Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-02-21

Printing. 10000. 90
Stationery. 1000. 90
Binding and Stitching, 1000. 90
Publishing Journals making In
dices and Advertising Laws $3.50. 90
Fuel and Lights, 5000. 90
Expenses of Visiting Committees. jis.3;,
For Newspapers for Senate. House.
and Council. and for Postage
and Advertising. 43G.67
Repairs and additional Clerk Hire
incident to a session. estimated at j. 900, OO
Amounting to the large sum of So. .ssl .O2
Th, large sum is annually taken from the
pockets Of the people. borne down by the
burdens of taxation almost beyond cndur-
ance
But this i, not all during every session
all kinds of schemes. commissions, trustees
of charitable institutions, and offices are ere
ated, calling for the appropriation OF large
sums of money.
The people would be relieved of one-half
of these heavy burdens by the adoption of
this resolution providing for biennial sessions
But in addition 10 this. the time and expense
of an election are items of no small magni-
tude.
The whole number of ties thrown for
Governor in ls17 was l02 Notwithstanding
the time OF each voter worth one dollar
the expense as many dollars. taking no ac-
count Of the wear and tear of conscience
and horse flesh incident to u heated election.
We have now five elections every four
wears, including the Presidential election. 1t
is proposed by this measure to dispense with
three of them. and thereby rid ourselves of
threc-fifths of the sclfimposed burden. bv
holding our elections once in two wears and
changing the time of voting from the second
Monday in September annually. to the first
Tuesday after the first Monday in November
bicnnially. the time when our Presidential
election takes place. We shall thereby save
to the taxpayers of the State. in the running
expenses of "A session, and the time employed
in voting. and in the unnecessary appropria-
tiOns incident to Il legislative session. which
can be dispensed with, without detrmcnt to
the people of the State. at least four hundred
thousand dollars every four wears, leaving an
adequate sum for printing annual reports and
for other annual expenses.
contend that the principal item of pres
cnt and prospective rctrenchment and reform
is in the legislative expenses. and that no
progress can be made. worthy of the name in
economy and reformation. until these cxpen-
are reduced and this measure adopted by
the legislature and the people
In referring to the report of the late Treas
urcr of State. just laid upon our desks, | find
the following statement:
The receipts from all sourccs for the wear
(less temporary loan of SljO. .OOO) have been
81 $50. 100. and the expenditures for the same
time were Sl,213.376. showing deficiency of
revenue to meet the ordinary expenses of the
State of S223. 3.216.
The estimated receipts from the tax of 1878
were S35,o00. while the large amount of
sl22 go has been received on that tax which
is not due till January lst. 1875? If only the
usual amount had been paid into the treasury
the deficiency would have been much larger.
The estimated receipts for 1879 are 81 22I.-
$40. and if the expenditures aggregate about
the same as in 1873. there will be Il deticicn-
cv of about Slj0. 600 to be provided for in
addition to the temporary loan of SljO,0O0
contracted this year.
1t will be seen by this statement that the
expenditures for the fiscal year Just past were
about $500, 600 in excess of the receipts for
said wear. a state of things very embarrassing
to the new administration just inaugurated.
But this is not the worst feature of our in
debtedncss. | find, upon inquiry. that the
entire Trust Fund of the State (ex-
ccpt the Agricultural College fund,
amounting to Slls. 800 has all gone into the
general treasury and been expended years ago.
And although our bonded debt less the Sink
ing fund of 81 .032 .99j.4j) is but 81. sl1 .904.-
30. vet. when we add to this bonded debt the
Trust funds, we shall find our actual debt ag-
gregating very nearly $1,000. 900. These
Trust funds embrace the Permanent School
fund, funds arising from lands reserved for
public uses. Pcnobscot Indian fund. Passa-
maquoddy Indian fund. and various other
funds which may be seen upon the 18th page
of the Treasurer's report. These Trust funds
should have been regarded as sacred trust.
We had no right to squander them; but they
are gone, and all we can do now is, to tax the
people TO pay interest upon them as it be-
comes due.
Nothing is clearer than the fact that our ex-
penditures must be largely rctrenched, or the
State tax largely increased. This question
must be met at the very threshold of this ses-
sion, whether we will retrench or tax our peo-
pie beyond their ability TO bear. For my
self, say curtail expenditures in State affairs
AS YOU all have to do in your private affairs
There is no other alternative than to lop of
all unnecessary appropriations, and during
these hard times prov Idle only for such objects
as are really indispensable.
The only objection which | have heard
raised to changing election day from Sep
tember to November is, that it would be more
likely to be stormy in the latter than in the
former month; this might possibly be so. if
this proposition provided for fre voting days
dental election will be held in November
rain or shine. The voters being at the polls
can cast their votes for State officers with no
additional expense or time. The only qucs-
ton left to solve is. whether four days in
September being the second Monday
of said month for four consecutive years
would be less likely to be stormy DAYS,
than one day in November. 1t will be seen
that in the former case there will be four
chances for stormy day where there is one
in the latter | think this argument when
examined will be found to be groundless and
without point or force.
In the hasty examination have been able
to give this matter have been astonished
that our people have borne these useless bur-
dens patiently and without protest This
is the Fitty-Eighth Legislature of our State.
Fifty sht times our people have been called
together for annual elections. And by exam
nations of the records you will find that
4,472.2l6 votes have been thrown for Cover
nor at those IS State elections. Three-qllar-
tiers of this expense might have been saved
had our fathers adopted biennial elections, as
did large majority of the other States, and
/ held those alpctinns n \nyan,bar wi hon tho