The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1924-12-23
GOV. BAXTER CALLS
OFF DOG MEMORIAL
SHOWERS OF PROTESTS. BEST
FRIEND THE BACHELOR
GOVERNOR EVER HAD.

PORTLAND, Me.-Garry, the Irish
setter dog which, up to the time Of his
death, was assistant governor OIL
Maine, has been thwarted by politi-
clans OF the last honor his master
Gov Percival P. Baxter, planned tc
give him-a monument on the state
house grounds.
A bill authorizing the memorial and
providing funds for its erection pass
ed the governors council several
several weeks ago, and plans for the
monument were being rapidly push
ed But the governor announced this
week that because of the objections OF
Certain we'll meaning people" he had
decided to give up the idea.
Gov. Baxter and his dog long have
been an issue in Maine politics. Bax-
ter, a millionaire college-bred man,
whose education was polished off by
frequent sojourns in Europe is a bach
elor. He was president of the state
senate when Gov Parkhurst died, a
few months after his Inauguration,
end Baxter succeeded to the vacancy.
Garry" his inseparable companion,
moved into the state house with him.
Flag at Half Mast
When Garry died about a year ago
Gov Baxter ordered the state house
flag half masted The Grand Army Of
fcials protested this tribute to dead
dog, saying that the governors act
was an insult to every soldier. From
the headquarters of American Legion
auxiliary at Washington another pro-
test came. G. A. r. and American Lee
gon posts from the Canadian border
to the sea wired or wrote in their pro-
tests. but the governor refused to low
er the flag until Garry had been bur
led.
Interment was made in the govern
or's private dog cemetery at his sum
mer home on an island in Portland
Harbor where nine generations OF
Garry" sleep their last sleep beneath
carved marble headstones. "A bronze
tablet affixed to a huge holder i'll the
center OF the lot bears the following
Inscription: ITO my Irish settlers. Al
fectonate. faithful, loyal, Perclval I:
Baxter, governor of the state OF
Maine"
The storm of protest over the flag
incident was soon forgotten and prob
ably nothing more would have been
said about it but for the latest act OF
the governor in ''log rolling" an Or
der through his council for the dog
memorial Again the storm broke. The
governor was told that if he wanted
memorial to his dog he ought to pay
tor it out of his ample private purse.
The councillors who voted for the
memorial were severely criticized and
things got so hot that the governor
concluded to call off his memorial
Truer Than Political Friends.
Garry was a noble animal. He could
always be seen lying full length on an
Oriental rug before the fireplace IN
the governors private office. Every
legislator knew him and many shared
the governors admiration for him.
but when the governor tried to put
HIM on a level with human beings
most OF the legislators joined IN the
protest.
Gov. Baxter defended his course on
the ground that Garry was "a mem
Der OF my official family" 1t was an
open secret that he had higher respect
ior Garry than for some OF his po-
Htical opponents He wrote eulogy
OF the dog in which he said:
My faithful dog, unlike many OF
my human friends, never betrayed or
believed i'll Of me-"