Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-28

come acquainted with the people who
live in those communities. 1t is ncces-
sary that he be able to get around airl
learn who are the best men to appoint
Tor patrol and mountain fire Watchers.
This is a business The lumber indus
try demands that the State administer
this special levy OF $4,000 to $4,000 which
they pay into the State in a businessike
and proper method; and think that you
gentlemen will agree with me that 1t is
only fair that this money which lisp aid
into the State by the land owners should
be properly administered and that they
should have some say in how 1t shall he
done.
| think the most Of you know that Mr..
Vilcs was not a candidate for the Office.
and did not seek the Office but he was
considered by the land owners the most
capable man whom the Governor could
appoint.
| want 10 say here again what said
in the committee, that IT is just such
situations as occurred in the case of Mr.
Mace that the land owners are dcsirous
of making improvements When a good
man is in Office VIC do not want Il to 20
up 10 the Governor to remove him. We
all know Governors are human, and they
arc going tosremove every man that they
can and appoint their friends. The best
men In the world would probably do IT,
NOW the lumbermen,s and your commit
tee, ask that that be prevented IL POI
slble. Give us permanent tenure of
once. or an office during good behavior,
SO we can expect a better and more
businesslike administration OF the office
Mr.. COOK of Vassalboro: Ma
sneaker. the gentleman from Show
hegan (Mr. Marston) has covered
about the whole ground SO that I nee
not detain the House but for yer
few moments There is ono niattct
which wanted to emphasize from my
own experience, that this is i nfeas-
ufe that is very much desired BY III,
land owners. The gentleman from
Belfast (Mrt Dunton) thinks it came
only from the land Office but | can
3 state that have been approached here
in the last few days by men who ar.
very vitality interested in the. vii.
lands of this State, owners OF very
large tracts. and they wanted. me 70
say for them that they thought thi1
was very important to The Wild land
owners of this State.
When the next administration comes
In the Governor will be very anxious
to appoint a Progressive TO that Of.
flee, but still it would be better 10
walt little while and see how things
are running. and give tho present land
agent little more time IN which ~
complete the work which he has on
hand; and to make 1t moro effestivc.
whether he should be Progressive or
Democrat. he should have the ep-
portunity to appoint the land agent.
and he can then appoint whom h.
chooses
Mr.. MATHIESON of Rangclcy: Mr..
Speaker, there is one part of this sub
icct which has not yet been touchct
upon. The land agent is obliged owl
Ing to the nature of his office TO act
as part of the fish and game COM
mission. The other two members OF
the commission have a tenure of thrce
years and for one / would like to sen
the third member of the commission
also have the same tenure of CITED
| know that MIR. Viles was not very
anxious to accept the position CT lanu
agent He was very much interested.
and is at the present time very much
interested i'll the fish and game mat
ters Of this State, and / think it was
only when pressure was brought 70
bear np Io5n hiff that he Would aeedbf
this office He has been a very ellis
oient commissioner, and Il would bike
to see his tenure Of office lengthene1
so, that he can serve as long on tho
comnhsson as the, other members CT
that commission. + :
Mr.. SCATES of Westbrook. -Mg
Speaker, | must confess that | was
somewhat surprised to hear it stated
before this House that the present
land agent was not candidate for
that office In fact, I may say that
am very glad TO know 1t. |. must
say that am opposed to a fixed tes1
IRE of Office, that is, an appointive Of
flee, and as | read this bill find thet
the land commissioner cannot be re-
moved for any cause except by mn
parchment or address proceedings
such as have been presented at tins
session re | am wrong in that con-
clusion | am willing to be corrected.
Ordinarily my experience has heeo
with office holders that they will work
their finger ends off for the sake 81
getting an office and then when thei
are once in that office they will wor9
equally hard to get an increase OF ID"
salary. or to have the Office n2l-e1
down 50 that 1t cannot De taken ava
from them. / think that is the cN1
pcrlencc most everyone. has had with
people who are seeking Office.
Now, gentlemen, | am not oppose"
to this bill for political reasons, an"
as I have reviewed my political leg
islative history l may say that haV'
: been working most of my time to cre7
| ate offices for Republicans. Away back
: in 1907, when three quarters OF the
members of the Legislature were lie,
publicans, | did all that | could %
: have the salaries OF the members m
creased from $3.50 to $500, so that'
} they would be enabled to get one dim
ncr a day down at the Augusta House,
= More than-that.- [, spent great oeai
of time and money in working fer inc
5 creation of the office of State AUDI
| tor, when there was not Republican
in the Legislature who had the teTncr-
: itv or who dared to do it Tor the Nei'S
5 reason that he thought the people.
would say they were creating neg
offices: and for the last five or s.<'