USA > New Hampshire > A synoptic history of the Granite state > Part 10
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Governor Murphy, a self-made business executive of energy and live personality, was cooperative, and not abusive, toward the National Administration. In matters of relief and unem- ployment he worked diligently. One of the fruits of Governor Murphy's energy is the Aerial Tramway on Cannon Mountain. Governor Murphy recommended, and the Legislature enacted a law creating a State Police, and also a Milk Control Board.
CHAPTER XLI
MURPHY RE-ELECTED. SENATOR BROWN DEFEATED.
BROWN APPOINTED COMPTROLLER GENERAL OF UNITED STATES BY PRESIDENT ROOSEVELT. JENKS AND STEARNS CONGRESSMEN. LIST OF 1938 STATE SENATORS. DR. BLOOD, PRESIDENT; ANSEL SANBORN, SPEAKER.
F RANCIS P. Murphy, Governor, Second Term. The off-year election of 1938 brought a hot Primary fight be- tween Governor Murphy for re-nomination and Thomas P. Cheney, the Attorney-General. Governor Murphy won by a vote of 37,538 to 33,571. The Democrats nominated John L. Sullivan for Governor, the election result being, Murphy, 87,623, Sullivan, 66,497. The outcome was swayed by the usual "off- year" trend against the Party in power at Washington. The Councillors were: Harold K. Davison, Oren V. Henderson, Thomas A. Murray, Arthur T. Appleton, and George H. Rolfe. Dr. Robert O. Blood of Concord was chosen President of the Senate, and Hon. Ansel Sanborn of Wolfboro, Speaker.
A hard contest for U. S. Senator was waged between Senator Fred H. Brown whose one successful term was expiring, and Congressman C. W. Tobey. While Senator Brown ran ahead of the rest of the ticket, the anti-administration swing was too great, and he went down, to the regret of the "liberals" every- where. Reactionary Tobey angrily attacked the New Deal, and Roosevelt, personally. So much was Brown esteemed by the President and the Senate that he has since been appointed, and unanimously confirmed as "Comptroller-General" of the United States for a fifteen year term, at a $12,000 salary-the most potent official position in the Government below the Presidency, since all disbursements of the Federal Government must, by law,
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have the Comptroller's own personal "O.K." before being paid.
For Congress in 1938, the Republicans in the Second District, nominated Foster Stearns of Hancock, son of Frank Stearns, late of Boston, the Coolidge financial "angel." The Primary election was unusual-a free-for-all. The result was Stearns, 7,589; Thomas Laite of Nashua, 7,204; James P. Richardson of Hanover, 5,617; Adjt. General Charles W. Howard of Con- cord, 5,065; James A. Perley, Lebanon, 3,348; Edward A. Hamlin, Claremont, 3,076; and James A. Hanley of Franklin, 2,379. It will be seen that Stearns received a small fraction of all votes in a District where a nomination meant an election. There should have been a "run-off." The Democrats nominated Alvin A. Lucier, a sound lawyer and former Mayor of Nashua. The election result was Stearns, 40,550; Lucier, 26,512. In the First District, the Republican nominated for Congress was Ar- thur B. Jenks of Manchester, the Primary vote being: Jenks, 21,- 185 and J. Levi Meader of Rochester, 6,760. The Democrats nominated Alphonse Roy of Manchester, the Primary vote being: Alphonse Roy, 12, 124; John J. Sheehan of Manchester, 5,590; Attorney James A. Broderick of Manchester, 1,003; Arthur K. Smart, Tilton, 433 ; and Edward A. Lambert of Manchester, 256. Jenks won the election by a small but uncontestable majority.
