Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-04-07

to call friend and whose character
and ability as man and whose ex-
perience in party and public Service
inspired confidence and belief that =
bright future ofeprosperity' and prog
ress for the state under his executive
guidance lay before us. As.we gath
eped on the day of his inauguration
as Governor of Maine. in person or in
spirit, to extend our congratulations
and fluctuations, not only to him
upon his personal success and the
realization of lifelong ambition,
but to the state that to her service
should come man not only ready
and eager to serve. but a man with
a knowledge born of experience in
public affairs, a student of her his
tory who knew his state, her needs
and the opportunity for increased
prosperity and happiness for her peo-
pie, we looked into the future with
high hopes and ambitions for great
service to be rendered and great pros
perity to come. Hopes never to be
fulfilled High ambitions to be low
ly laid. .-..
In the executive chair for only a
day and a half and living only
! twenty five days after his Inaugural
ton, he was called from US. The
awful tragedy of his untimely end
can never be forgotten. Grief
weighed upon the hearts Of sorrow
ing people as they passed in rever-
ence by "the lone couch of his ever
lasting sleep" The whole people
mourn for him and cherish his
memory.
In accordance with the provisions
of the Constitution of Maine, upon
the death of Governor Parkhurst,
automatically. the President of the
Senate, the Honorable Percival p.
Baxter of Portland became acting
Governor. without warning or oppor-
tunity for preparation, gubernatorial
responsibilities were placed upon his
shoulders. With all the power and
all the duties of duly elected gov
ernor, he stepped into the executive
Offices at the capitol. Fortunate it is
that his legislative experience had
been broad, that he was a man so
situated that he could give literally
of his time to the service of his state,
and by persevering study and appli-
/ cation to the duties of his office, ac-
quaint himself with the many and
complex problems of state business.
Unsparingly he has given of his time
and strength to the Office which he
holds. His has been a truly faithful
and efficient service.
The record of the last Legislature
is one of the passage of wise. con-
structive and helpful legislation.
Following the budget system so WISE
ly established under Governor Milli-
ken, economy and foresight marked
their estimates, their appropriations
and the expenditures to be made
Hereunder. Business was applied to
government. Faithful and efficient
performance of duty is the record of
all the Republican governmental Of
Ulcers and agents. In this administra
ton education has been promoted; a
reduction and equalization of the bur-
den of taxation has been continued;
compensation laws have been LIBERAL
lied; mothers aid and chidren's pro-
lection has been extended; and good
government and moral welfare have
been sustained. The Republican par
ty has kept the faith. It's pledges
have been fulfilled and we may seek
Ythe suffrage of the voters at the COM
ing election with pardonable pride in
our achievements and with confidence
that this Republican administration
Of state affairs will stand approved
by the people in September
From Maine to California and even
in the solid South, the men and wom-
en- of this great United States year
ago last November rose in their
wrath and removed from their midst
the misrule of Democracy. Surfeited
with incompetence and extravaganza;
demanding competency, efficiency and
prudence from their servants, jealous
of their national sovereignty and re-
fusing to sacrifice American indie
pendence for international super
government, by overwhelming ma
jorities they elected Republican
President, Vice President and a Re-
publican Congress. Calling to his
cabinet men of great ability and
broad. experience, rehabilitating the
State Department and restoring it to
it's place of high honor and dignity
with the selection of the distin-
guished Charles z. Hughes, giving
! assurance of great service and high
est efficiency with the selection of
Herbert Hoover, substituting a
Weeks for Baker, a Hays for a Bur-
Lesson and a DENLY for a Daniels,
President Harding surrounded him.
self with cabinet of men of the
highest repute with records of great
achievement and success in private
and public affairs. The contrast. be-
tween this cabinet and that of the
preceding administration is marked
With the Inauguration of President
Harding and the convention of the
present Congress. this administration
took up the burden and responsibility
ties of government, confronted with
an inheritance from the preceding
administration of appalling prob
lens of complexity and difficulty un-
paralleled in all our national history
The war period had seen public ex-
penditurcs mount to heights that
stagger the imagination. The ma
tional debt had grown to the enor-
nous SUM Of about twenty eight bill
lion dollars, carrying an annual in
terest charge greater than our total
annual governmental expenditures
before the war. The post war period
Of imitation and fictitious prosperity
had saturated the public service with