extremely unwise and unfair, and
against public policy for the state to
reduce the income of Il public Official
during the term for which he has been
elected The senator from ArOostook
states that, if any public official, after
his income has been reduced, is not
satisfied to continue for the remand
err of his term at the reduced income,
he NAV resign. But l do not believe
that the senator, on second thought
resolve should be defeated.
The Constitution of this State OK
pressly forbids the Legislature to re-
duce the compensation of the Cover
nor during his term of office, and the
Constitutions of most of the states 60
further than that and forbid the Leg
islatures of these states to reduce the
compensation of any public official
during the term for which they have
been chosen The constitution of this
State does not go to that extent, but
| believe. nevertheless that, upon eV-
cry principle of justice and fair deal
ing, any reduction of the compensation
of public official should be made to
take effect at the termination of the
term of office of the officials then in
office If this change is made to take
effect at the commencement of u new
term, no hardship is inflicted upon any
one The candidate for that Office at
reduced compensation knows in adj
vance what he is to receive. He Solicits
and accepts the Office with full knowl-
edge that his compensation Is To- be
fixed at Il certain rate, but having ac-
ceptcd the office, he is then entitled to
receive that compensation unimpaired,
to the expiration of that term. And ev
identity the Legislature of 1905 felt that
there Was justice in that plan. because
in this very act the Legislature eX-
prossly provided. in the case of coun-
ty attorneys, that wherever by that act
the compensation Of any county attor
ncy was reduced. it should not take
effect until the expiration of his term
of office.
Why should there be any discrimi-
nation or distinction between a coun-
ty attorney and a register of deeds?
The passage of this resolve would
merely extend to Mr.. Eaton the same
consideration and the same treatment
which the Legislature expressly re-
corded to the county attorneys.