The State Senators elected in 1938, from whom may be ex- pected to come several future higher officials in the State, were the following: Albert C. Lazure, Berlin; John H. Finley, Cole- brook; Lester E. Mitchell, Campton; Harry P. Smart, Ossipee; Frank J. Bryant, Lebanon; Curtis H. Page, Gilmanton; Oliver H. Munroe, Andover; Harold G. Fairbanks, Newport; Charles F. Butler, Hillsboro; Marquis O. Spaulding, Keene; William Weston, Hancock; Stanley James, Nashua; Aldege A. Noel, Nashua; Clarence J. Avery, Goffstown; Robert O. Blood, Con- cord; Ernest H. Bond, Manchester; Denis F. Mahoney, Man- chester ; Thomas B. O'Malley, Manchester; Horace J. Brouilette, Manchester; Edmond J. Marcoux, Rochester; T. Jewett Ches- ley, Dover; William M. Cole, Derry; A. Ralph Estabrook, Newton; Charles M. Dale, Portsmouth.
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The Legislature of 1939 extended the pari-mutuel license of the Salem racetrack for three years against a considerable opposition, led by Representative George H. Duncan.
Governor Murphy pushed to completion the State House Annex. Money was appropriated for extensive enlargement of the State Hospital.
An attempt to establish branch banking failed after a heated Legislative battle.
CHAPTER XLII NEW HAMPSHIRE STATE OFFICIALS OF 1938-1939, AND THEIR SALARIES.
S INCE, under the New Hampshire Constitution, any town of 600 population may have a Representative in the House, and since those towns and cities having over 600 population may add one Representative for each 1200 population in excess of the first 600, and also since "classed" towns having less than 600 people have a representation less often than each two years, depending on population, the result of these provisions gives New Hampshire the largest Legislative House in the country. At present the number is 422. The system can only be changed by an amendment to the Constitution, which requires a two- thirds popular vote, and by a slow process, and towns are loath to relax any power they have.
The State has a Senate of 24 members, one each from so many Districts, constructed on an approximately equal tax-paying basis. The Senate and House together are styled the "General Court." It has the power to create towns and counties, com- missions, agencies, etc., and prescribe how they shall be governed and managed.
Three or more of the five Councillors have the power of veto on appointments by the Governor, and certain other important executive acts.
The present (1939) official roster (and salaries) of New Hampshire follow:
Francis P. Murphy, Governor (Salary $5,000). Governor's office attaches: Charles F. Bowen, Secretary (Salary $3,000) ; Harlan C. Pearson, Research Assistant; Mayland H. Morse, Counsel; Clarence A. DuBoise, Messenger; Wallace Chilson, Erma A. Moore, Evelyn K. Benson, Hilda C. Salter, Clerks (Salaries not given). The Governor's Military Staff: Brigadier General Charles W. Howard ($4,000); Lt. Col. Albert E. Co-
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burn; Capt. Bertrand L. Goulet; Ist Lt. William D. McPherson; Ist Lt. Thomas R. Burns, Jr .; Majors Robert C. Erb, John W. Bryant, Charles E. Greeman, Stanley M. Burns, Anthony C. Benjes, Walter W. Murphy. Secretary of State, Enoch D. Fuller ($4,000) ; Deputy, Harry E. Jackson ($2,700). State Treasurer, F. Gordon Kimball ($4,000) ; Deputy, John J. Scam- mon ($2,700). Bank Commissioner, Clyde M. Davis ($5,000); Assistants. Aerial Tramway Commission: Charles T. Patten, Ex-Officio; James C. Macleod, Chairman; Arthur L. Carpenter ; Harry D. Sawyer; Roland E. Peabody, Managing Director, ($8.00 per diem). Commissioner of