Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-02-15

Jtet 10 tile committee being directed tn
! report To the Governor and Council II
/ they cannot finish their investigation
II time to report ~ .this Legislature.
My theory in offeIiT.g tile order. how
ever. was that the committee could as
Wen aS not simultaneously investi-
gate beth as Ia the matter Of any pos
Z Siolc frauds and also tor the purpose
OF aSScriaining tn true financial con-
/ o!ticn OF the Stat, | see bT the
amendment which is introduced by a
member of the cuEImitteA that the
idea l. 10 make N a sense two in
Vestigations. TO Investigate now for the
purpose of aScertaining the financial
condition OF the State. and after it ha 5
done so and reported. in the language
q the amendment, then to Investigate
Ter the purpoe OF HScertaining if any
fraud or violations of law have ex-
lstcd. My idea was to sweep the
ground once fer anything there might
be on it, but if tie committee feels
that il has not time to do that and
desires to add on" investigation on
the other | don't know as we can COM
plain: but | do think that this ought
To be added as a further amendment.
This makes it mandatory upon the
committee Immediately upon the COM
plction Of its present duties 10 begin
another investigate ! tlrink discre-
tlon should Ire given to the committee
to some extent in that respect. The
committee when il gets through with
its Investigations will know very much
more about the necessity for doing
:. 1Ntl lin~r F'1rfhfr 20 IL
know now. / would suggest that in
stead OF making it obligatory upon
the committee 70 institute further
investigation which may be prolonged.
and must Of necessity be somewhat
expensive. and may be fruitless. tha.
We add an amendment TO the amend-
ment leaving it to the judgment of
the committee to say whether that in
vestlgation shall BE- carried on. or
whether they find any indications Of
any fraud or other thing which might
make it wise or eXpedient to carry it
on: and with that and in view l Of
fer. and ] assume there will be no OBJ
jectinn because 1t leaves it entirely in
the discretion of the committee offer
the following amendment b to
amendment "a"
Amend amendment y by adding
after the word thereon the following
words Ill it finds any indications of
dishonest practices or violations of
law. or if in the opinion OF the COM
mittee q further Investigation is nee.
essary or expedient, having SO report
ed to the Legislature i. SHALL and so
forth. so that said Grder when amend
cd shall read as fellows:
The Senate concurring. that the
Joint Special Committee appointed to
investigate and report upon the finan-
cial condition Uf the State under TIL.
order which passed the House January
81 after having completed the work
which it has alreauy undertaken anG
reported thereon. II it finds any indi-
cations of dishonest practices or of
violations of law. IL in the opinion of
the committee fui ther investigation
is necessary or cXpedient having Sc
reported to the Legislature it shall be
authorized and directed to investigate
and report as TO whether any dis
honest practices or violations OF law
have existed in any department of the
state or State institutions, which may
be the subject of its investigation un-
der said order previously passed; and.
tc facilitate its investigation said COM
mittee is authorized to employ such