Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-20

| Following is the text OF the veto pS
GOV. VIM. T. Hafnes of the act to m
crease the salary of Judge Fred Emery
Beane of the Kennebec county su-
| perior court from $4,000 to $4,000:
To the Senate and House eff Repre-
| sentatives.
/ 64entlemen-I herewith return TO you
| San Act relating to the jurisdiction OF
/ the superior court in the county of
kennebec, and to fix the salary of the
Judge thereof" without my approval.
| Nv reasons for this are as follows
i / understand there are 81 measures
now pending before the Legislature,
for the increase of salaries of public
| officers, all of which have been re-
felred to committees, but upon which
| hearings have not as yet been held
Such situation at this time rs UNI
usual, and do not believe it is possi-
BILE, within the time that the Legs
lature is likely to be in session. unless
the session is to be prolonged to an
| unusual length, that these matters can
receive proper consideration. II
1 amounts to a very extensive revision
of the salary list of public officers,
| am willing to admit. as is claimed by
many of these officers, that the salary
list has not been revised for number
of years and that such a revision Is
necessary.
| BY this | refer to the whole list OF
Ipublic officers, both State and county ,
| but if an attempt is made to do TINS
1 before the present Legislature, in the
short time ii is liable TO sit from now
on. in my Judgment il will be accom-
fIlished only by extensive log-rolllng,
a most pernicious method of leglsla-
| ton At the hearings before the COM
mittee probably only the parties IN
terested in getting their salaries m
| ereas ed will be represented. me
State will have no one there to pre-
sent it's side of the question That
size will be left wholly in the hands
of the committee. with little oppor-
tunity for obtaining all necessary IN
| formation.
| A much better method in my judg-
ment would be to pass an order APP
4 pointing a committee of seven MEM
beers. three from the Senate and four
from the House. and not all OF one po-
litieal party from either branch; r~oe
| appointed by the President OF the SEN
4 ate and Speaker of the House, with
! authority, between now and the next
| session of the Legislature, to examine
1 into the question of the salaries OF an
i public officers, to recommend such
salaries as they deem proper Tor each'
| and report to the next Legislature, at
1 fhe beginning of the session, providing
/ them with such data as they find APP
plieable to each particular case OF
/ group of cases.
/ In this way time can be taken to
lrevise the salary list in non-partfsan,
inpartial and fair manner, just to the
/ officers and to the tax payers alike.
/ The question of salaries of public
officers is not a party question Men
/ who occupy these positions are entitled
to a just and fair compensation, With
i out regard TO their political alliances,
They are all charged with the perform
lance of public duties which takes their
4 time. and for which they should receive
reasonable compensation. Those who
lare holding these Offices at present
asked for and accepted them with a
| thorough knowledge of the amount OF
present salaries. In most cases sharp
contest was made for each office, and
/ the successful candidates have no
i right to expect that their salaries would
i be increased during their term of Of
/ flee. These officers practically made a
/ trade with the State. when they ac-
/ cepted these offices, to perform theiE
i duties for the salaries then fixed, and
| it seems to me that they are in honor
/ bound to carry out their contracts.
If any of them should resign or die,
| so that others would have to be APP
pointed to fill the vacancies, | have no
doubt there would be many applicants
i for each place at the salaries now fix
| ed, and all competent men.
This is no reason, it is true, why the
salaries should not be based on diff
ferent schedule for the future; but the
i matter is one which, in every way, de-
mands much consideration careful
thought and patient work, to determine
what is a right and proper remunera-
4 tion in''eacll case
If the whole subject is passed oven
to the next Legislature and commits.
sion or committee appointed to attend
4 to the matter, as above suggested, in
tile meantime the public viii have 6
chance to be heard, through the col
| uiflHS OF the press, on the stump, uDt
in other ways, upon their side of til,
question.
In regard to the salary which thi
bill especially provides for. l wish L
say, first, in my Judgment the presen
4 salary is not as large as it Should be
) but whether 1t should be increased fron
S2700 as it now is, to $4,000. is a ques
i ton. From 1878 to 1890, period of 2
| years, no less q person than our emf
! nent chief justice was judge of thi
| court. During this time his salary wa
$1,000, SITES, and / think for a year O
two $2760, as it now is. During TIL
: 1 greater part of this period the cour
a \ had full concurrent jurisdiction wit
the supreme judicial court in all civ
: eases in Kennebec county, except res
p actions and equity matters; and
p had full criminal jurisdiction, inelut
ing the trial of murder cases. Fro
,e 1890 to less than two years ago II
:. Hon. Oliver G. Hail was Judge of tn
l. court with said salary of $1,000. al
e. with substantially the same jursdit
lie ton which the court now has. I'll
lie present Incumbent has held the pos
u a. l..