Agriculture: Andrew L. Felker ($3,500); Deputies, Lawrence A. Carlisle ($2,700), and Walter C. O'Kane, ($1,600). State Veterinarian: Robinson W. Smith ($3,500). An Advisory Board: Messrs. Hatch, Put- nam, Baer, Bemis, Alexander, Smith, Cantor, Pearson and Pierce. Athletic Commission: Frederick E. Johnson, Chairman; Cleon E. Bartlett; Henry E. Silver ($6.00 per diem). Attorney Gen- eral: Thomas P. Cheney ($4,000) ; Assistant Frank R. Kenison ($4,000). Cancer Commission: John L. T. Shaw, Secretary ; James W. Jameson, M.D .; George C. Wilkins, M.D .; Joseph W. Epply. Comptroller: Charles T. Patten ($5,000). Com- missioner of Education: James N. Pringle ($5,000) ; Deputy, Walter M. May. Fish and Game Commission: Philip E. Morris, Chairman; Thomas J. Dent; Charles B. Barton; Edmond W. Bowler; Alfred L. Guay; Director, Robert H. Stobie ($4,000). Forestry and Recreation Commission: Benjamin K. Ayers; W. Robinson Brown; State Forester, John H. Foster ($3,500). State Board of Health: Secretary, Travis P. Burroughs, M.D. ($4,000). Highway Commissioner: Frederick E. Everett
($5,500). Insurance Commissioner: Arthur J. Rouillard, ($5,000) ; Deputy, Simon M. Sheldon ($1,800). The State Institutions are managed by Boards of Trustees at present as follows (plus a Councillor on each Board) : State Hospital for the Insane are: Benjamin W. Couch, Chairman; Francis S. Hall, Secretary; Donald G. McIvor; Sarah Johnson and Myer Saidell. The Superintendent is Dr. Charles H. Dalloff. It has 2,144
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patients, an increase from 1,954 in four years. Requests are made for additional room. Laconia State School: Harriet C. Newhall, Joseph H. Laflamme, Iva A. Speare, Harris H. Rice, and J. Grant Quimby. The Superintendent is Benjamin E. Baker. It has 611 students, an increase from 570 in four years. Industrial School: Hubert B. McDonough, Charles E. Greeman, Dorothy T. Cox, Charles H. Barnard, and George P. Gakidis. It has 196 pupils, an increase from 131 in four years. State Sanatorium: John A. Muehling, Maude A. Sanborn, John H. Houlihan, Francis J. C. Dube, and Nelson E. Howard.
It has 109 patients, an increase from 93 in four years. State Prison: Clarence I. Hurd, Herbert J. Foote, F. Earl Thayer, Treffle Raiche, Superintendent. It has 269 prisoners, an increase from 229 in four years. The query is made as to whether the sale of liquor enters into the cause of the increases since the repeal of the 18th Amendment. Labor Department: John S. B. Davie ($3,000). Under the Commissioner are the Unemployment Compensation Division, headed by Gordon P. Eager and the State, the U. S. Employment Service, headed by Abby L. Wilder, the Minimum Wage Division, headed by Eliza- beth R. Elkins, the Factory Inspectors and Board of Concilia- tion-all salaried positions. State Librarian: Thelma Brackett ($2,500). Liquor Commission: William A. Jackson, Chairman ($4,000) ; Assistant, Charles H. Magown. Planning Commis- sion: James M. Langley, Chairman; Allen Hollis; Edmund F. Jewell; Guy L. Shorey. Publicity Director, Donald D. Tuttle; Planning Director, Frederick P. Clark (Salary not stated). Superintendent of State Police: George A. Colbath ($4,000). Public Service Commission: Nelson L. Smith, Chairman ($5,000); William H. Barry ($5,000); Claude H. Swain ($5,000). Public Library Commission: Margaret F. Grant, Secretary ($2,000). Public Welfare Board: William J. Britton, Chairman; John J. Hallinan; Leo L. Osborne (on a per diem basis). They appoint a Commissioner-Harry O. Page ($4,000). Purchasing Agent: Harold Cheney ($4,000). Rac- ing Commission: William L. Phinney, Chairman; Charles A.
