Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-09-03
Management Of the State Govern
meut.

Management Of the State Govern
The editor of the Progressive Age, in
order to improve his standing in the
greenback party, manifests his zeal for
his new found friends by most un fair and
unmanly attack upon the State govern
ment. Mr.. Rust, the editor referred to,
was q member Of the republican party in
its earliest days. From the infancy of the
party until few weeks ago, he has pub
lished Republican paper-lhe organ OF
the party in Waldo county. He has been
elected to the legislature by the republ-
cans of Belfast. and held other offices by
the favor Of the republican party. He
has voted for and supported in his paper
every republican Governor of the State,
including Governor Selden Conner, the
present republican candidate for Governor:
Mr.. Rust has for more than twenty Years
been supporter by vote and pen OF the
very administration which he now ar
raigns. The policy of the republican
party in regard to education. prohibition
of the liquor traffic, encouragement OF
agriculture and other industrial Interests,
was the early policy of the party-no more
the policy now than twenty years ago.
Still through all these years Mr.. Rust
kept up his connection with the
party, defending and supporting it in the
columns of his paper. Had he kept to
he leaves the republican party to cast his
fortunes with the greenbackers--there
might have been some reason to respect
his change; but in assailing the republi-
can party for State policy which dislin-
guished it at its birth, and which it has
steadily maintained for twenty years, there
can be only this conclusion, that he was
either dishonest while protesting TO be
republican, or is dishonest now in assaiI
ing the party as he does.
But let US examine Mr.. Rust's charges
against the republican management OF
State affairs. In the first place he states
that the total amount OF State tax for the
year 1857 was but $500, 929 50, and that
this amount covered all the State expen-
ditures for that year" Then he proceeds
to make comparison OF expenditures in
1857 with the present year, and declares
that the expenditures OF this current year.
after deducting sums paid for interest on
the State debt, on the sinking fund, ior
soldiers pensions, and for the Military
and Naval Asy lum at Bath, amount to
1927 ,462. 35, or more than four times the
expenditures for 1857"
Upon referring to the Treasurer's reno,t
we find that the expenditures of the Stat.
government for 1867 were S456. 7Ol Co.
more than twice as much as Mr.. Rn,t
places them at. Then we find that in 1857
all that was paid by the State for the SUD-
port of the public schools was S7s, 46I. So :
while this year the amount paid and to be
paid for schools is S427, 1893. Ca differ
ence of S349. 437 .3S. Correcting the mis-
statement which Mr.. Rust makes about
the expenditures OF 1857, and deducting
iron the expenditures of 1873 the differ
ence between what was paid for schools in
1857 and will be in 1873, and we have the
following result:
Expenditures for 1873, ESQ., 400 o.
Expenditures for 1851, $40 FOL co
Paid for support of schools
in 1873 more than in 81, $40 437 "a
- SOC 1873 9S
Dinerehce' s2l 1873 81
SO the difference between the expense.
Of 1857 and 1873 is mostly for additional
support TO the public schools. But Mr..
hust is opposed to raising additional
money for the schools. Like his rival in
the greenbaek convention, Mr.. Murch,
he has poor opinion of measures to im.
prove the public schools, though every
time the public school is elevated the chill
dren OF The laboring class reap the ad-
vantage.
In regard TO schools let us notice some
oil bis statements. He says that towns are
now required to raise one dollar per in
babiiant for the support of schools. The
Statement, is false. The sum to be raised
Ia only 30 cts Then ba eavc tho nou~v