Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-03-06
Politicians Hold
Annual Feast
At ElmWOOd Hotel

gathered at the Elmwood Hotel last
evening for the annuol love feast"
which follows the municipal each year.
The affair was attended by about 40
men and friendly feeling was rampant.
Democrats and Republicans sat at the
same tables and by the time the meet
Ing was over not a vestige Of political
hard feeling remained.
DR.. Paul r. Baird, the retiring may
or, presided at the speaking which fol-
lowed the supper. He said that he
was fully satisfied with the results of
his administration, and although It
was in some ways relief to complete
his duties, he wohld take with him
many pleasant memories. The mayor
declared himself in favor of a longer
term Of office for the mayor, saying
that 1T cost the city much money when
each year a new group Of men had to
be educated to their Jobs. He was dis
appointed when the people of the city.
did not see fit to increase the salary of
the mayor to $500 and he ventured the
assertion that in the future it would
be difficult to find suitable men to take
the office at the low salary obtaining
at present.
DR.. Herbert C. Libby, the new mayor
of the city, was the first man whom
DR.. Baird called upon to speak. The
election, he said, had naturally been
of great interest to him. The mayor
elect said he had always had great
interest in municipal politics and he
had felt at times in years past that
the city should come to a business gov
eminent. But now he declared he did
not favor city management plan as
the man chosen to manage the city
might not always be of the highest
calibre The city as the country, he
said, had been organized on the party
system and the doctor was of the i'm
preston that Waterville was best run
when strong party was at the helm
with another strong party in the OPP
position. Interest in government is a
much to be desired thing and an equal
1y good thing is hard fought political
battle, If il be clean. said DIR. Libby.
In closing his talk he urged the men,
bers Of the different parties to fight to
their utmost, but to bury their hatch
cts when the battle was over. Much
good advice was contained in the
mayor-elect's talk and he was hearth
ly applauded.
f. NJ. Foster, reslgning member Of
the board of aldermen, spoke of his
happiness at being present at such a
IHctllHS anu he ellubTStu To LHc last
letter the sentiments expressed by DR..
Libby. Mr.. Foster said that in the
near future there was to be a general
turning to Maine and he urged that the
people of Waterville and the State ad-
vertise their advantages.
Drew II. Harthorn, another mem
Der of the board of aldermen, who
completes his duties, said he thor
oughly believed in the spirit of such
meetings. One of the troubles of
the past, he thought, was that peo-
pie had been too individualistic. Mr..
Harthorn said that one of the draw
backs in the life of Waterville had
been the unwillingness on the part
of many to participate in running
the city and in closing he informed
his hearers that the fact that he was
to leave office was not to be taken
as sign that his interest in the
welfare of the city would come to
an end.
w. w. Berry. chief of the Water
Vile fire department, expressed his
thanks to DR.. Baird and the out
going administration for the CEN
sideration his department had re-
ceived during the last year. He said
that the fire department of the city
needs an appropriation of $3S, 200
for the coming year and he spoke
of the new equipment that was sore
ly needed. Mr.. Berry said that city
governments of the past had shown
a tendency to pass his department
ever and that now things had come
to serious state.
c. E. Glover, superintendent Of the
public schools of the city, was the
next speaker. Referring to the talk
OF Mr.. Foster, he said that If the
city was to advertise itself in the
future it was the duty of the people
to make it a place well worth ad-
vertising. He said that all those who
represent departments of the city
government must have views that
extend beyond the borders of their
own departments if Waterville is to
be made the city it should be.
Cyril M. Jolly, the city solicitor,
said that he was proud of the only
political speech he had made in his
life. in which he had nominated DIR.
Baird for mayor a year ago. Mr..
Jolly spoke for the most part on the
pie of the city and of the able men
she had in charge of the various
municipal departments.
The last speaker Of the evening
was S. f. Whitcomb, newly elected
to the board of aldermen from
Ward 5. Mr.. Whitcomb stated that
his sentiments had been covered in
Mr.. Glover's talk. He considered it
one of the greatest honors of his
life to be elected to the office which