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Allen ; Edward J. Maley (Salary not stated). Tax Commission: John R. Spring, Chairman ($4,000) ; John G. Marston ($3,000) ; Dudley W. Orr ($3,000). Director of Interest and Dividends Tax: Wilbert F. Cameron. Commissioner of Weights and Measures: William H. Marcotte, Jr. ($3,000). State Board of Accountancy: Clarence H. Wright, Arthur W. Johnson, and Hiram B. Haskell ($5.00 per diem). Commission of Arts and Crafts: Mary H. Coolidge, Margaret Whipple, William A. Bar- ron, George W. Case, James N. Pringle, A. Cooper Ballentine, Jesse Doe, Jennie R. Weston. Ballot-Law Commissioners: Mayland H. Morse, J. Vincent Broderick. Board of Invest- ments: Willard D. Rand, William H. McCarten, Alfred J. Dins- more, Russell H. Briton, George E. Harris. Barbers Examining and Licensing Board: Arthur J. Moquin, John W. Harris, Aldege A. Noel ($5.00 per diem). State Board of Chiropody: Fred- erick H. Gove, Ernest H. Joy ($5.00 per diem). Board of Chiropractic Examiners: Messrs. Studley, Wheeler, and Bullock ($5.00 per diem). State Dental Board: Messrs. Besse, Fernald, and Littlefield ($5.00 per diem). Eastern States Board: Messrs. Austin, Goyette, Rolfe and Tuttle. Embalming Board: Messrs. Holmes, Furber, Wiggin and Simoneau. Finance Commission for Manchester: Messrs. French, Welsh and Laflamme. Board of Registration of Hairdressers: Harriet G. Stratton, Bernice B. McIntyre, and Mabel C. Curran. Interstate Compacts Com- mission: Messrs. Holt, Bingham, and Mara. Commission on Interstate Cooperation : Messrs. Eager, Cheney, Fuller, Marston and Hadley. Board of Registration of Medicine: Doctors, Clow, Kingsford, Lavoie, Burroughs, and Smith. Milk Control Board: Messrs. Turner, Freeman and Blandin. Optometry Board: Messrs. Shaw, Babbitt, Clugh, Elliott and Gray. Commission of Pharmacy: Messrs. Moulton, Callaghan, and Kelly. Com- mission of Pilotage: Messrs. Adams and Holt. Shore Com- mission: Messrs. Adams, Dickinson, Ashworth, Greeman, Adams, and Philbrick. Planning Commission: Messrs. Jewell, Hollis and Langley. Publicity Director, Donald D. Tuttle. Planning Director: Frederick P. Clark. Commission for Uni-
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form Laws: Messrs. French, Cooper and Graf. Board of Vet- erinary Examiners: Messrs. Brock, Lewis and Dedrick. Water Resources Board: Messrs. Whittemore, Jacobson, D'Amours, Sullivan and Shapiro.
The 10 members of the Supreme and Superior Courts receive a salary of $7,000 each and expenses.
Certain major departments are not provided for in the State budget, but run an independent business. Governor Murphy properly advises against this custom. Of these we may mention the Highway and Motor Vehicle Departments. The latter col- lects (1938) $8,822,282.II, of which the former spends $7,862,173.39. Likewise the Liquor Commission collects in sales, $4,511,412.05 and pays for purchases $2,498,211.09, and for administration and expenses $423,461.09, and turns the bal- ance into the State Treasurer. Likewise the Fish and Game Commission, the Racing Commission, Toll Bridges, et al.
It is found as a fact that private salaries and wages are less than similar salaries and wages in the State employment. How far is politics responsible for this?
The Republican Party has been in absolute control of the State for fifteen years in all its departments, institutions, com- missions and boards, without enacting any "Civil Service" re- strictions whatever. Only a few luke-warm Democrats are sprinkled in as minority representatives, and they are always personal friends of the Governor who appoints them. We record this as a fact known to all. While there is generally good service on the part of all State officers and employes, nearly all of the State officials and employes are very active for that Party at election time. The Democrats control no function at all in the State Government, not even in spending relief funds. It is, next to Maine and Vermont, the most Republicanized State in the Union. A few towns and cities have Democratic control in local affairs, except that the Republican State controls their police commissions as well as the State police, which wield a mighty political power.
CHAPTER XLIII
HOW NEW HAMPSHIRE FARED AT THE HANDS OF THE ROOSEVELT ADMINISTRATION.
T HE effect of the seven years of President Roosevelt's Ad- ministration on New Hampshire has been in general, sim- ilar to results in the other States. The grants of around $60,000,000, of course, aided the State treasury, and gave our people what the State otherwise would not have given them. Although the State debt is now around $12,000,000, it would have been much more, save for these millions from Washington. It was not wasted money. Such charges have been mere loose political tongue-wagging. President Roosevelt recognized the Governors of all States in making appointments of those ex- pending relief money. In fact, in New Hampshire such persons generally speaking, were Republicans.
