Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-01

In House Of Representatives the bill to divert the
mill tax for the support of common schools TO the
payment of the public debt.
Mr.. DIcKEY said:
Mr.. SPEAKER: The gentleman from Ban
gor BROWN has said that he would not dare
to go home to his constituents il he did not
vote to divert quarter of the mill tax.
Were to go home after voting to reduce the
mill tax one-quarter it would be necessary
for me to get so heated up that fire would not
scorch me. tell you the people ofthis StAte
are feyerish upon this point; and they will
never yield it. And whoever votes in this
legislature to yield it up will in turn be yield
ed up by the people next fall.
Now, gentlemen, | am here in the interests
Of the people. If members differ with me
they have right to do so, | do not blame
them and they must not blame me. But some
members come into the legislature and dis
cnss subject as though it were personal
matter, and they have personal feelings and
show temper upon it. Those things are all
wrong; and abhor them any where. This
undertaking to lash people into voting in a
certain direction cespise.
Now, how is it The gentleman says there
is more money than we want for schools. We
have taken $40, 900 from them in removing
free high schools. But how is it? Two hun
dred and eighty-eighty towns raised more
money than they were obliged to last year.
Does that show that the people thought they
had too much money? Not at all. The city
Of Bangor raised about 81, 900 more than they
were under any obligation to raise. Does
that show that the people of Bangor thought
they had too much school money? Not
at all. This mill tax has a ramification
that reaches every town, every school dis
trict, every hamlet and every home. 1t lifts
mp the down-trodden, lifts up the ignorant and
educates them. should rather take from
my children quarter of their bread than to
take from them quarter of their brain food.
Is any reform party to come here and retard
education, cut it off and let the people GO
back into barbarism? Not at all. This
House will vote two to one against such a
proposition. Why, don't believe members
after a vote against the mill tax would dare
to go home to their wives and children.
Now Mr.. Speaker, do not talk here for
myself. do not talk for any party. came
here to legislate as ! thought best, and
for one can never take from the children the
small pttanee that they have.
1t is said that the cities have large tax to
pay. ! am happy to know that Portland
never grumbled at the expense of educating
the children of the state and that city pays
one-seventh part of the entire tax of our
commonwealth. But who makes up the city
of Portland? Country boys and country
girls that are educated by this mill tax, who
go in and build them up. They do not build
themselves up. From whence do the
bunesss men and lawyers of Port
land come? They are farmers boys.
1t is the farmers boys who build up and
support such cities as Portland and Bangor
And am happy to say that whatever the city
of Portland pays out in this matter she re-
ceives back ten fold in brains, and in strength.
| know the people of the cities of Portland
and Bangor. And how many of them were
raised there! Why, they were brought up in
the red school houses, and went to those cit
les. DO the cities lose anything? No. They
are the gamers. They are the ones that reap
the benefits. And shall they begrudge the
education of our poor children? say to you
gentlemen and say it as one who stands upon
his own decision, when 90 home to my con-
stituents want to say to them, al have done
what could for your children and for my
children, that they may grow up as men and
women worthy of the State
1t has been said that our young men are all
going out of the State. If they go out of the
State let them go with brains and an educa-
ton, that they may be an honor to any State
into which they may CO.
Mr.. Speaker, if this bill passes, there will
be howl go up all over this State that we
shall not like to hear. When we in the cause
of retrenchment, are asked to strike mt the
efficiency of our common schools, tell you
it is asking too much, and something that is
entirely wrong. And the voters of the State
will never submit to it. rt