Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-01-11
Thursday, January II, 1923.
COLE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS

a. very commendable public serv-
ice has been rendered by the Special
legislative Committee. the Cole Com
mittec, ito investigate all existing
legislative cnactmcnts relating to the
expenditure OF money by the various
departments of the State" 1t should
be said to the credit of the S0th
legislature that it provided for this.
as capable business manager would
do with regard to his business, and
selected for the work such a COM
mittec as a business manager would
be very glad to employ.
We feel sure the S1st Legislature
w.lEToccive the report in a reciprocal
spirit, will be glad to avail itself of
the. information therein contained,
wifi fully appreciate the need of
either applying the recommendations
to Practise or of presenting equally
gooH reasons for not doing so.
Nor should the public be unmindful
of b very gratifying feature brought
cut. in this report. We refer to the
fact that there is nothing even indi-
eating graft in any department, that
the. criticism Of over Jealous effort to
develop the work under his supervis-
ion is nowisc dscrcditable to the
head of that department. The State
is fortunate to have such zeal in its
employ. 1t is equally plain there
should be coOrdina lion and regulation
of this. The committee suggests
waHs in which this may be done. 1t
docs not claim to have learned all
that it might he possible to know
about the situation but it is very evil
dent that it has worked hard and
conscientiously, and we believe, to
good effect.
4 very valuable feature of the
work is that it is based on policy
of 'retrenchmcnt. The committee at
the outset recognized this as a neccs-
sity and has the courage to declare
it, These words we would commend
to thc attention of our readers: 1--WE
wish to go on record very strongly,
and without any qualification what
ever, that We believe the policy of the
state should be rctrcnchmcnt rather
than expansion, and that however
worthy the cause or whoever may
advocate it, or in whatever form or
unGer whatever Euise it may appear.
Those having in charge the affairs of
Stdte should have the courage to say
no ito the appeals for new approrri-
ations which are sure to be made"
IT'S only by such downright method
that check may be applied in public
expenditures. One might wish the
change could he more gradually
brought about that there might he
longer opportunity for adjustment,
but evidently that is not possible in
public government administration.
A line must be fixed and the hcwing
confined to it.. Naturally some
worthy project may for time suffer:
THAT is to be expected. But deter
mination must he had from those
who are able to get a comprehensive
view of the whole, rather than an
exaggerated view of one part to the
exclusion of the other parts. We
must not forget that nearly six mills
of our State tax is already assigned
to fixed purposes, 3 and Ia mills to
the schools, a mill to the highways,
another to the war bonds and so on.
These matters must be attended to
before the Legislature may take on
new obligations One is reminded of
the boy who declared there was to
he no core left. Furthermore that the
taxpayers are in no mood or condition
to supply another apple.