Daily Kennebec journal., 1915-11-11


here"
An Issue Concerned
Gov. Curtis asked if he received any
salary from the Union in addition to
the $1,000 salary paid him by the State
and Mr.. Embree said that from no or
ganization did he receive salary. Two
years ago the Union. he said. gave him
q present of sS06 and last year gave
him $500; The watch I hold in my
hand is gift from the Union"
The Governor asked "Is it morally
correct TO accept these presents and
the salary from the State?' Mr., EN-
bree replied that he had never thought
of II wrong at all to accept the
presents and further stated that he
could not have afforded TO remain in
the work had not the farmers in the
Union rewarded his success with the
presents named He also declared that
if ne was not right in the matter he
would like to be told so, and that his
one object in his office was to better
the conditions in the business of farm
ing in Maine
A Marked Success
mir. Embree. continuing his exposi-
tion Of the business of the Union. said
that, though only 5000 of the $4,000
Maine farmers are affiliated with the
Farmers Union, all are benefited in
directly. In support of this PROPOSE
ton he said that in seasons buying
of fertilizer the farmers Of Maine were
saved 100000 because the Union sue
ceeded in getting quotations at 81 per
ton less than the usual price, The
farmers Of Maine. or at least 90 per
cent of them, have been buying fertili-
zer through a credit system which re
suits in the payment of from 80 to 40
per cent interest,
Has the Bureau been success"
asked the Governor
You have no department in YOUR
State that has been so successful"
At this point Commissioner Guptn
entered the conversation and the
warmth of the investigation steadily
rose from normal summer heat to a
temperature which would melt the hu-
man heart of average resistance Bit
ter attack and vigorous defence were
alternately employed by Mr. Embree
and Mr. Guptill Gov. Curtis turned
TO Guptill and suggested that he might
wish to ask some questions; the com
missioner arose to the opportunity.
Unrestrained Debate
I'm very much obliged to you"-ad-
dressing the Governor-"because I'm
getting some information on my de
partment that ] have known nothing
of l have tried to find out what his
contracts We're; ne (Embree) said there
were no contracts. He said the bureau,
not the department is doing this. Since
then Mr.. Embree has kept away from
my office. ] have visited him In var-
Gus parts Of the State to find out if he
was to work for me or not.
Here there was a short period of
conversation, much of ii made by three
men talking at the same 1ime-the
Governor the Commissioner, and the
chief Of bureau. For about l5 minutes
this condition of melee was recurrent
At times Guptill and Embree talked
uninterrupted and then one would in
terrupt the other and at length Gov.
Curtis would break into the duel ask
ing for a statement of facts and that
no time be wasted as the Council had
TO leave at noon. Several bits of the
conversation rang out clear enough so
that all the listeners heard them.
Points involved
"Do you know what Mr.. Austin said"
demanded Guptill of Embree when
l asked him if ne paid you a salary"
Afterwards he said No, did not
hear him at the time"
Well. what ! don't understand is
why man of my department should
be In Austin Haines' Office getting
business for them"
4 don't know of any reason in the
world" Embree replied, why the
Farmers Union should not buy
through Austin & Hatnes or any 9TH
er company willing TO pu up the
money!
Request Refused
Here Mr.. Embree said that the
Farmers Union could not be required
TO submit its contracts to the depart
ment Of agriculture, inasmuch as II
was entirely separate. He then ex-
planned the correspondence that pass
ed between himself and Guptfll rela-
tive to the contracts. He said that
Guptill had writtn him to send the
contracts. that he had put the re-
quest before the executive board of
the Union, and the board had told
him not to present the contracts as
Guptill asked. He spoke of his work
in connection with the department
again and said that he lectured
throughout the State wherever asked
to, gave much time to the problem