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

l think that no Republican here wants
TO speak in criticism of the very able
administration of this important depart
ment under its late incumbent, Mr.. Mace
certainly do not wish to offer any, nor
do l think any Republican member of
this Legislature wishes to offer any such
criticism; and l will say frankly that
had this matter come up two years ago.
during the 18th Legislature, [ think that
this legislation is so much in line win
the present method and the present
thought. that it would have received very
little opposition from the Republican
members of that Legislature.
1t is important that you must all adj
NIT that it is important that an Execu-
tive who has charge of these important
offices. and the spending of so many
thousands of dollars for the forestry
department, should be qualified by expe-
rience in the office, and we considered
very unfortunately that this. one of the
more important administrative offices of
the government has been left so long as
a political football. What is the pro-
vision as regards the other important
appointive executive officers The rail-
road commissioners have fixed tenure
of Office for three years; the other two
members of the fish and game commits
sion, of which the land agent is ex-offi-
clio a member. have a tenure of office
for three years; the State assessors have
four-year tenure of office; the State
Board of Cancellation and Arbitration
have tenure of three years; and 1 think
- ODD 81 h.
efficiency of any administration if every
appointive officer at the head of the inn
portant departments of this State should
have a tenure Of Office holding for at
least three years.
/ submit that bill carrying a tenure
Of office for four years in the present
instance would have been unjust, il
would have been political bait. and I'M
just to the great party which is not at
present in power. We have asked that
the tenure Of office shall be for three
years, and that viii expire in 1916 IN
der the present bill 1t would give, in
the event of a change of administra
ton, the Governor of that administTa-
ton an opportunity To appoint Il men,
her Of Lis own party if he saw fit to
this important flee. Now | submit, are
these good arguments why VIC should
fix tenure of office in this important
matter 50 that it cat no longer be-
come political football? | have no
criticism to offer to Governor PIais-
ted for putting Mr.. Mace in charge OF
the office. nor have | any criticism for
Governor Haines for removing Mr.
Mace and putting Mr.. Viles in the Of
fee
I submit to you that / think the ten
ure of office would have been fixed
long ago by the Legislature had it not
been for the fact that one party was
for many years continuously in power,
and the men who were occupying those
Offices were kept in Office f0r periods
ranging from three to 10 years, and
thus became experts in their depart
ments Under the frequent changing
of administration it would seem that
this was a safeguard for the efficiency
of the office, in line with modern
thought. and putting our executive adj
ministration under, as it were, a civil
service rule, and / cannot see where
IL does any injustice TO amy other polit-
ical party.
Mr.. NEWBERT Of Augusta Mr..
Speaker. evidently the land owners arc
not a unit in this matter | have in my
hand a letter from the Great Northern
Paper Co, and among other things the
company writes this: I'VE are opposed to
having the land agent and forest com
missioncr's appointment changed, and
believe there is no good reason why the
land agent and forest commissioner
should hold Office beyond the time Of
good and efficient service or the change
of administration" l also have letter,
which / have mislaid, but | Will give
it to you in substance from John Cas-
sidy & Sons of Bangor, who own, 1 am
told, 100000 acres of timberland, and
John Cassidy & Sons, Bangor, oppose
the creation of a tenure of Office for
the present land agent.