Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-09-09
ST4TF FJPFVDITTRES.

Maine, our State taxes have been over @l@ uVo,VVo
During the last ten years of democratic rule IN
Maine the State taxes were less than So 900 000
Is not that reason enough for change ?-Anson
4drocdte.
If the Advocate had added that what
ever increase of State tax has become
necessary since, was mainly in conse-
Quence OF the cost OF Il war To crush a re-
bellion inaugurated and supported by
Southern democrats, that paper would
have hit the nail on the head. But it is
very doubtful whether the average voter
would see in that fact any reason for
''change" from republican to democratic
rule. 1t would SAVIOR too much of the
logic of the wolf, who reproved the lamb
standing below him in the stream. for mud
diving the water. The democratic party
having stirred up a rebellion which it cost
the nation under republican rule hundreds
of millions 20 overthrow, now turns round
and points to the taxes rendered necessary
by the rebellion as reason why democ-
racv should be restored TO power. Truly,
this is cooler than the conduct Of the tramp
who tore his clothes in trying to steal fruit
from a cherry tree, and then called at the
door of the owner of the tree and de-
mantled a new suit of clothes and repara-
ton for the injury done him.
A word further as to State expenditures
may not be ont of place. Aside from
sums expended for common school pur-
poses, the expenditures of Maine in 1874
were ,09j, $50, against S2G6, 462 in 1856
the wear of Wells administration The
expenditures of 1874 on account OF war debt
pensions and aid to soldiers orphans, was
S707 ,o43. Dedncting this war expenditure
imposed on the State by the rebellion of
Southern democrats, and the current peace
expenditures of this State for 1874. are
found TO have been S3sS.ls7, against
1926. 462 in lSjG---an apparent increase of
Sl21.72j.
OF this apparent increase at least half
NAV be properly assigned to the increased
cost of living. which every family under
stands. and which affects the cost of carry
ing on private as we'll as public business.
The balance of the apparent increase is
more than accounted for by new objects
which the State has undertaken to carry
ont within twenty years, and which,
whether wisely or not undertaken. have
received general support without regard
to party divisions. The State appropriate
ed last year Sl2 800 to the College of Ag-
riculture and Mechanic Arts: II 800 to the
Industrial School for Girls; $4,000 to
the Maine General Hospital; 1856 for
propagation of fish and compensation of
fish commissioners ,054 for Agricul-
tural Societies and Agricultural Report,
against IA sixth of that sum. twenty years
since; 22O,0 for education of deaf and
dumb and support of paupers in unncor'
porated places-an expenditure hardly
known twenty years since; and about
SAC. 900 for support Of insane--a bill for
merly almost entirely paid by towns.
1t will be seen at once that these new
items of expenditures more than account
for all the increase in current State expen-
uitureS. ana snow tHdt unuct ItpuDllCdH
rule the ordinary current expenditures
have not been increased SO much as the
cost of carrying on private business. In
deed, the increase of property in Maine
has been far greater proportionately than
the increase of public expenditures. Thus
the current State expenditures of 1856
were two and q half mills per dollar on
the State valuation, but the current expen-
ditures in 1874 were only one and three
tourihs mills per dollar on the State valua-
ton. The truth is that the current expen-
dtures of Maine are less per inhabitant
than any State in the Union where the
democrats are in power. The expendi-
lures of this State were reduced in
some directions by the last legislature.
and the last republican State convention
declared for further decrease wherever
the public interests will permit .-Lewts.
ton Journal.