Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-10

/ hope will be put into effect by the
appointment of this committee, and
the taking Of plenty of time to inves-
tigate every single department, in
GLIDING how many stenographers and
how many clerks are employed in
such department, and the salary OF
each and every one of them, with a
comparison of other states. If you
will look at some of the reports which
have been presented to you. that it
has cost to give away a little money
four or five times the amount that was
given. You will find many of your
semi charitable institutions to which
money is given by this State-it may
be a good thing to give it, have no
criticism Of it, have always voted
for these things-you will find on
looking at your annual reports that 1t
takes fifty per cent. of all the money
received for overhead charges, and
that the institution only gets one-half
of that amount. 1t is the peoples
money that you are giving away, and
it seems wise to go into it thoroughly,
taking plenty of time, and that is
what this order means. (Applause).
Mr.. MAHER of Augusta: Mr..
Speaker, not in any regard differing
from the motive and spirit of the gen.
tleman who introduced the order, or
from what the representative from
Eliot (Mr. Cole) has said, I believe
that the motives aninating the order
are undoubtedly extremely praise
worthy and will meet with the ap-
proval of the House. We all desire
economical and efficient procedure to
the end Of conserving and wisely ex-
pending the peoples money. The
question I had simply in mind was
whether or not for the better and
more full information of the members
of the House of just what the order
was for, it would not perhaps be bet
ter to have the matter printed: and
it occurred to me in that regard, and
the idea was reinforced by the re-
marks of the gentleman from Eliot
(Mr. Cole) that the fault for all this
duplication and overlapping is of
course primarily upon the Legisla-
ture-not this Legislature-but legis-
lative bodies-and it is a necessary
result of the methods of men hastily
considering improvised means of
reaching praiseworthy ends A man
has an excellent idea and there is an
attractive or emi-attractive PROPOSE
ton put up as to the best method of
comprising that end, and, carried
away by the motive, we move on to
the end by means which afterwards
perhaps do not accomplish just what
we had in mind; and an illustration
OF that very thing is the gentleman's
order. 1t seems to me that that Of
itself carries a re-duplication, be-
cause. as recall, the gentleman from
Auburn. (Mr. Winter) has introduced
an order which has had passage and
which covers the same matter and to
which committee thereby created
there might be very properly referred
the matter comprised by the gentle
man from Eliot's (NTr Cole) order.
Now l may be mistaken in that re-
gard, but it does seem to me that we
would not be wasting much of the |
States money nor much of the |
States time, if, before we create any /
further commission or committees. !
We allow this matter to lie upon the !
table until it may be printed and we
may all see just what it is However,
1t is matter of no particular con-
Germ to me.
The SPEAKER: The question is
upon the motion of the gentleman
from Augusta (Mr.. Maher) that the
order and the accompanying amend
ment be laid upon the table and
printed. +
Mr.. COLE of Eliot: Mr.. Speaker. I
have no objection to the order lying on
the table and free discussion of it.
That is the very object of the order
but cannot see where the State should
pay forty or fifty dollars to print that
order when everybody understands
what it is. Now it may be that it is of
such statewide Importance that every
body outside will come here at a hear
ing of it, and while that may be dup
lication of the order of the gentleman
from Auburn (Mr. Winter, there is
general feeling here that no committee I
during legislative session, with all
the duties attendant upon a member of
this House, and of the Senate especial
ly. where every member is a member
Of several important committees, would
nave time to go into these things thor
oughly enough and leave time enough
Tor the Legislature to intelligently con-
slider the matter. The intent of this or
der was to, take plenty of time to in
yestigate and go into every detail, and
then give the people of the State until
the meeting of the next Legislature op-
portunity to digest it. / have no OBJ
lection to its lying on the table or it's
wide discussion.
The SPEAKER: Is it the pleasure of
the House to give the motion of the
gentleman from Augusta (Mr. Maher, J
passage?
Mr.. McILHERON of Lewiston: Mr.. !
Speaker. ! am fully in accord with the !
who introduced the order.
Why l movedto lay the matter on the
table was because something passed
mere relative to the investigation of
agriculture. There was a COMMITTEES an
pointed and 1t necessitates the expen-
diture of money. / would suggest if
they want to get the real conditions re-
garolng agriculture that instead of GO
ing over the State to find them on. tbe
better way would be to go down here To
some of these meetings and INQUIRE of
some of these representatives here who .
are engaged in that business. In that
way they would get something more ,
beneficial without the expenditure Of
any money, and think it would briny
about better results than to appoint COM
nitteeS to go over the Stafo Ola