Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-27

I0ii''S'' MI. Ipuntont prevails, ana inc
minority report ought not to pass is
substituted for the majority report cap
plauseD
Special Assignment.
The SPEAKER: The next business
| upon the calendar is report of COM
mittee ON salaries and fees to which
was referred order relating tn salaries
and fees.
Mr.. SCATES Of WestbrooE. Mr..
Speaker. / move that we refuse to ac-
cept the report of the committee, and
! will ask that the clerk read the or
der.
The clerk then read the order as FOL
lows:
THE committee on salaries and
fees which was instructed by an or
der OF the Legislature to inquire into
the expediency of appointing special
committee to sit during the recess and
after adjournment Of the present sos
sion. and to inquire into the amount
Of compensation received by all state
and county officers, whose salaries are
determnatle by the Legislature, and
To report to the next Legislature such
amounts as will make the salaries of
such officers equitable throughout the
State, have had the same under con-
sideration, and ask leave 10 report the
accompanying order relating To the
salaries Of officers.
(Signed) Wing far the Com.
TIE report was accepted
Ordered, that a special joint com
mittee Of three on the part Of the
Senate and four on the part of the
House, be appointed to inquire into
the amount of compensation and ser
vices rendered by all State and coun-
~ officials whose salaries are deter
minable by the Legislature. Said COM
mittee is hereby authorized To sit
during amy recess ana after the adj
ioufnment Of the present session. with
fUll power Ia employ n atcnographer.
summon, administer oaths 10 and ex-
anime witnesses. call for books and
papers, and in general to obtain ali
necessary information upon which
may he based Legislative action look
ing towards equalization Of salaries.
and report in writing their findings
and recommendations which report
shall be flied with the clerk Of the
House not later than December l.. 1914,
and he referred To the next LegisIa-
ture without further action thereon"
Mr.. SCAfES Mr.. Speaker, what
does that order mean? That means
that there shall be created a junket-
ing committee of seven members with
a stepographer to so over this State
at the expense Of thousands of dol
lars, in order Ia raise the salaries Of
county and State officials That is all
it MEANS and that is what the peo-
pie of this State will consider that it
means; because no one apprehends for
a moment that that committee would
recommend "A reduction in the salaries
Of officials Of this State Now, as one
want to enter my protest against
raising the salaries of the officials of
the State of Maine. We had this
thing up Two years ago, and at that
time il Mas Indefinitely postponed,
and | hope the members OF this House
viii vote to reject the report of the
committee
Mr. MITCHELL Of Newport: Mr.
Speaker, wish 70 correct the state +
ment of the gentleman from West
brook (Mr. Scatesl, that this means
or might mean an expenditure of
thousands of dollars. l have before
me the figures of the expenses of the +
commission Of 10 years ago, and l find |
the total sum is $l614G5, including
counsel fees and stenographer's fees /
This was 4 commission authorized
during the session of 1893 to travel
over the State and investigate the fees
and salaries in the Is counties of the
State. And, gentlemen. | want to say
that far from being a junketing party {
the commission draws only the actual I
expenses of the members travelling +
aeout and the hotel bills; and owing
10 the large number of matters that
were brought before this Legislature
and referred 10 the committee on
salaries and fees. it was deemed visa |
not to attempt in the short time we
have before us to adjust all these |
matters. We could not do them all
justice, and the only way in which
we could do justice to all the office
holders of this State is to have COM (
mission investigate for themselves in
each county of the State; and / hope
the motion will not prevail,
Mr.. ROLFE of Portland: Mr.. Speak |
en- l wish to introduce few objec-
tons TO this proposed order. Ny OBJ |
jections are as follows:
First: 1t depriyes the counties or
the delegations from those counties.
Of the right To say what the compen-
sation Of their public officials shall be. ]
which has always been the rule in the
past.
Second: Because some counties and
some officials have already had their
applications for increased salaries act
ed upon favorably. while others just
as deserving would have to he deferred
two years. This is especially true in
Cumberland county.
Third The expense Of such a COM
mittee is unknown. but must be sew
eral thousand dollars. If you examine
the provisions of the order you will
find no limit to the amount that NAV