Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-25

the committee and unanimously passed
is but q drop in the bucket, q single
drop In the bucket In comparison with
the great services which great court
is rendering to splendid people with
in this State. and hope and trust,
fellow Senator'S. that the business men
in this Senate will In the interests of
the business world. in the interests OF
the business community In which we
live. In the interests OF law and order
as against Bolshevism-if you want
to use the term, as my distinguished
brother has said--that they will give
to the, supreme court Of the State of
Maine at least enough to live respect
ably on during year while they are
rendering their service in the interests
of ,sail the people in the interest OF
law and order.
Mr., President and Senator's, thank
you. III
Mr.. COBB Of. Kennebec: Mr.. Presi-
dent and gentlemen Of the Senate: I
was hoping that I was going to have
an opportunity to speak before these
orators had their turn because feel
what may say may be simple to so
many Of you. but want to speak what
have had on my mind ever since
was at the hearing when Judge Cornish
presented and read the paper that has
been read here by our brother today.
want to speak on 1t for two reasons:
Because OF the fact that I feel that
many people by what they have said Of
the State, feel that we senators and
representatives are going to run this
State into bankruptcy because of the
amount of money we are expanding,
and some people in the House and
Senate have said We were going to cut
everything to the bone, But l feel.
gentlemen, that we should cut where
we should, but give to the deserving.
And SO 1 feel that If we begin to. cut
today we. may cut down through, and
feel today that $500 is none too
much for a justice of the supreme
court.
The second reason is that the hobby
of my, life has been that we should
give premium to ability, quality and
preparedness. Now when any of my
friends get into dispute and they
go to the law, want man there to
decide that is of the aptest mind: I
want a man there that is the fairest
of mind; I want man there that is
the highest in. his profession and is
prepared and knows the law. 1t seems
to me that it would stimulate any one
who is studying law. If the salary is
high we should get the very best in
the profession to be Supreme judges.
ond tho <hcct ic nnno ton onnd
would pay the young lawyer from the
beginning of his practice to give the
most and the best in him to prepare
himself that he might be a Supreme
Judge in the State of Maine. 1t
seems to me man who gets into that
high position, that we are not paying
him any too much, where he has got
to know the law, where he has got
to present it fairly, and to have the
aptness of mipd-why. man in that
position, gentlemen. / do not know
as he could get five times the salary,
but it seems as though he could get
far more than $500 or $4,000. So
feel very heartily in favor Of giving
$4,000 and by no means adopting the
amendment.
Mr.. SPRAGUE of Piscataquis: Mr..
President, will not weary this body
with any extended remarks of my
own. but feel that l should be dere-
lict in my duty to my constituents,
believe that should misrepresent
public sentiment in the county that
have the honor to represent, would
be derelict in my duty as a Senator
of the State. if I did not enter my
humble protest against this amend
mcnt.
Now it chances that I belong to
am a member of committee here
that has been obliged to study the
report of this budget committee. OF
course it is only advisory, it is only
Suggestive; but it is advisory and
they took a great deal of pains, they
made n very careful investigation of
conditions in this State. l for one
have changed my entire view of the
so-called budget system since I have
had occasion to investigate it because
Legislature. And 7 believe that no
one can study that budget commit
tee and have any idea of the condi-
tons in the State and claim that they
have in any way been too liberal,
that. they, have in any way been ex-
cessiye' in their estimates. They have
been extremely conservative, too
much SO, in my opinion, in some
things. 90.
Now they took this matter before
them: They are laymen. I believe
there is not lawyer on that commit
tee, but am not certain,-but they
are generally laymen. they are bus
mess men, they were men of ability,
and they gave this matter very seri-
GUS and careful consideration, and
they concluded it was for the best in
terests of the State that the justices
should receive that $500. I believe
in standing by their judgment, if for
no other reason. Now, as it has been
said, we not only have this spirit of
what we call Bolshevism, but we al
so sometimes have the spirit of SCI
fishness on the part Of business in
terests in this State the same as all
other States. and our Supreme Court
is our safeguard: 1t is what stands
between us and the interests-it il
what stands between all fparties-I
don't mean the interests in the pop
ular term, but mean selfish inter-
ests which sometimes rise up in any
State, in our own not to any
great extent-I am not trying
to make a socialistic speech. I
am far from that, but we do have
them sometimes. That is human
mn t,Yro and ~ oo,,ld ~o< - z.I.