Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-02-07

promoted.
| But this excellent equipment seems
only to aid in small measure at the
present time. the stress of the burden
bearing down upon the young Cover
nor There are a thousand and one
details, large and small, which beset
the new executive. At the opening
session of the Legislature the coming
week Governor Baxter will submit his
message, which will be at least an in
dication of the policies and ideals in
the matter of State government.
This is matter which calls for
much thought and study and. where
as, in the ordinary course of things, a
governor has the time between his
election and his inauguration, a matt
ter of four months. in which to cry
stallize his thoughts and ideals and
include them in an inaugural address,
Governor Baxter has four days. It is
doubtful if during the past week the
Governor has been able to even outline
to himself the details of this message
for his time has been full in the ex-
IRENE since Monday when he took the
oath of office, and the message must
be accomplished in the time between
his return to Portland Thursday
evening, and his return to Augusta,
Monday morning.
mother mental factor, and de-
eddy important one, enters into the
sltuation. the attitude \of the mind
upon various matters from the varied
standpoints of the legislative and the
executive. There must be something
of the difference in this as there is
between a private and a general in!
the army. In the legislative branch
of the State Government it is COM
mon for man to come into personal
intimate contact with only those
measures in which he is especially in
terested. 1t is true he votes upon
most OF them at some stage or other
of the proceedings, but it is in most
cases, perfunotory procedure
AS Governor of the State he is
! touched sooner or later by all the acts
of the legislative bodies and his mind
mus grasp many of the details which
otherwise he would not need to know
and he must take a definite stand in
connection with them all It is a case
OF the readjustment. or adjustment as
the case may be, of his attitude on all
things big and small. 1t is huge I'M
dertaking.
The situation has also undergone,
| through the sudden death OF Cover
nor Parkhurst, decidedly sharp
political change as to patronage in
State Offices The continued illness
of Governor Parkhurst prevented in
many cases. the appointment of a
number of State officers and this duty
now devolves upon Governor Baxter
Political reward and friendship have
always entered into the appointments
of officials throughout the State. and
Nation and 1t is to be assumed that
the late Governor would have given
of his political largess upon this
basis.
Governor Baxter takes his seat in
the gubernatorial chair unfettered by
the pre- election promises it is often
times necessary to make to assure
political support. but this fact in no
measure makes his position any more
to be desired. 1t is another case
wherein it seems more desirable to
have been elected Governor in the
usual way rather to be thrust into the
position without warning. The usual
successful nominee has his principal
lieutenants picked customarily for
months before the, date of the actual
appointments and this fact is gener-
ally understood by office seekers On
ly in the minor offices is there much
of chance for a real contest and in
many of these the executive has his
cuorse we'll outlined for some time
before it becomes necessary to name
the appointee. Governor Baxter has,
Of course, had no opportunity nor de-
sire to take up this part of his duties
since taking the oath of office.
There is no question that he has
been approached even during the
past week, by oyer-anxious seekers
for office. but Governor Baxter made
it decidedly plain that he had no in
clination to even discuss the possibil-
ity of appointing anyone to any office
until a fitting time should elapse af-
ter assuming Office. In order that the
routine of the executive office might
not be interrupted it became neces-
sary for Governor Baxter to have an
office force, and he made hundreds of