The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-01-09


Gov. Garcelon's address, which we present
to our readers this morning, will have one
conspicuous merit in the eyes of hasty read
ers-it is brief. Nor is that its only merit :
it contains some recommendations and sug-
gestions in which most of us will heartily
sympathize. Others are not so wise and call
for censure instead of praise.
1t is to be regretted that the new Governor
has thought fit to begin his first official COM
munication to the Legislature in SO gloomy
strain. The remarks he makes are but
echoes of the wild and extravagant talk
heard from some orators during last falls
campaign. They do not represent a true
state of affairs. Instead of feeling of des-
pondency in relation to business enterprises
there is general feeling of hopefulness.
The conviction is entertained in business
circles that the tide has turned, that we are
on the mending hand. The sales of mer-
cbandise have been increasing, and last year
gained ten per cent. over the year before.
The shrinkage of values has about reached
its limit. A great amount of capital is seek
ing investment, and now that we are once
more on a gold basis will be used to help our
impoverished industries or create new ones.
1t is the most inopporiune of times for a
croak.
The suggestions of Gov. Garcelon in re-
gard to State expenditures, are in general
just and timely unnecessary offices are
found they should be done away with. If
there be extravaganza in expenditure suit
able reduction should be insisted upon. But
whatever scheme of retrenchment be adopted
should be carefully matured and just and
equal in its workings. If salaries are to be
reduced there should be general reduction.
1t must be borne in mind that State expendi-
ture like private expenditure has been great
ly increased by the use of redundant, fluctu-
ating and irredeemable currency, and as we
have got back to a gold basis, it would be
strange if some reduction could not justly be
made. Indeed that will be in the line of pol
icy the Stats has pursued since 1865, the tax
rate since that year having been reduced
from fifteen mills on the dollar to four mills.
Since 1875 the annual appropriations have
been reduced over 1926, 700. IT further re-
duction can wisely be made, there should be
no hesitation in making it. One great item
of increased expense is to be found in the
money appropriated for school purposes; the
amount in 1860 was $4,000, and in 1878 1t
was $4O9,622. 1t is for the Legislature to
judge whether the money spent for the ad-
vancement of education and improvement OF
schools is money mis-spent. Perhaps some
offices may be done away with, and some
salaries reduced. But the Legislature Ger.
tainly shows little disposition to do away
with Offices; it busies itself filling them with
its friends. 1t will probably show as little
disposition to reduce the wages OF those
friends.
Upon the question OF the national nnances
the expressions of the Governor are confused
and hesitating. His ambition seems to be to
achieve successful dodge, 1t is intimated
that in the first draft of his address he con.
fined himself to denuncation of the legal
tender act, the National bank act, and a
protective tarie, recording his conviction
that coin is the only constitutional legal
tender. There appears in the completed ad-
dress paragraph still more condemnatory Of
the National banks, aud suggesting a paper
currency of Treasury notes deprived of the
legal-tender quality. In his objection to the
legal-tender feature of the paper currency the
Governor puts himself in direct antagonism
to the new Democratic dogma that all other
paper currency shall be withdrawn and re-
placed by legal-tenders. As he says that the
only authority to issue these Treasury notes
is found in that provision of the constitution
which empowers. Congress to borrow money
upon the credit of the United States it fol.
lows that he favors further exercise of the
borrowing power, or that he would have the
bank notes withdrawn, their place supplied
by specie, and the Treasury notes kept afoa
deprived of the legal-tender quality.
The further recommendations in the Ad.
dress can be briefly dismissed. Biennia
sessions are advised. The question is not {
pressing one, and more money can be saved
in other ways than by doing away with thu
small expense of a legislative session. The
remarks upon taxation are sensible and prac-
tical. The Governor unwisely favors the re-
enactment of the old usury laws, apparently
believing that the profit which money will
earn can be fixed by law. If the suggestion
as to the Judiciary means anything it mean
more judges-a strange recommendation to
make in an era of retrenchment. Can it bg
that Lewiston or Bangor wants Superior
Court? The comments upon the schoo
system are sensible and timely. Those upor
the elective franchise are either trite or th'
baldest nonsense. We all want to preserve
the freedom and purity of elections in ou
State-that goes without telling; but th'
intimation that they are menaced is false an
| foolish.
On the whole the Address is as good an,
wise production as we had any reason t.
expect. The sensible suggestions in
should be needed by the Legislature and th'
| foolish ones disregarded.