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

Dill LOOKING JONaFuS the DeIteflnenl "a
public serviee4 | think | would he
willing TO support some comprehensive
measure in Legislature putting all
our State officers under tenure ~
office: but we know the situation to-
day, gentlemen, and we have nothing
of the kind. ! remember some things
not with prejudice but / remem
Der them-that on the day of the in
auguration of our Governor the most
efficient librarian was called into the
Office and practically dismissed after
few months of holding office; that
the pension clerk suffered the same
fate the same day: one of the most
efficient superintendent of building
have seen in Augusta WAS called in
the same day and told he must get
out while flowers were still fresh
upon the Governors desk follewins
his inauguration To the high office:
and | notice lately that the warden Of
the state Prison suffered the same
fate. that the inspectors Of jaiis ant'
prisons have suffered the same fate:
and others viii follow. | have no
criticism Of all this. but in the taSe
of all this il seems to me strange
ust now. gentlemen, that the ad-
ministration should come 10 us
and ask us 10 create a tenure OF Office
for one man appointed by the Cover
nor. Now | hold in my hand the COM
mission from the, Governor OF ,his
state appointing Frank y. Mace ihnd
agent. 1t reads. We therefore do
hereby authorize and empower him 10
fulfu the duties of that office ac-
cording to law fer the term Of four
years if he shall so long behave him.
self while in said office unless sooner
removed by the Governor and Council
for the time being Now the pres
ent statute is a four year term. Mr..
Mace. the land agent preceding the
present appointments served =
months. He was summarily removed
within a few weeks after Governor
Haines Inauguration, and Mr.. Shame
YIes appointed in his place. This Is Il
prerogative of the Governor. and | do
not stand here To criticise him, or {"
criticise the present incumbent. Mr.
Blaine Viles is friend of mine; h.
5 one of the best fellows IN the world,
a man we'll acquainted with the duties
of the office, and yet my friend, MI
Blaine Niles, like myself is pretty
strong partisan. He Is Il good Re
publican. and he PLAYS the game: and
under him as land agent, and sitting
on the fish and game commission, I un
derstand if | am correctly informed
I that he Will have part in the appoint
ment of 200 or 500 men in this State as
| fire wardens and game wardens. ! claim
| this Is a great political asset, and hack
| of it all, gentlemen. in my estimation
| is the game of politics. l further un-
| derstand, without critcising Mr.. Niles
| that he did sign petition, a few month:
ago, while he was candidate for an
/ other office, petition for Mr.. Curtis Il
| be appointed land agent. thus petition
| ing the removal Of Mr.. Mace indirectly
/ Now that Mr.. Niles has this office un
| der tile present statute it seems to me {
little strange that now he wants to g
in and paddock the outer door. Nha
| for? / leave it To the imagination ana
| the judgment of this House 1 am OPP
| posed to this. l am opposed to al
kinds of legislation like it; and shall
so vote. The Democrats, two years ago
were satisfied with the situation. Mr.
| Ring and his friends previously wer
satisfied with the situation. Why
shouldn't our friends now be satisfied
with the situation? Why now fix tn
tenure of office three years? I leave it
gentlemen. 10 your imagination, an,
to your Judgment.
Mr. MARSToN of Skowhegan: Mr.
/ Speaker, it sdems to me that the argu
ment of the gentleman from Augusta
| (Air. NeWbert) is a strong drgumen
| for the passage of this bill 1t IS no
the man himself that ask you to pro
tect; it is not because | believe as
land owner, or it is not because as
business proposition, ! believe that Nh
Niles IS a most capable man for tia
office; he is d graduate from a fores
try school. and he has had large OK
perience IN that business; it is not ol
his account at all, and | believe tina
my friend from Augusta (Mr. New
/ BERT, will give me credit of believing
that I do not ask it for any politica
reason, for / would welcome a Demo
cratic appointment, man whom
considered a better man than Mr.. NileS
| want to impress upon you this fact
that the land owners are not askin
this SC that Il Republican may remal
in office, but 50 that we can remail
assured that an efficient man will re
main in Office | wish to say also tina
the ldmbermen Of ArOostoOk, Somerset
| piscataquis. Washington and HancocI
| counties join in asking that this Leg
islatare take this Office out Of polite
( and insure the passage Of this bill.
Mr. Kchoe of Portland moved tina
when the vote is taken on this question
| it be taken by the yeas and nays.