Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-11-21
Tha Davis Swan Song.

The Davis Swan Song.
There's note of melting pathos IN
Secretary of State Davis allegorical
swan song. 1t should touch the hearts
of the ECONOMY experts in the Demo-
cratic administration to the extent OF
putting over another lease of life for
the organ of State Genuneiation and
abuse.
But Mr.. Davis would receive more
sympathy from the public were 1t not
for the fact that he entered into the
State contract with full knowledge of
statute restrictions, and apparently
trusted to pull through without dis
coyery or, at least. without attention
being called to the matter. If he did
this without calling the attention OF
the Governor and Council to the plain
restrictions of the law, he is deserving
of public censure.
On the other hand. 1t would be un-
just to Governor Plaisted and his Of
fetal advisers to insinuate that they
entered into this invalid contract with
full cognizaIce of the law.
Mr.. Davis says: "Of course in its
local application We regret the loss OF
the contract, sas 1t contributed large
ly to the $50. 900 payroll disbursed an
nualiy by the Sentinel in this city"
And yet, If Mr.. Davis is as well
posted on printing as he was on the
Law which he ignored. he must know
that for every dollar earned under his
: contract he must pay out at least 100
cents-or swindle someone.
1t is matter of common Knowledge
among printers that the State print
ing contract. at present prices, is of
no financial advantage to any firm.
The only strength which the State
printing contract gives Mr.. Davis
WaterviIle Sentinel lies in the proba-
bility that he has tecn enabled thus to
sell stock to the uniformed, which
otherwise would not have been posi-
BILE.
Mr.. Davis says: And of course,
too, the writer regrets the outcome oil
the decision. for while his interest
personally in the Sentinel is nominal
he had strong hopes of working Out
its future ON the present basis. This
is now impossible. A reorganization
and foreclosure by the bondholders
seems ineyita ble''
A reorganization for the purpose
of circumventing the law is the APP
parent purpose of Mr.. Davis at this
time. but Waterville Sentinel Pub
fishing Company without the control
ling hand of Mr.. Davis is not within
the present probabilities. When the
Sentinel "emerges from the present
inconvenience with SMILE" none will
smile more benignly than our-er-
plomatic-secretary of State.
On Thursday morning. Aug. 3, the
waterville Sentinel. said editorially:
Secretary of State Davis has no
contract with the State and the jour
nal (Kennebec) also knows that
And in the same breath it declared:
THE SentineIs contract with the
State is another matter and the Jour
nal knows that too"
On Monday morning. Nov. 20. in a
signed editorial in the same paper,
Secretary Of State Davis says:
Our contract with the State of
Maine ceases from today"
We believe this evidence sufficient
to convict Mr.. Davis and his organ of
an attempt to deceive not only that
papers readers but the people of
Maine. whom Mr.. Davis is serving as
a public official
But here is further evidence: On
Monday morning. Nov. 20. Mr.. Davis
in signed editorial says:
las soon as the decision of the gov
ernor and council became public the
Kennebec Journal, for reasons salts
factory to ITSELF raised the issue Of
collision and cited section IL of chap.
ter III of the Revised Statutes
Thereupon, not desiring or intending
to hold, directly or indirectly, a con.
tract which could be construed as q
violation, technically or otherwise, OF
Public Laws or Revised Statutes.
requested the governor TO Immediately
place the situation 5befofc the honor.
eble court. This he did. ana the court