Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-03-22

the members appointed to till the POI
sitions of this great office will be men
of the capacity and of the judgment
of the judges of the supreme Judicial
Court of this State We have provid-
ed a salary which we believe would
procure such commission. We have
the most absolute confidence that the
Governor Of the State whoever he
might be, from time To time, would APP
point to the position of a member Of
this commission only men who would
receive the approval of the people OF
the State of Maine. as our Governors
in the past have appointed members
of the bench of the Supreme Judicial
Court men of as high rank as III"
members If any court in any of the
states of the Union. fApplause)
Now why should we change? We
are really in effect creating another
great court The method of appoint
ment has been found sufficiently ade-
quate and the best for the appoint
ment of judges of the Supreme Court.
When sometime hereafter we may see
fit To abolish that part of our organic
law which provides for the appoint
ment of Judges of the supreme court
by the Governor with the consent and
advice Of his counsel. then we say
that it would be quite time to hay
this apply to the present commission
that we are creating And then, too
just think for moment, gentlemen,
of the mess we would be in here
this Legislature in its closing day
Il.
members Of a commission of this sort
Do you think we could do it? Do you
think we could give it careful consid-
Grafton, and that by that process W.
would secure the best men? l as
sure you of this, that no man that
is fit to hold the office would proper
ly appear here as a candidate before
this body. 1t would be only some Of
fee seekcrs-men YOU didn't want
and that tle State of Maine would not
want on such a commission.
Take another provision--and 1 will
speak of this very frankly-that one
shall be Republican, another
Democrat. and the third Progress
sive. Why the whole intention has
been to keep this thing out of poll
ties. Can you imagine any better way
To get it into politics than provision
of that sort? In casual conversa-
ton the other night. as to who would
be good men for this commission, l
suggested three men. Now when !
made the suggestion / thought solely
of the men. 1t was not in my mind
at all as to what their politics We're
aft ha SnnL<pn somebody
called my attention to the fact that
| had named a Progressive, Demo-
crat and a Republican Now that
was not in my mind at all when l
named them We have these names
now-Progressive, Democrat and Re
publican-composed each of a large
body of the citizens of this State; bur
parties change. and while that IS the
situation. today, | can say to you
frankly what everybody knows, that
there never has been in this country
more than two great parties. NOW
that win be the situation in the iu-
ture The Progressives may absorb
the Republicans, or the Republicans
may absorb the Progressives, or both
of them may absorb the Democrats
and a new party be created under
different name Now suppose that
seven years hence. when the term OF
these commissioners expire, We wake
mp and find that there is no Republl-
can party by that name, there Is no
Progressive party by that name, anu
il is lined up-I think the Democrats
are as perpetual as nybody-betWeeh
the party and another name-SaN the
Independents or the international par
ty. or the Democratic party. and the
Governor looks around, or the Leg
islature looks around. for the purpose
of eectinc a commission; there is n"
party there called Progressive; there
is no party called Republican; there
fore You could not have any more
commissioners ana this commission is
abolished by that political situation
which everybody will conceive is not
at all improbable or impossible
Now | think | have said quite
enough upon that subject and move
that that amendment proposed be re-
jected.
The motion was seconded.
The CHAIRMAN: The question before
the committee is on the acceptance or
rejection of this amendment. All those
Din favor of the motion to reject the
| amendment will say yes; those opposed
will say no.
A viva voce vote being taken,
The motion was agreed to, and amend
| ment III was rejected.
The CHAIRMAN: The Chalr VIII heN'
| lay before the committee House Amend
| ment -" being House Document NO
| 563
| Mr.. SMITH of Patten: Mr.. Chairman
| having it seems to me already suslaiiie'
| the commission by vote on TINS proposed
| Amendment III" it seems hafdly heces
| sary to say much about Amendment
which provides that the first board shai
be appointed by the Governor ana ti'
| previous amendment proposed that tue!
should be elected by the people simpi!
| say in relation to this just precisely VITA
have said in relation to the~proposi'lol
in regard to Amendment ~, ana