The "CCC" was wholly a New Deal idea. In our State it cost nearly $20,000,000, but it not only saved the boys themselves, but preserved our forests, and made many improvements in our roadways and countryside.
In addition to gifts of millions to the State, the Federal treasury has made nearly $15,000,000 in loans at low rates to the State, and at our request.
The Roosevelt Administration has put upon the statute books a law making the Federal Government guarantee individual deposits, up to $5,000, of depositors in the National Banks, affording a wonderful sense of security to the public generally. There is a political reason why this was never done before.
The so-called "New Deal" was, in fact, a new deal for it was the first to give aid and relief to the poor and needy in the States.
Likewise it was the first to begin old age pensions and unem- ployment insurance.
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The Roosevelt Administration enacted a law for "collective bargaining" between employer and employe, which, it is be- lieved, will work well when both sides become familiar with it. Labor has asked for it for years, and the employer against it.
The Roosevelt Administration put all brokers in bond and stock under Federal control to prevent exploiting uninformed buyers. That had never been done before. There was a need for a new deal in this. The depression was caused by reckless exploitation. These reforms all affected New Hampshire favor- ably and helpfully, but did not please everyone.
The Administration built more school buildings, cleared more slums, and aided more home building than any other adminis- tration in the whole history of our country.
The Administration added many billions to the Federal debt, although saving the State debts. It could have allowed the whole burden to remain on the States where its predecessors left it. It did not choose to do so. Many States could not sus- tain such a burden, and, in that event, its people would have suffered. Was the President right or wrong in this?
A few New Hampshire banks were made more secure by the Federal money that the Government put in. Our banks have greatly increased their deposits in the past six years.
Most business men in our state agree that business is much better than six years ago.
Unemployment in our State is now small. In the nation, as a whole, it is far less than in 1932. But some way must be found to take care of the unfortunate victims of labor-saving machinery, and expert business efficiency.
Some of these measures introduced by the Administration to aid the people generally, "stepped on the toes" of a few people, old deal advocates, and hence there is, from such sources, much opposition to the President.
CHAPTER XLIV
STATE COLLEGE AND NORMAL SCHOOLS.
A BILL introduced into Congress by Justin S. Morrill of Vermont and signed by President Lincoln signallized the dawn of New Hampshire University at Durham. It provided "Federal Aid" for agricultural education in all the States. Our State accepted its provisions and received $85,000 for a nest egg to a small school at Hanover. It was then named "The New Hampshire College of Agriculture and the Mechanic Arts." This was in 1868. The President of Dartmouth was made its President.
For the remainder of this story we now quote from the 1938- '39 Bulletin of the New Hampshire University as follows: "When in 1890 Benjamin Thompson of Durham died, he left a large bequest to the State, on condition, for certain educational purposes. The Thompson estate then amounted to $300,000, but this was to lie untouched, at compound interest, for a period of twenty years. When at last in 1912 it first became available, it amounted to approximately $800,000.
"In the meantime the State began its career as a sponsor of higher education, erecting a cow barn in Durham, and the enthusiastic senior class of the College came down from Hanover, and had its commencement exercises, before the first cattle were installed. As rapidly as possible after this, the State erected four other buildings: Thompson Hall, Conant Hall, Nesmith Hall, and a building for the college shops. All these are still in use, the first named, little changed, still housing the offices of the President and other administrative officers, though the others have been enlarged and remodeled out of all recognition.
"The most marked effect of the new environment was an in- creased enrollment, and in 1893, when the new buildings became ready for occupancy, there were 64 students, 10 of whom were women. There had been but one woman student in all the pre-
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vious years of the college's existence. The class of 1893 held its Commencement in the new Thompson Hall, and from then on all classes were held in Durham. It was soon apparent that most of the women students and a good many of the men could not ac- tually be listed in either of the categories which the name of the institution suggested. When, then, in 1914, constant expansion made some administrative division essential, the College was divided into the three divisions: Agriculture, Engineering, and Arts and Science, and the hitherto unclassified group was assigned to the Arts and Science division, which from then on grew much more rapidly than the other two.
