Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1873-02-17

forcing Its mandates all over the State? But
you say property should pay for edUca-
ton. 1t does this already. You well know
that the property of every town pays for edu-
cation within the limits of the town.
1t Is well known axiom, that "money
easily got easily goes" and is i. not grea.
question. whether this money that comes so
easily from the State to the towns, will be
well expended, whether it will do SO much
good as if the towns raised it themselves. If
towns raise the money will they not have great
er interest in its expenditure? As matter of
fact, this tax of one mill on a dollar is not
actually raised in many cascades not ac-
tually go into the State Treasury, as the law
would lead you to suppose, and is not there
after actually paid out to towns. The Super
intendent Of Schools and the State Treasur-
er will tell you that in many cases-I will not
say in most, though l think in most-that
when town comes to pay its taxes to the
state for the year it deducts the amount of the
mill school fund coming to that town, from
the state tax it is going to pay, and then
hands over the balance to the State Treasur-
er. Indeed the money that many towns
should receive from the State for school pur-
poses never has an actual existence, but sim
ply reduces the amount of State tax paid by
those towns. Whether this money is after
wards raised and expended by the towns for
education, who can tell?
No man, Mr.. Speaker, respects and honors
our free schools more than l. No man can be
more willing to help them by every just and
honorable means. But the question before
us is not whether we shall improve or benefit
our common schools, but whether we shall
support them by just or unjust taxation.
This mill tax, which under the forms of
law takna largo balances nj of
cities and larger towns, distributes this money
so unequally that many towns receive for
their share an amount equal to their entire
State tax, or in plain English, pay no State tax
at all. Nay, more. The school funds Of the
State, to be distributed the current year, will
pay the whole State tax Of a number of towns
and give them large cash bonus, in addition.
Take for instance the town Of Frenchvlle !;
its portion of the State school funds for 1873,
according to the estimate of Treasurer Cald-
we'll, is 81 ,404 70; tax at 3-4 mills S46G. 10 !;
cash balance paid out by State to Frenchville
over and above its taxes, 1888 SO. So that
our present law not only in effect exenpts
Frenchville from State taxation, but presents
it with an annual bonus of nearly $1,000.
In like manner Fort Kent is exempted from
taxation, and receives yearly bonus Of $685.
%; Grant Isle'a bonus Of $3.50 80; Madawas-
ka bonus of S40.65 Hamlin bonus of
S25l.G7; Mapleton bonus of Sl7s.74; Oak
field bonus of $685. Swan Island a
bonus of Sls4,04. Other places receive like
balances but l will not detain YOU with a
further enumeration.
On the other hand the city Of Portland, that
have the honor to represent in part in this
House, must pay her entire State tax, and
$4,000 a year in addition, and other cities
and large towns are drained 10 proportion.
Great Heavens gentlemen, can You as
representatives Of Maine, as men who stand
ing in your places here with uncovered head
and uplifted hand. have sworn solemn oath
before Almighty God to protect the interests
of every section Of our whole broad State,
can you now vote to increase-to double this
injustice?
There should be no antagouism between
the country and the city; each is dependent
on the other; neither can live without
the other. Harmony between them is ne =
cessary to progress and the best welfare of
the State. Why then enact laws, even in
the holy name of education, which cast bur-
dens on one section for the benefit of another,
and which must eventually excite bitterness
and ill-will2 There is no real antagonism
between country and city. Did you ever in
distant land meet a man from Maine, and
did you stop to inquire whether he were from
city or country before you grasped him by
the hand as brother?
Antagonism between city and country
Was there ever want or distress in any ham
let however remote. and did the cities refuse
to contribute Of their substance to alleviate
that distress; and when great calamity fell
upon the town, when the fre-fend burst loose
in the beautiful city by the sea, when half the
city was turned to ashes in night, and the
morning sun sirone on millions Of property
destroyed and thousands of men, women and
children wandering shelterless among the
smouldering ruins of their homes; then, gem
one man to our aid
Maine is a State of imperial resources.
Maine should be an empire State. On
the fertile soil of Aroostook, wheat enough
can he raised to feed our entire population.
Our immense forests have just begun to be
cut upon, our cliffs of granite, slate and
limestone give US an inexhaustable source of
wealth for ages, our rivers, now flowing all
too idly to the sea, would if dashed to the
wheel turn the factories of the nation, and in
our safe and spacious harbors may 1oa. the
navies Of the world.
True it is that the last decade has been q
hard time. Ship building decayed, many
manufactures became stagnant, much Of the
best blood of our youth was poured forth in
the war; but better day has dawned; i'm
migration is flowing in upon US; manufac-
lures are springing into existence; and the
cheerful sound of the adze and the broad axe
is heard again in our ship yards.
Is now the time to separate section from
section by unequal laws? No, no. Let US
vote to harmonic ard concilate all interests !;
let US so vote that the city and the country,
one in heart and one in Durnosp may march
forward shoulder to shoulder towards the
grand future now opening for the State of
Maine.