The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1868-01-24
NUMBER 5.
a..smption Of Ts,en War Dssss.

For the past four years the question Of the
States assuming some portion Of the debts incur
rsl by the several towns and cities in meeting
the calls for sodier,, hu been regularly before
the Legislature, but no definite action was taken.
In 1855 resolution was adopted to the eject
that such assumption should lie carried out after
the Close OF the war. In 1866 there was
eharp contest over the subject, but amid conflict
Ing opinions assumption fell through. In 1867
the whole matter was referred 10 Q commission
consisting Of Hon. @. W. Goddard of ofPortland,
Hon. Nathan Dane Of Alfrvi, Hon. Ansou p.
Morrill, ofResdfeld, Hon. Hiram Ruggles Of Car.
mel. and Charles r. whidden, CO., Of Calais.
This Commission has been engaged during the
past six months In collecting information ss to
the number OF men, the years service and the
bounties paid by the various towns in the States;
and they have embodied the results Of their In
vcstigation In very important, interesting and
yoluminous report At the Legislature. Briefly,
they recommend that the State reimburse one
hundred dollars for erery three years. man fur
nished By any torn or city, and In thst pro-
portion for shorter terms Of surviccl STAGE July
"a, 1862. They also further recommend that in
case Il Is not thought eIpciient to assess the
amount Immediately rs direct tax, that IN
amendment to the constitution be proposed to the
people authorizing the incrcase Of the Statedebt
for this special purpose. They farthe' suggest
that to meet the debt thus assumed, State bonds
lie i-euel, and that an annual tax not exceeding
two mills On the dolsr Of the State valuation be
assessed in order to pay the interest on the bon,ls
and to accumulate sinking fund sufficient for
the payment Of the principal at maturity.
The commission takes no account of soldiers
furnished previous TO the call Of July ID, 1862,
because there were 20 few bountes paid previous
TO that time that 10 include them would only in
crease the difficulties. They do not adopt the
policy ofreimbursng certain portion Of the war
Indebtedness Of each town, because that would
he unjust to such towns as conducted their af-
fairs economically. Neither do they recommend
the assumption Of the highest sum paid by any
towns (S5OO) for three year., men, or even the
average (s215,) but the minimum( SlOO)pah
by any cosnderablc number Of towns, for the
reason that even on this basis the amount will
be over hrsc millions dolldrs-as much as II Is
believed the State can safely carry. Besides II
WAS necessary TO hit upon compromise sum
which the more economically managed towns
and wealthier cities would feel was not oppres-
sivr.
The Commission argue the justice Of this rcim-
burscment. Towns votel the bountics TO secure
men for the defence Of the whole state and ma
ton and the property therein, Yet the calls for
troops were based on population, and not on
property. Hence many poor towns have griev-
ously suffered burdens which the richer cities
should aid In alleviating. Portland for example
sent one soldier out ofevery eighteen OF her popu-
lation, and paid l.82 per cent Of her valuation
for bounties The towns In the county Of Penob-
scot, on the other hand, sent one out Of every
twenty Of her population to the war, but paid
them as bounties 1853 per cent Of her valuation.
Thus the burdens On Piscataquis are more than
six times as great rs upon Portland. Similar
inequalities exist MI over the State. Twelve
cities with population Of less than II per cent
ofthe whole State, have over one third Of the
property In Maine.
The Commission submit the following statistics,
showing the amounts paid by the various towns
and individuals In the State for war purposes -
Bounties to scdIers, $s,t9o,sSo,2s
Rrcrultlns expenses, 20l&9o,3
Interest paid By to~ns, l3a,t3s,6I
Pirate contributions, l.OOO0p0O
Total, sll,Oli,tSs,Ot
Number Of men fdml.hei, reduced to
thne ysar.' srrv'ce, ai-coi
The Commission Is Of opinion that ultimately
The u. 3. government should reimburse the whole
amount paid for war expenses by the several
towns, which cannot be less than freire millions
of dollars