Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-25
WARMING UP
(Contiuued from PAGE One)

"
ter measure asked for a referendum
on the matter by the people and the
opponents said that the present char
ter had proven Its worth In time Of
war and should be tried out in times
of peace.
Rep. Maher of Augusta presented
the case for the changes in the Work.
mems Compensation laws and j. A.
Poulin of Livermore Falls. president
of the Maine Federation of Labor and
Sec. H. p. Drawn of Augusta. en-
dorsed it. Judge B. F. Cleaves. for
the Associated Industries of Maine
and numerous others opposed the
changes, not in opposition to such
laws, but claiming that the present
laws were sufficient.
Sprague of Piscataquis said: wish
to protest against the amendment.
Since I have been member of the
committee to look over matters taken
up by the Budget, I have changed
my views. The salaries are got too
high. l favor $500 for the justices
the committee. The supreme judicial
court has been a safeguard against
selfish and personal interests. 1t has
won the warm appreciation of other
states and the jurist and educators
of the nation. We need now as al
ways men of the highest ability to
sit on the supreme bench of the
State. Some great men have been
justices of our court. Their decisions
stand high today in legal jurisprud-
ence. Appleton, Peters. Emery and
Whitehouse are among the names
that one recalls as the great leaders
of our highest court. There has been
no increase in pay for the justices
since 1898. Maine lags far behind
other states in matter of judges SAL
aries.
Thombs of Penobscot--At this time
/ feel that it will not be necessary to
add anything to what has 50 aptly
and eloquently been said by those
speakers who have preceded me.
Like the distinguished senator from
Piscataquis, my colleague. feel that
should not sit by and not attempt to
an expression of my opinion on this
subject. This is the first time this
session that the Senate has been
called upon to discuss questions of
sa 'aries.
Thombs then reviewed the situa-
ton at present when there is a food
of bills asking for increases in sal
aries now before the Legislature.
Some have said no request should be
granted, others have said all de-
mands should be met. The senator
said his position was between the Sc
two extremes. He reviewed the work
of the committee and urged that
their mature Judgment on this matter
He told of the work of the young
lawyer to build up a practice and
argued that it was not tair to take
him on the bench when he was in
the bsst earning years of his life.
Folsom of Somerset told of the
work of the committee in making
recommendation. The judges do a
large amount of work. Maine is a
large State and the judges have more
ecive less pay. They should have
this iacro ase. hope the amendment
will bc rejected"
Merrill of Cumberland said that
while he had enjoyed the eloquence
of those who had preceded him, he
could not agree with their reason
ing. He had no grudge against the
members Of the court, many of them
We're his personal friends. If Maine
increase in salaries he should favor
it, but the State is not. =.
He said that there was not an in
dustry in the State which was in a
flourishing condition, not a whole
sale merchant who could grant an
increase in wages and there was not
q retail merchant in the country who
was making a profit. These were
facts to which all agreed.
The judges of the court live upo~
a fixed income. When prices go up
they have TO suffer with the rest OF
US. When prices fall they are bene~
fitted. There are lot of our citi
zens who live the same way, and W
when they reach the age where the
can no longer earn have no half
to retire upon. l am opposed, sa
Senator Morrill, to this increase
the ground that we are not in
financial position to warrant. I r.
hoped that the judges would ia
their share Of the present burde
with the rest of us.
E He declared that he was oppoeS
TO any increase of salaries in T.
State. He said that when the juro
came in and asked the Legislator
give them enough to pay their
penses when serving you turned thu
down. -.
= On viva voce vote the amer
ment was lost and the bill was Il
passed to be engrossed.
Morrill, of Cumberland introdu5
an order. which was passed. reGur
ing the State Board OF Assessors
prepare and submit a detailed stnt
ment Of the increased va'uas 49,
taxes received by the State there
from of the wild lands resulting from
the special appropriations for timber
cruising between the years 1908 and
1000
Spencer OF York. under suspension
of the rules. introduced an act
amending the present law relating
to the fees paid to registers of deeds.
1t was referred to the committee on