Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-08-26

ponds with fish; 81 300 for railroad commits
sioners; several thousand dollars for print
ing agricultural reports-besides special APP
preparations last year to the extent of 5000
for Maine General Hospital at Portland; and
81 900 to the orphan asylums. The other
! items of increased expenses are in ordinary
expenses. aud arose from the same causes
/ that increased private expenditures.
STATE TAXATION.
The state expenses the present year have been re
/ duoed 10000 from what they were last wear and
the only reason why tie state fax Hssessed by the
last Legislature is quarter Of a mill more than was
assessed by the Republican in $50 i that the last
Republican state Administration LETT deficiency OF
/ sla2;i-sayS Mr.. Pil-bury.
/ Not so. The so-called deficiency was
caused lay mistake of the Legislature in re-
ducine the State tax for 1877 To 3 mills when
! it ought to have been - mills. rs in 1876.
Had the tax of 1877 been - mills, then the
receipts and the deferred railroad tax would
have paid this balance.
! Again, even on the assumption that the
State appropriations this year are as large as
in 1877. when 81 mills paid everything, there
would remain Sj5.oo0 q of mill tax from
! the mill tax assessed last year and paid this
year and s5o0oo of old railroad tax to APP
pl, the deficiency leaving ii only Slls.-
216. But Nh pllsbury say the apptoprh-
tnns this year are ~l25 900 less than last
wear If so. then all the so-called deficiency
will be paid this wear from the tax of last
year Not a cent will remain NJ the end of
| the year to pay from the | mill tax assessed
this year. which will not be paid till next
year.
/ cur query is why has the tax of this year.
which will not be paid in till next. been made
Il quarter of mill higher than was sufficient
for the State expenses Of 1877: Does it not
/ look ~ if the fusion leaders themselves see
| that many of their So-called reductions of ar-
preparations are only suspensions of appropri-
atoms, and likely to leave calls for increased
amounts next wear? 1t will be remembered
that the democratic Congress reduced appro-
priations, and made great noise over what
they had done; and the hext wear busted
themselves in passing deficiency bills.
REDUCTION OF rXrEN>Es.
The Republican party has unnece> snrily multiplied
offices and unnecessarily increased expenditures
4 %t3N,23s-says Mr.. flilsbury.
If we have unnecessary officers. how does
il happen that Mr. Pill,hnrv's lcgis ature did
not abolish single one. except n iudgcship,
/ (anl the grcenback Bangor Commercial says
that must he restored in order 10 hold all the
courts but acmallv added State Pension
Agent. when previously the duty had been put
on the Adutant General.
If expenditures have been unnecessarily in
creased over 500 900, how does ii happen
that Mr.. pillsbury's legislature. according to
his own claim, reduced them only $3.50
/ But the fact is that the only real reduction of
ordinary expenses made. was about $4,000,
or at most $4,000 on salaries and few
items. The free high school appropriation of
! s}s. ss7. and the Agricultural College appro-
priatiOn of SO. 800 were suspended; S20,0O0
less was appropriated to pay principal of pub
] Il, .l..,,. al l,,ll Cor
printing. because of the suspension of the
agricultural reports and other documents;
several thousand dollars less for expenses of
Insane ASYLUM and Reform School, without
any change in the method of running these
! institutions. These and other items are not
| for the most part savings but either the cut
ting of of educational advantages. or the
postponement of obligations till after cleo
tom. C., TO next year. We can tell great
deal better next year just how much good
work Mr.. Pillsbury's legislature Gid
So far as the real reduction of State eX
penses is concerned, it was inevitable that, as
we came down to specie standard last win
ter any legislature would cut down salaries
and lop off expenditures in the new order of
things Indeed. the republican Senate led of
in this work, and Mr.. Ellis. a greenback SEN
ator from Waldo. reproved tie greenback
House for not coming up to their duty as well
a. the republican Senate. This work Of re-
duction of taxation has been going on since
! 1870. as our State tax was 6 l-2 mills in that
year, and only 3 81 in 1876.
THE STATE DEBT.
The Republicans have increased the state debt 800
per cent-savs Mr. Pillsbury.
Mr.. Pillsbury can but know that all our
State debt contracted since 1860, was incurred
for war expcnses-and n war, too. brought on
! Il, - inn nf Mr. Inn
party. and prolonged by the trigs which many
of the same party put in the way in the North.
Every dollar of the expenditures for other
than war purposes, has been paid each year
/ by the current revenue. Last wear our rev.
was devoted to expenses growing out of the
war to the extent of $40 900. and about
800 600 to aid towns in maintaining schools.
STATE PRINTING.
81 am ready to go under bonds that your State
prnn shall not cost one half what it did last year.
says Mr.. PilIsbury.
IT so it is because the printing OF the Agri-
cultural Reports and few other State docu-
ments has been suspended this year. But
why does Mr.. Pillsbury avoid the practical
point that the Fusion House voted to give
him the contract for printing, aotnithstaad-
ing his proposal raS 10 per cent highe, than
that Of other parties who happened 10 be re-
| pvdiicanSi Republican legislatures always
gave the printing to the lowest bidder. but a
reform" House, after Mr.. Pillsbnry's own
heart votes to pay him a large sum more than
other parties would have done the same work
for This is "A point which Mr.. Pillsbury
avoids.
We ask what real reforms can be expected
! of fusion which starts out in this way? Let
them get fully seated in power. and then see
how little true reform and economy will come
tr0n the men who are running the fusion
movement. The purpose is to throw dust in
the peoples eyes by high-soundng claims of
superior virtue and economy in State matters
in order that Maine may be made TO send en-
enlargement to the democracy of the Union,
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS Nom.
innteN-Gaims from the Green.
hackers.