Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-05-31
PattsnsaIrs "consenitai Erroneous
ness5

Hon William r. Pattangaii of wa,
terviile, has been attorney general OF
Maine i'm fact since April ~, and at
terney general in prospective since
Jan. II when Cyrus r. Upper o.
Boothbay Harbor, was chosen sorl
Of pro tempore attorney general &c
hold down the Office and keep IT away
from the Republicans. while Mr.. Pat
tangall was hustiing around In the
House trying to save the State. Since
his qualification on April IL Mr.. Pat
tangali has been seen at the State
House at very rare intervals and the
only Official act of his administration,
so far as recorded, was the appoint
ment of the accommodating Mr.. Tup-
per as assistant attorney general.
Mr.. Pattangall was at Washington
hobnobbing with Dan Mac ana
Sam" Gould while the county attof-
nev of York county was telling the
nublic that he was greatly handi-
capped in the prosecution of certain
criminal cases on account of the ap-
sence of the attorney general The az
fairs of the attorney generals office
at the state House have been, since
April 70, just as they were before that
time. in the hands of Mr.. Upper and
GQnPEai
Upper and not Attorney General Pat
tangall who appeared as counsel Tor
the state In two important proceed
ings against insurance companies
brought by the State insurance com
missioner.
Mr. Upper may be equally as wen
qualified to hold the Office of attorney
general as Mr. Pattangall but, never
theless, he is not the attorney general
and people prefer to do business with
and receive their legal opinions from
the head of the department because
he is the head of the department Is
Mr., Pattangall honest to his employers.
the people of the State of Maine, in
holding position as titular head of
the department while Mr. Topper Is
doing his own work as assistant at
torney general and that of the attor-
ney general as we'll? The salary
ts4000) of the Office of attorney gem
cral is sum which the people be-
lieved TO be adequate to ssecure a con-
siderable portion of his time and add
ed to the salary which he receives as
mayor of Waterville, $500, gives him
an income which ought to support the
distinguished Democrat in fairly COM
Portable style.
The new law which goes into effect
after July will not allow Mr.. Pat
iangali an assistant after that time.
What will he do then? Make Mr..
Topper a clerk and allow him small
share of his salary, or will he let the
chairman of the board of aldermen
or the city marshal or someone else
run the affairs of the city of Water
VILE while he runs over to Augusta
TO be attorney general? From the ex-
hibition which the public has already
the accommodating nature of Mr.. Tup-
per We expect to see the Boothbay
Harbor man continue his self efface-
ment and finger on, still doing the
drudgery of the attorney generals Of
fice, while Mr.. Pattangall goes to
Washington to give suggestions TO the
National Democracy.
1T seemed to me that the office OF
assistant attorney general was one
that the State could dispense with,
provided that the attorney general
was willing to give that much of his
time to the office which a Maine law
yer should give to his clients" said
Representative Pattangall of Water
vile, Thursday, Jan. 26, in the House
during the debate upon the bill introa
d,ced by him for the adjustment o;
the Office Of assistant attorney gener-
al. Mr.. Paftangaii. in spite of all his
professions that the State must be
economical in order to pay its Just
debts, is unwilling TO save the State
the salary Of an assistant attorne,
general from April u TO July / anC
by his acts says that he is unwiilint
10 give as much of his time to the of
flee as a Maine lawyer should give 4
his clients.
How do the voters of Maine, the rea
clients OF the attorney generals office
like to have the Merry Mr.. Pattangal
and the accommodating Mr.. Tuppe
play ducks and brakes with the mos
important executive Office In the Stat
except that of Governor The ofic
of attorney general is no joke. II ha
been made honorable by such men a
John A. Peters. William p. Fry,
Thomas y. Reed, the elder Plaistes
Chief Justice Emery. orvilie, ID. Bake