Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1921-03-10
S1ENOGRAPHlC REPORT

neatinl, let me say to you, gentle
men, that this is not a personal mat
ter with me. You are now going on
record and you are setting the pace
that you must follow up IL you are
going to be consistent throughout
This session.
Mr.. President. agree with the gen.
,leman from Somerset when he saws
that he believes that this increase of
one dollar per day will be received
by jurymen generally as a recogni-
ton Of the desire of this Legislature
20 60 on record as believing that
they should have some relief: be-
leving that they have recognized
the merit Of their claim and that
they are extending to them such re-
lief as they believe that the State Of
Maine feels that they should have.
Mr.. HPRAGUE: Mr.. President. T
hope the Senate will bear with one
more word from me.
The Senator from Penobscot 7
think is trying to confuse this issue
with the general question of raising
salaries. If it had been a salary
question here it would have gone
before that very able and cautious
committee on Salaries and Fees.
They do not belong together, and do
YOU suppose, Mr.. President. that 7
am estopped because I vote to do
Justice to our jurymen and improve
our jury system. do you suppose I
am estopped from voting against a
general raise of salaries? I do not
believe any senator will take that
view for single moment, that there
is anything inconsistent in thinking
right in this matter. and doing right.
am not fearing criticism or seeking
appreciation. 1 want to do what 7
believe is right.
The senator has said one thing
that suggests something I forgot
when l spoke first. He speaks of
men going to the selectmen-I have
been selectman of my town several
times-going to the selectmen, i'm
ploring them not to put their names
on the list. Those are the very
men we need most, but as a favor
municipal officers will often keep
their names off the list that is pre-
sented TO the town. We need all
classes; we need the hard-headed
business men of our villages to serve
on our jures, and contend, that the
best way to get them is to make
their pay reasonable, decent and re-
spectacle.
II you want to get the best men
you must do something that is fair.
That is all / ask and it is all l have
TO say.
Mr.. CLARK of Lincoln: Mr..
President and fellow Senators. this
IS subject that interests me con-
siderably. and ] have been much in
terested in the discussion of this
question. 1t has been my privilege
10 serve several times in the NUM-
cipal offices of my town, and to
serve on q jury several times 1
think it has been described, the re-
lection of jurors. admirably well.
Yet there is one thing you will agree
with me that in the warrant the ar
ticle calling for the list of jurors, is
always read well along towards the
last of the meeting. and many times
many of the people are gone, and
when the list is read I doubt if half
the persons present realize whose
names have been read. Later they
are surprised that they have been
drawn on the jury. When they go
TO the court and ask to be excused
it has been my observation, as rule,
unless they had an extra good rea-
son, illness in the family or very i'm
portant business. that the judge will
not excuse them. Occasionally you
will find one or two excused, but
nine times out of ten illness will be
the reason.
am one of those who do not be-
ievc in being eXtravagant. believe
jurors are not receiving not much
more than half they should for their
services / believe that five dollars
q day is only q fair wage. When
We 20 to shire towns, and pay our
bills there is scarcely anything left.
believe that the municipal officers
try to reject the very best men for
jurors, those they believe are quail
fed
I wish to say right here that I
favor this amendment. believe
Jurors should receive five dollars
per day and that it is only fair
wage.
Mr. MORRILL, of Cumberland:
Mr. President, this thing has got
pretty WE'LL pared down and l will
not detain you but a moment.
We know that men change their
minds, and I am glad to know that
the Legal Affairs committee changed
their mind in the right direction.
What their object was ] am not go
ing to say. but 1 presume 1T was
good. The results that will come
from this 1 think are good. l want
to call your attention to just one
little thing. may be personal.
Sometime last spring I was in our
court. not in our court but speaking
to Judge Sanborn on a subject thar
detained us just little while in his
private Office, after the jurors had
been chosen. While 1 was there
four men in a short time came IN TO
be excused. One man says You pay
too much" That was joke. An
other man says II have twenty cows
and only one boy to help milk.
Can't you send out man to do my
work, Judge" Another man from
the town of Bridgton said Il don
want to serve. I don't get enough
to pay my board in reasonable
place. Some people get their travel
ing expenses paid, their hotel piiis
paid. and it is unfair" The ]uose
said II can't help it," One man ou'
IN Gorham says Let me swap JoDs