"Moved by its alumni since 1910 to follow the example set in other States, and feeling that by now with its many courses and its more than 1,000 students, another name would more nearly describe the fact than the one originally adopted for the institution, the Legislature in 1923, renamed the College 'The University of New Hampshire,' and recognized it, creating within it the three colleges of Agriculture, Technology and Liberal Arts, and followed this action in 1925, by providing permanently for its support in granting it an annual income amounting to one mill for each dollar of the assessed valuation of all the taxable property in the State, a sum which this year, 1937, amounts to approximately $548,000.
"To-day, in addition to the three Colleges of the University, there are also an agricultural experiment station, and an agri- cultural extension service which reaches every town in the State: an engineering experiment station, a summer school, a graduate school, a summer school for zoological study on the Isles of Shoals, and a permanent forestry camp with buildings and four hundred acres of land in the White Mountains.
"The University enrollment, though rather rigidly restricted to those in the upper three-fourths of the graduating classes of high schools of the State and to some others of high standing from schools outside the State, now amounts to more than 1,700."
The entire faculty and teaching force numbers about 270 men
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and women who are highly competent and well-known in the college world.
The Board of Trustees Consists of: President Fred Engelhardt, Andrew L. Felker, Roy D. Hunter, Harry D. Saw- yer, James A. Wellman, Robert T. Kingsbury, Charles H. Hood, George T. Hughes, John E. Elliott, Jesse Doe, John T. Dallas, Frank W. Randall, R. C. Wiggin.
The Officers of Administration Are: Fred Engelhardt, President; John C. Kendall, Director of the Agricultural Experi- ment Station; Deans, George W. Case; C. Floyd Jackson; M. Gale Eastman; Hermon L. Slobin; Norman Alexander; Ruth J. Woodruff; Raymond C. Magrath, Treasurer; Oren V. Henderson, Registrar; Edward Y. Blewett, Assistant to the President; Marvin A. Miller, Librarian; Frederick W. Taylor, Director of Commercial Departments, College of Agriculture; Andrew J. Oberlander, University Physician; Harold W. Loveren, Superintendent of Property; Eric T. Huddleston, Supervising Architect; Eugene K. Auerbach, Alumni Secretary and Director, Bureau of Appointments. Its line of Presidents since it was removed to Durham follow: Charles S. Murkland, William D. Gibbs, Edward A. Fairchild, Ralph D. Hetzel, Ed- ward Lewis, and Fred Engelhardt now serving.
The University is supported by the State by a "mill" tax.
State Normal School at Plymouth. This School has had a successful history since its foundation, March 15, 1871. It now has an enrollment of 195 students. Ernest L. Silver, Dart- mouth, B. L., has been its efficient President for 28 years. He is assisted by a force of 36 instructors. It is under the general management of the State Board of Education.
State Normal School at Keene. Founded to educate pupils for teaching, it began its work in 1909, and has had but two Principals: Jeremiah M. Rhodes and Wallace E. Mason. The latter served 28 years, retiring March 20th 1939 at the age of 77, one of the outstanding Normal School educators of his generation. He is succeeded by Dr. Lloyd P. Young, Superin- tendent of Schools at Berlin, N. H.
CHAPTER XLV
BANKS IN NEW HAMPSHIRE
T HERE are 94 State banks in New Hampshire at the present time. Of these 34 are Mutual Savings Banks, 10 are Guarantee Savings Banks, 28 are Building and Loan Associations, 12 are Trust Companies, 9 are Credit Unions, and one is a Morris Plan Bank. Subject to strict State supervision their Officers and Directors are most reliable citizens.
In these Banks there was on deposit at a recent date $201,200,547.42, represented by 310,065 different depositors which, it will be seen, means that more than half of the State's population of about 500,000 have savings in these State banks. These State banks have organized a mutual protective associa- tion, which serves as a guarantee to depositors.
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