The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-08-14
State Expendit ures.
A Doctor Who Fails in his Diagnosis I,

The Argus of August 4th publishes in full
the speech of DIR. Dana at the Bangor con-
yention, in which he attacks the Republican
Marty of Maine for its management of the
State finances, and asserts that the national
debt is constantly increasing
He says: "We meet to see whether we want
this rapid and constantly increasing debt Of
the Government and State in time of peace,
and to demand that it be put in process of ex-
tinction." Can anybody tell what he means
by that? Does he not know that the National
Indebtedness has been extinguished since the
war at the average rate of more than fifty
million per year; in the aggregate more then
seven hundred and twenty millions of dollars?
The Doctor, however, says but little about
National affairs, evidently believing that his
best "holt' is on the State finances. Let
us see about the State debt, which he main
tains is nearly seven millions of dollars.
The Hon. William CALDWELL State Treasur-
er. reported December 31st, 1869, the funded
debt of the State, then at its highest, at SS S10O
900. On the 31st Of December, 1878, as re-
ported by Treasurer Banks, the debt, less the
sinking fund was $4,Sl6,900; giving as the re-
duction of the debt since 1869, S3,2S4.000.
There was also paid between the beginning of
the war and the end of 1869, of the old debt,
S315, 500, making the total reduction of debt
from 1860 to 1879 S3,599,5OO. Does the Doctor
call that constant and rapid inerease?"
Farther on he says, "Three and one-hah
millions of our State debt has to be paid with
in the next ten years, and this is only about
one half of the debt of the State" By what
kind of ciphering he makes three and one
half ''only about one-half' of considerably less
than five, am unable to understand. That,
however, is as nearly correct as any of his
statements respecting the debt. The truth is,
the whole debt of So, ,S49, 800 becomes due with
in the next ten years. The Legislature OF
1875 provided for the refunding of S3,022,OOO OF
that amount. The sinking fund of 1865 now
amounting to 81 ,O32 1896, with its earnings and
the annual addition from taxation of SS0,4SO,
will take care of the remainder.
The Doctor repeats the statement of the
National Tribune that the last Legislature
made saving in State expenses of nearly
S3OO,OOO That thing has been so thoroughly
exploded, and its absurdity so completely
demonstrated that it is surprising that any
intelligent person should repeat it.
He says: '"The deficiency of S163,00o in
1877 was surprise to everyone in the State"
etc.
Was there deficiency? Did that faith
full guardian of the Treasury, who is to-day
Treasurer Whites chief reliance, allow any
muddling of his accounts? Did anybody steal
AGENT? Not at all. The explanation is simply
this, The Legislature of 1876, anxious to
tighten the burden of taxation, reduced the
rate from mills to 81 mills. A still further
reduction to mills was made in 1871
The result of these reductions was that the
Treasury balance was reduced in 1877 in the
sum of S163,OOO, and that suppose is the ''de-
ficiency." The Legislature OF 1879 with all its
reforming dared not place the rate below
mills.
The Doctor claims that he has excellent
Republican authority" the messages of all the
Governors from Cony to Connor for the state
ment that the yearly expenses of the State
have been greatly increased since 1856.
He could have referred to no better au-
thorties, and following his example, have
looked them up. Gov. Cony said in 1866 that
the cost of civil administration for the preced-
ING wear was 1925 1888; Gov. Dingley states
in 1874 that about 100000 was expended the
previous year for general State purposes; III
1875 he fixes the same expenses for 1874 at
S32O,69i and that is all that any of the Gov
ernors referred to say about it. Since the DOC.
tor fixes on the sum of 1929, 600 as the aplount
expended in 1856, the last year the DeiiloGIlt'
were in power, it seems to me that the autnorl- !
ties he cites when examined sh9T reGnct0a tbsi
of ''ordinary State expenditures between .na'
wear and 1875 instead OF an increase. EVERY
BODY bod, M knows VS. that the gross expenditures of the
State are vastly greater than they were twenty
years ago. And why? because OF the Demo
State of Maine in State and municipal expen-
ditures, more than twelve million dollars. and
uncounted lives. The "S360,OO0 interest
money!" at which the Doctor exclaims, and
the tremendous figures which he quotes from
that eminent authority, Mr.. Pickard OF Bangor,
are but small measure of the cost to the State
of Maine of that wicked war.
The State has grown in population, in wealth
and in all its industries that Of shipballding,
which was killed by the rebellion, excepted