Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1872-01-12
NO.. IL.
Remarks OF Mr.. Perry or oxford.


On the order offered by Mr., Perkins of Farming
ton, to raise a Joint Special Committee, to whom
should be referred all matters relating to cor
rection of the State valuation of 1870.
Mr.. SPEAKER: This is a question In which
my constituents feel deepan special interest,
and | hope the order will pass. That this
Legislature has constitutional right to cor
rect the errors of preceding Legislature, in
making general State valuation, have no
sort of doubt. The Legislature derives its
authority to make State valuation from
Sections and s, of article 9, Of the constitu.
tion, which reads as follows:
"While the public expenses shall be
assessed on polls and estates, a general
"valuaton shall be taken at least once in ten
years" From this section it will be per-
ceived, that there is no arbitrary rule, which
compcls the Legislature to make a new State
valuation inst once in ten years-it can make
| it every year il it so determines. Was the
valuation Of 1870 such valution as ought to
stand decade, without amendments or cor
rectons! propose to answer that question.
first by reference to the Journals of the
House; and from this record, think suffi-
cient appears TO justify us in passing this
order An act passed in 1869, author
izing the appointment of Valuation Com
mission of one from each Councillor District,
who were to sit during the recess and report
to the Legislature of 1870. The Legislature
of lo1O had long session, and were kept
together some weeks waiting for a report from
this Commission.
About the middle of March, report
reached the Legislature which was referred
to Joint Select Committee of both branches.
On the 18th day of March this Committee
made a report, Establishing valuation of
the State of Maine" which was passed in both
branches.
1t was then so late in the session that the
Legislature did not stop to give the matter a
careful examination, but adopted the report
of the Commission very much as it came from
their hands. This appears from the action of
the House on the 2lst of March, which, on
molten of Mr.. White of Bangor, passed the
following order:
"ORDERED, That all errors or grievances
"of any city, town or plantation, growing out
"of the report of the Valuation Commission
''ers, and presented to this House for its ae-
''tion, be referred to the next Legislature
"without debate"
On the 23d Of March Mr.. Baker ofAugusta,
presented the following resolve, and moved
suspension of the rules to give it passage:
RESOLVED, That the Report of the Com
missioners on a State Valuation, accepted
and established by this Legislature, as the
State valuation for the time being, ought to
be rerised by another tribunal, to correct any
errors and irregularities, if any are found
therein.
On this motion the vote stood 4S yeas to sc
nays. This action of the Legislature of that
year is unmistakeable proof. 1st, that the
valuation of 1870 was the sole work of the
commissioners, and I'd, that the Legislature
neglected to do their duty, and never exam-
ined it at all, to see whether it was right or
wrong. 1t logically follows, that the present
State valuation is simply the work Of seven
men; that no Legislature has ever examined
it or given it its sanction.
The last Legislature op the 9th day of jan
uary in the House, passed an order-similar
to the one now under onsideration-which
was subsequently rejected by the Senate and
finally defeated; and the only action giving
any relief in the premises, was concurrent
order referring all matters relating to the
State valuation to County delegations, with
instructions not to change the aggregate val.
uation of any county as fixed in 1870
This was virtual denial of all redress. 1t
was creating tribunal in which all the judges
were parties in interest," burlesque on any
thing like justice or equality. County dele
cations, if they took any action at all, were
compelled to go into contest with each other,
and the whole thing was q miserable dodge
on the part of the Legislature to shirk re-
sponsibility. That the State valuation of
1870 was an outrage upon large number of
towns in this State, is an admitted fact. 1t
contains great inequalities and gross errors,
which the people now ask to have corrected.
And shall we deny the people of Maine who
are suffering from the neglects and wrong
doing of past Legislatures, a hearing? What
are we here for, if not to redress the wrongs
of our constituents? Shall we do it, or shall
we turn deaf ear to their petitions, and
mock at their calamities?