Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-15

Thomaston, the history of which Is
too familiar to you men and women
for me to rehearse here. Suffice 1t
to say that there was absolutely no
authority under the laws of this
state upon which Mr.. Brewster can
justify any such action on his part.
He, as governor. had no more legal
right to go to Thomaston and con-
duct that hearing than had any pri-
vate citizen. The law specifically
sion shall be responsible to the leg
islature only. Wholly without au-
thority, Mr.. Brewster conducted pro-
ceedings at Thomaston, in a manner
as Illegal as were the proceedings,
all of which resulted in a nation
wide publicity of the most unsavory
kind. And, to add insult to injury,
Mr.. Brewster has Steadfastly refused
to allow those who were directly at
tackled by him in those proceedings
to obtain steongraphic copies of the
testimony taken at the proceedings.
up to this time no report has ever
been rendered by Mr.. Brewster of his
findings at Thomaston.
MIR. Brewster did not play fair in
the case of Sheriff Cummings of Ken
nebec county. After deliberately al
lowing his personally selected attor-
neys to besmirch the fair name of the
city of Augusta and of the State of
Maine by sending broadcast state
ments indicating the existence of
conditions at the Jail which the evil
dence wholly failed to substantiate
a mo nt.fx 80 so;J
which will remain as a blot on the
political history of this State long
after all of the parties involved are
forgotten.
with the exercise of the slightest
degree of good will on the part of
Governor Brewster, the attack on
Governor Baxter, the prison investi-
cation and the Sheriff Cummings
case all could have, been avoided and
Maine spared all the attendant unfa-
vorable publicity.
"Mr. Brewster has not played fair
with the officials and employees Of the
State Of Maine. Time and again dur
ing the last IA months, while he has
been away from Augusta on some
pleasure trip, the payment of the
weekly wages of every official and
employe of the State has been de-
layed anywhere from two or three
days to week. Under existing law,
State employees are entitled to their
pay each week and it should not be
delayed while the governor is
climbing mountains with visitors.
"Mr. Brewster has not played fair
with the public institutions of Maine.
He has had time to travel down the
Allagash and up Mt. Katahdin, and
from the TaplSnon road fn SphnomOolx
and engage in his see Maine tours,
and spend three weeks in the sunny
south, besides may other shorter
trips outside Of the State. He has
told US of the beauties of the noun
tains and lakes and streams and coast
line of Maine. How many of the State
institutions for whose proper care he
stands charged has Mr.. Brewster Wis
tied? How much information have
you seen come from him telling you
of the ov6rcrowded conditions of our
state hospitals, our reformatories
and our home for feeble minded :?
The welfare of those for whose care
the state is responsible ought to be
almost as important to the governor
of Maine as is the welfare of our
summer visitors.
"Mr. Brewster is not playing fair
with the voters of Maine at this time
in the report he is circulating in re-
gard to a 10 per cent reduction in
taxes for 1927-192S. With less than
100000 in the general treasury as
of June 1st. it is an idle fancy to
talk about tax reduction, particular
ly when SO many of our most de-
serving public institutions are
, actually suffering for financial
assistance.
I'm all fairness to the voters of
Maine, Mr.. Brewster should give at
least one comprehensive report COW
, ering the affairs of the state, the
proper management of which the
laws place upon him."