Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-10-08

| A hearing was held Wed- eSday
morning at the court house by the
State committee on salaries, which
was appointed by the last Legislature.
The committee composed of H. s..
Wing of Kingfield, chairman; l.. M.
Sanborn of South Portland, secretary;
Charles M. Conant of Winterport; Les
lie Baynton of Jefferson; w. H.
Mitchell of Newport; Aaron A. Put
nam of Houlton and NJ. L. Durgin of
Milo, listened to the testimony rela-
tive to the salaries being received at
| present by the various county officers
In general, the testimony tended to
show the inadequaey of the present
| salaries and allowances to maintain
men of integrity and ability in office
The Statutes which govern their sal
aries were evolved in 1905, nearly 10
years ago, and in the majority of in
| stances appear to fail in meeting re-
| quirements OF today.
Concerning the office of clerk of
| courts it was stated that the present
holder of the position was satisfied
with his remunera ton. The salary re-
! ceived by the county attorney was
forcibly exposed as being too small for
| the work demanded of the holder of
that Office as it is today
In regard to the office of judge OF
| the superior court much stress was
! laid upon the present insufficient mon
etary return which it offered. That
! this county has been very fortunate In
the men who have occupied TINS seat
was called to the attention Oh the
| commissioners in support OF the arsu-
ment that the salary which the oiice
| allows is not sufficient to permit us
accentance by man who has no
! other source of income though llat
man NAV be admirably fitted for the
! office in every other respect. Inc
noint was discussed, which has long
| boer tonic of discussion by the bar
| and others in a position to see and
Low that the business of the court
! has increased to the very limits which
ito jurisdiction will permit so that the
eyietine salary of the judge of the SUI
nerior court of this county is sufficient
! for neither the quantity nor the quail
itv of the work which is regularly per
| formed Similarly, with the increased
work of the superior court, 1t was tes-
+i6ed that the salary of the court
s+anographer had become inadequate.
Tho tremendous increase of the du-
toe REQUIRED by the judge of the pro-
bate court was submitted for consider
atom in regard to the inadequacy OF
tha salary of that office; and likewise
ooneernine the office of register or pro-
ho+e In the report of the register II
yos shown that in the last 10 years the
n,,noher of probate cases or the couh-
~ has Increased SO 1-3 per cent. ana
tbat new legislation had doubled the
| amount of papers necessary to De NJ
"a and recorded in each case the 9u-
risdiction of the probate court has al
ca heen extended to include commit
,,oonts to the insane hospital, commit
rnents to the school of feeble mlnoed,
and through the passage OF lhherl-
| +opce tax laws has the work been IN
creased. -.z.. =.
deeds. testimony was submitted shoW1h'
that in the last eight years the fees from
that office had increased one-tfth; that II
CONDUCTED the second largest corporation
r,sinass in the State, Cumberland county
doing the largest: showing the inadequa-
~, of the Dresent salary to either attract
ar hold men suited to capably conduct
+bo business which is transacted To I'M
nrovf the situation it was suggested that
/ The allowance loI CAei n 49,
ed
Tn the absence of the sheriff, the county
treasurer and the county commissioners
f,ora the city no direct hearings upon
these offices were conducted at this ses-
sion of the commission.
The hearing adjourned at 12l5 to meet
apai,, at the State House In the after
neon.
The afternoon session of the commls-
ston was held in the Senate chamber
nhero state Auditor T. F. Callahan and
/ ststa supt of Public Schools Payson
! Smith advised neither an increase nor
/ decrease in the salaries of their respec-
tive positions.
The greater part of the afternoon was
| devoted to discussion of the cierKshlps
| in the State House and the conslaera-
tion of a plan whereby a better and more
| accurate adjustment of their salaries
MIGHT be secured. Both Mr.. Callahan
and Mr. Smith gave valuable Information
from their experience in regard to such
plan. The possibility of having sys-
tenn analogous to that of teachers In the
public schools was considered. rms
would provide gradatory arrangement
| and classification. That is, system
where the work might be classified into
three divisions: That of copyists, stenog-
raphers and clerks, the last to require