Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-01-17

personalities or villification or any
thing of that sort. / may state that
will also undertake to speak with
in the rules of propriety and the laws
of the State of Maine, by refraining
| from the use of profane language
| The gentleman has stated very
! frankly that if it could he shown
| that these postmasters have in fact
| resigned, and that their designations
| have been accepted, that he for one
| will be indiSposed to carry this ques-
| ton further ! admire his frankness
and l trust that those who have act
| ed with him hitherto are of the same
| mind at this point. 1t is a fact, as
| think / have reliable information to
| show, that three of these postmasters
| have resigned, and that their resigna-
! tons have been accepted. But | beg
your indulgence for a moment while !
| offer suggestion as to the attitude of
| these men in so resigning, and as to
the effect of their designations upon
| the present question.
| / am personally inclined to the view
that if / We're in the position of one
| of these poStmasters, and that IL |
were to consider the question solely
| with reference to its effect upon me
and my defense. | would never have
| resigned; but these gentlemen. | APP
| prehend. look at the question not
wholly with reference to their own
| position, but with reference to the
| possible position in which their con-
stituencies might be placed and |
submit that in consideration of that
matter they We're wholly justified in
taking any step which would seem To
put them in better position, if at
all. with reference to their claims ta
seat here.
1t has been asked who is running
the office if they have resigned, whe
is responsible to the government. ana
so on2' There are two questions ask
ed, and | should say that they call
for two answers. | am not inform
ed. but | have no doubt that the same
person is running the office in Kit
terry, and in Topsfield. and in Rip
ley, and so on, that was running IT,
last week when these same gentlemen
were here occupying their seats in this
House. | have no doubt il is trua
that all these postmasters have yet to
settle their accounts with the govern
ment. To produce proper vouchers
Cor the conduct of their respective of.
fees up to the time when their res
ignations were accepted. and that their
bonds are still in force: nay, thost.
bonds will be in force years from now
if it should ever develop that at any
time during their ineumbeney of thcir
offices there We're any losses.
But they are. today, and from the
moment of the acceptance of the res
ignations, free from obligations to con.
duct the office; they have not the
privilege or the right to step inside of
those offices in their official capacity
| care not what you say about the
question of whether their act in So" re-
signing is a plea of guilty on the
original charge. or not. That is be
side the question. They have treated
the matter ash have suggested ont
of their sense of abundance of pre-
caution and willingness to sacrifice
anything on their part, and / submit
the fair mindedness of this House will
justify then in such an act.
II has been suggested that evidence
might be required of the fact of the
designations | have had handed Ia
me three separate kilograms, with the
assurances from those handing them
to me that they were genuine. | ap
gentlemen in their statement to me
nor my word in my statement to YOU
will be in any particular doubted or
questioned The telegram which /
have in my hand is dated from the
Government Post Office, Washington
y. c.. January 18th, 1913, and is adj
dressed to William II. Farrar, care
of the House of Representatives, Au-
NIat ye "(lF1ar
signed accepting your resignation as
postmaster at West Ripley, Maine, eff
fective today. This is signed, 'Gren-
field, First Assistant"
| apprehend that no one on the floor
of this House will ask for further or
better evidence of the fact that the
resignation of Mr.. Farrar was filed iii
Washington by telegraph, on January
14th, and that this is the announce
ment that comes to him officially of
that fact So gentlemen, that seems
TO me entirely to dispose of the mat
ter, so far as his status as post
master is concerned: and | may also
say that / have before me two other
kilograms in the same phraseology,
one addressed to Otis II. Taylor, ana
another addressed to Horace Mitchell:
DHI We are at lIlt present tiiiit VI"
cussing the immediate question in con-
/ nection with Mr.. Farrar
1t may be argued but l judge by the
attitude and / consider it an entirely
fair attitude. on the part of the gentle
man from Augusta, Mr.. Newbert' that
i he would have the disposition to put
Mr. Farrar on the same plane with the
other gentlemen, Notwithstanding the
fact that the vote had been taken on
his case before the resignation had been
accepted. SO that while l am fully OF
the opinion, as l said at the outset, that
the question of resignation should not
, and need not enter into the matter in
/ any way, shape manner for II is
| perfectly evident from the discussion,
| the full and complete discussion we
| have had on both sides-it is certainly
evident to every fair-minded man that
4 on it's merits that provision of the Con-
stitution did explicitly refer to bust
] ness in the postal service.
| My brother from Augusta, Mr.. New
bert, has spent much time here in talk
I ing about military posts. and post Of