The Portland daily press., 1880-01-17
A FIAT MESSAGE.
THE ADDRESS WHICH PILLS.
BURY WROTE
And Joe Smith Delivered.
THE EXPIRING BREATH OF AN
ALLEGED GOVERNOR.

lopcclil Denpdtcu " tlo 1SoS.J
AUGUSTA, Jan. 16.-The Senate select ed
Jaseph L. Smith to wear the empty honor of
Governor, and both branches went through the
old established forms of inaugurating him at
late hour in the afternoon, after they had des-
ignated his Council several hours previous
The spectators in attendance were mostly those
of fusion sympathies, Republicans generally
keeping away and not desiring to be present to
witness, as one OF them told US, "a ceremony
that was a burning disgrace"
Mr.. Smith, after producing the printed slips
Of his message commenced reading it at
quarter to o'clock. He began its delivery in
low monotoaous voice, and was evidently
embarrassed, and then after he had got fairly
under way he read 50 fast and indistinct that
those in the rear of the hall could scarcely
hear what he said. There was no change in
the tone of his voice as he had pitched it at
the beginning, and from the time he commenced
until he finished he only removed his eyes from
the printed copy once. The following is the
message:
Gentlemen Of the Senate and House Of Representa-
tires.
portant duties scverally assigned to u.s. it is becom
ing that We should above all remember with devout
thaQkfulneSS that Dene1cent providence WHICH mas
kindly and carefully watched over our State dur
ing the year that is now passed While some of our
sister States have been visited with terrible
scourge, desolation and mourning, ours has been
graciously preserved free from such direfu calam-
ity Our fields have been crowned with plentiful
harvest and Peace has continued to shed her inest
mable blessings Throughout the land.
In the acceptance of the position OF power and re-
sponsbility you now occupy and by the solemn OBJ
legation you have assumed, you have pledged your
self faithful performance of the trust commit
ted to you by the people, and for the sacred observ
anes OF that pledge at an times h you are
would be needless for me to attempt to recaptulate
those Duties they clearly and plainly set forth
in the constitution and may be briefly stated or de-
termned by the rule of strict and earnest endeav-
to study and comply with the will of the people,
and to secure and promote the welfare OF the state
guide of Jail deliberations and actions-so long
as do not seek to evade transgress or oppose its
evident requirements or to exceed the powers it has
conferred we cannot go astray-or at least be de-
prved of the sincere consciousness of an honest en-
deavor to subserYe the best interests of our fellow
citizens
Owing to the want of sufficient opportunity to ex-
amino the reports of the departments of State with
that and consideration which is desirable do
not feel at liberty to make at present any particular
suggestions in the several branches but will reserve
all such as the subjects of future communications
should occasion require. These reports undoubted-
w. will in due time be submitted to you and receive
such attentions and deliberations at your hands as
their respective Importance and the good OF the
But there are subjects for your deliberaton of
vast and vital Importance which need no Official re-
port inform you of their existence in your midst
They of such magnitude and so conspicuous,
that they cannot but be seen, and are doubtless in
the minds Of you an and nSe ALREADY 81 S
longcontinued and constantly increasing depression
in our industrial, commercial and manufacturing
interests though there may now be slight grain Of
hope of prosperity from the foreign demand for our
productions but which from the nature of its origin
cam Ge tbe peope and more in
tmately acquainted with their wants and wishes to
study and compare carefully the condition of all
localities of the State and so determine what legis
lative enactment will restore its former industry
and prosperity. 1t is within twenty years that
Maine throughout her vast and extended shore of
river and ocean, furnished steady and remunerative
employment to thousands of aborers, and profitable
investment for capital, and sent out two-tfths OF
the sailing navigation in the merchant service OF the
United States. Now the shipyard is nearly deserted
only here and there along coast is vessel in
process of construction. Maine, once among the
leading States in lumber manufacturing, now takes
an inferior rank and the capital and labor formerly
occupied in that branch now seeks other waters and
other States for employment. The staple farm
products hay and potatoes, lately exceeding in val
ue that of any other State, can now find price
barely sufficient to pay the farmer for his care and
toll. The laborer, who lately could find constant
employment at such compensation as afforded him
a surplus above the amount required for his daily
sustenance, and held out just hope of being able
to better his condition, finds the earnings of
other days expended and can with difficulty secure
an occasional opportunity at meagre price TO pro
pendent upon him. and no prospect OF improve
ment Whence comes this condition? What is its
cause 1t cannot be that the people are less ener-
getc or less ambitious of success, that there is
less desire of useful and profitable industry IL will
be your duty to inquire and ascertain whether 1t mas
been produced by injurious legislation or from want
of legislation, whether by the State or general
government, to seek the remedy and enact such
laws will restore your State to its former rank
TAXATION.
Someof the immediate causes of the deep dissatis-
faction manifested in the late election may be sum-
med up in one d-orer-tarGtion. Privileged and
expensive systems of ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS admins
tration-subsdeis for the baneft of the few at the
expense of the many-placeS OF emolument, created
for the advantage of the incumbent rather than for
the public good-are among the abuses that to-
gether have developed a ruinous system OF ovr-
taxation.
am happy to observe that it has been principal
recently enuncated Eby all political parties that
retrenchment and economy should be enforced in
all departments of the government, and here, at
least whatever differences may exist in other mat
ters YOU may all meet upon common groun1.
Much was done by the last legislature to relieve
the people from the burdens of taxation. They
evidently believed that the popular complaints in
that direction were not without foundation, and
fully concur with that legislature in that belief and
think the history of taxation for the past twenty
years will convince any one that such complaint is
well grounded and just ind by examination Of
the different years. that the average of the state tax
from 1850 to 1860 was S2O1 TAT rs; from 1880 to
1865, 1898 O99.3S; from 1865 to 1870 81 ,09o,-
$685. from 1S7oto 1875, S1,113314. 10; from
1874 to 1879, 1925, 551.7S. The increase in taxa
similar in the national, county and municipal taxes
1t would require too lengthy tabulatioh TO give each
of these in separate years. but to show the tacts