Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1878-02-12
(Cortinued from first psge.)

to-day without being trespasser. and that woulS
be queer sort of town. If this is true whilt
the Island 10 Q part of Vinalhaven, can any one
say how matters could be any worse If the
Island was separate town. But the gentleman
knows that in any town a man is q trespssse
save when on public way on his own land. Of
that of another by right. The condition of thing,
10 not aud c.nnot be different Oh this lslsnd. Gen
Tillson has now, while bis Island Is part Of Viz
nalhaven, all the power and even more power thar
be could have if this bill passes. This one mar
power argument seems 10 me direct ipsnlt this
petitioners whose rights we are considering anc
TO every man on this Island. Ii is based OF
the assumption that they are mere slaves instead
of laborers worthy of their hire and rs necesss-
~ to Gen. Illison as he is to them. lostead
of endsngering or destroying their existing
rights, this bill would give them new rights and
powers of self protection which they are now
denied. To-day $4,000 worth of property on
the island Is taxed 10 other men than zen. Till
son. There are Us tenants having perpetual
leases of the land which they have built
their homes, which leases hold forever unless
their owners sell rum or violate other laws of
the State. To-day these ueo who pay this tax
To reach town meeting ~they must cross four
miles of water and then travel four miles on
land.
The legislature has made this Island a separate
voting precinct for election of uauonal and State
officers that is q confession that it is inpos ible
for these Islanders to vote with the ot1er vot rs
in the town of which they part, and if il is
necessary to let them vote on the Island 10 these
cases, is it not< doubly important that they
should vote there at town meetings when their
taxes are to be determined and their town officers
choseni Give them the ri ghls they ask ia this
bill aud they have the control of their own si-
fairs in their own hands rs do each of the towns
we have the honor 10 represent. They VIII then
be NO longer trespsssers, for their taxes will 20
to make town roads on The Island instead of at
Csryer's Harbor where they never 90, and they
can have their own schools ad fire departments
and other benefits for which they now pay 81 900
q year, but which they do not receive. a few
words more TO the one man power and | will
not weary your patience longer.
know of Gen. TillsJn only by reputation but
the honorable title he bears and the records Of
the late war against treason, show that it is to
men like him-who were iatnfal among the
faithless 10 the dark hours of the Lation's dan
ger-that the gentleman from 1homaston owes
the very existence of those republican Institutions
TO which be now appeals as justifying the taxing
of the people of THIS Island for the beoef of Vi
nalhaven. l have no fear that republicansm will
suffer at the hands Of men who offered their lives
TO shield it from treason and rebel ion, and ii this
country could trust Gen. TIlson with the com
mand Of thousands of its soldiers in time of war,
/ think we may safely trust him to manage his
business, and not abuse ii he could, few Kun
bred work men upon whose good will bis own
prosperity depends. do not mean TO urge his
services in the war as reason why this act should
pass, but having done his duty Is a citizen and
being now engaged in q work which is direct
benefit to hundreds OF people, he Is at least EMIT
tied to justice at our hands.
And let me ask those gentlemen who are so
fearful about our republican institution, is it in
accordance with them that the tax payers OF Hur-
ricane Isle should be taxed for dement's they can
not receive
Does it accord with republican institutions
that the town Of Ninalhaven and the people own.
ing property there should get from this Island
500 year, for which they do not return any
benefit Does it accord with our Institutions to
have Vinahaven receive from this Island q tax
on $4,000 worth of property which is not incud-
ed IN the valuation Of Vinslhaven and ON which
that town does not pay the state one mil OF taxes
The State has never received a cent of tax ON all
this Island property, because when the valuation
OF 1870 was made The population aad value of the
Island were Insignificant. All the increase OF
taxable property there has gone to benefit tax
payers at Carvers Harbor and will continue SO
for three years more, unless this bill passes. 10
corporate the Island, and the stale At once gets
an increase of valuation aud derives an immcdi-
ate benefit from these large investments OF which
have spoken, aud Of others soon TO be made.
l have now given only portion Of the facts,
and while am thankful for tue attention given to
remarks should not have made out for the call
for information, still deem the facts stated a
conclusive aud unanswerable argument In favor of
this hill There never wautlug men who cry
out that the Republic is dagger ii some act Tor
their benefit the benefit vi their party is not
done or omitted. Tue argument as t. one man
power is of this class. Ever since tue organIza-
lion of our Republic such warnings anu predIc-
tions have been uttered Tor selfish or partizan
purposes, but notwithstanding the wolui cries
of wang prophets Of evil, the OLD Ship Of safe
has sailed sereney on, aud, believe, will manage
to survive, whether this OIL passes or not.
In conclusion, then, say tnat, recognizing the
natural desire of Vin4naven and The tax. payers
m this Island. ut a ~ m ke
q clear profit of 500 or more year, anu recog-
nizing also tue natural desire of the petitioners to
be set apart 10 control their own affairs aad pay
taxes only for their own benefit 1t i. tor US to de-
termne what justice and the sts OF the State
demand. IhIs bill, As have attemp pied to SHOW,
takes from VInalnaven nothing to which II has
legal or equitable title. 1t secures to toe pettion-
ers their existing gbts aud adds and Jrtant
ones, such every similar community In Maine
enjoys. The bill also gives the State the benefit
of the large business now established and grow
ing on this Island, and therefore believe it ought
10 pass