The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-03-07
The Fifty-Eighth LEGISLATURE.

|
ture has not resulted so successfully we
think, as to lead the people to try it
again. That body bawled Justly when
| it came into being that the State
was going to the dogs on account of Republ-
can extravaganza and corruption, and loudly
proclaimed that it was the Moses to lead the
people out of the wilderness. But we search
in vain among its acts for any sweeping
measure of reform. A reduction of about
$4,000 has been effected in expenses, by cut
ting down salaries equal to about one tenth
| OF mill on each dollar of State valua-
tion-certainly not such reduction as
the "reformers' gave the people reason
to expect. The Free High School act has
been suspended for one year, but the mill
tax remains as before. Without the courage
to abolish the State college it has been sought
to starve 1t out of existence by reducing its
appropriation. The usual appropriations
for orphan asylums have in some cases been
withheld, and smaller amount than is abso-
lutely necessary to their efficiency has been
given to the Normal schools. The number of
offices has not been diminished, though one
of them at least might we'll have been abol-
ished. The Greenback and Democratic lead
ers have kept up continual howl of reform
throughout the session in order to delude the
people, but their actual achievements are in.
significant.
Even what has been done has been done
bunglingly. The salary list will need to be
revised in the future. Some of the salaries.
especially those of the Governor ard Judges
of the Supreme Court, are ridiculously low.
while in others still further reduction NAV
very likely be effected. If the State was not
able. to support three Normal schools, it would
have been much better to abolish one and
maintain the other two in efficient condition.
and if the Agricultural College is useless it
is best to end its existence at once. 1t is
poor economy to keep..a lot Of crippled insti-
tutions in being.
The reason of the failure of the legislature
to accomplish the reforms which 1t promised
is easily found. The fact is there was no
reform to accomplish. The affairs of the
State have for years been wisely and pru-
IDENTIFY managed by the Republicans, and
stories Of corruption or extravaganza on their
part were lies circulated for partisan pur-
poses. Undoubtedly some of the House ma
jority went to Augusta honestly believing
that there were wrongs to be righted. They
hadIbeen taught by demagogues that State
and National taxation was burdensome
and was made SO by the Republican
party.
The fact is they were deluded. Only those
who consume large quantities of whiskey or
tobacco feel national taxation appreciably.
None of the absolute necessities OF life are
taxed and but few of the more common lux
uries, so that all the talk of the oppressive
burdens laid upon the people by the national
government is the sheerest nonsense. Nor
has State taxation been burdensome. Last
year it was only four mills on the dollar.
The burdens which the people are laboring
under are the result of the reckless manage
ment of their own to wn affairs, and the men
who went to Augusta thisl winter thinking
that there they could reduce taxation have
become convinced, II they were open to con-
viction, that a much better place to accom-.
plish this is in town meeting and, if hon
est, will so inform their constituents. They
have tried their best and the State tax has not
been reduced even the fraction of mill, not
withstandng the increase of the purchasing
power of the dollar which was the result Of the
policy of the Republican party enabled them
to make some saving in salaries. A Greenback
legislature has therefore been of some ad-
vantage in correcting erroneous notions
which had prevailed and which had worked
injury to the Republicans.
Concerning the Greenback leaders not
much can be said that is creditable. They
were noisy set, with little capacity for
business and little knowledge of public affairs.
Most of them were endowed with the s'gift
of gab' and with little else. They prolonged
the session needlessly by their constant talk
ing and they said nothing either which is
worth remembering. They gave the lie to
their professions of reform by advocating the
awarding of the contract for State printing
to the highest bidder. Their conduct was
not such as to commend them to their con.
stituents probably and so the State is un-
doubtedly rid of them for the future.