The Portland daily press., 1875-09-08
[From the Lewiston journal. ]
State Expenditures,

During the last ten years of Republican rule
in Maine, our state taxes have been over $12,-
100000 During the last ten years of Demo-
cratic rule iu Maine the state taxes were less
than 81. 000,0 900. Is that not reason enough for
a change?-Ansoa Aduocate.
If the Advocate had added that whatever in
crease of state tax has become necessary since
1861, was mainly in consequence of the cost of
war to crush rebellion inaugurated and sup
ported by Southern Democrats, that paper
would havehit 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
mudding the water. The Democratic party
having stirred up a rebellion which it cost the
nation, under Republican rule, hundreds Of
millions to overthrow, now turns round and
points to the taxes rendered necessary by the
rebellion, as reason why Democracy 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 cherry tree, and
then called at the door of the owner of the
tree and demanded new suit of clothes and
reparation for the sjuries done him.
A word further as co state expenditures may
not be out of place. Aside from sums expend-
ed for common school purposes, the expendi-
lures of Maine in 1874 were 81 ,095, ,230 against
S266, ,462 in 1856-the year of Wells adminis-
tration. The expenditures of 1874 on account
of war debt, pensions and aid 20 soldiers or
phans, was $707 ,043. Deducting the war ex-
penditures imposed upon the state by the re-
bellion of Southern Democrats, and the current
peace expenditures of this state for 1874 are
found to have been S3SS, 1877, against 1856 462 in
1856-an apparent increase of $121 ,725.
OF this apparent increase al least half may
be properly assigned to the increased cost OF
living, which every family understands, and
which affects the cost of carrying on private as
well as public business. The balance of the
apparent increase is more than accounted for
by new objects which the state has undertaken
to carry out within twenty years and which,
whether wisely or not undertaken, have re-
ceived general support without regard to party
divisions. The state appropriated last year
S12 $50 to the College of Agriculture and Me-
chanc Arts; S12, 500 to the Industrial School
| for Girls; $25 900 to the Maine General Hospi-
tai, S5,676 for propagation of fish and compen-
sation of Fish Commissioners; S1S,054 for agri-
| cultural societies and agricultural report,
| against sixth of that sum twenty years since;
$4,000 for education of deaf and dumb and
support of paupers in uuincorporated places
an expenditure hardly known twenty years
since, and about $4,000 for support of insane
| bill formerly almost entirely paid by towns.
1t will be seen at once that these new items
l of expenditure more than account for all the
increase in current state expenditures, and
show that under Republican rule the ordinary
current expenditures have not been increased
so much as the cost of carrying on private bus.
mess. Indeed, the increase of property in
| Maine has been far greater proportion ately
than the increase of public expenditure. Thus
the current expenses of 1856 were two and a
half mills per dollar on the state valuation, but
| the current expenditures in 1874 were only ono
| and three-fourths mills per dollar on the state
| valuation. The tr1th is that the current ex-
| penditutes of Maine are less per inhabitant
| than any state in the Union where the Demo-
Gratis are in power. The expenditures of this
state were reduced in some directions by the
last Legislature, and the last Republican state
convention declared for a further decrease
| Whenever the public interests will permit