Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1881-03-14
DaiIu kfnnetrl Journal.
Report of the Joint Special
Committee on the State Of the
Commonwealth.

commonwealth.
The Joint Special Committee on the state
of the commonw ealth, have considered the
matters properly falling within their province
including certain statements of facts and
principles of State policy contained in the
message of the Governor, with as much at
tention as they have been able to give them,
and ask leave to report
The Committee cannot agree with the rep
reservations contained in the message that
any considerable portion of the people of this
State are wanting IN substantial prosperity.
or with lis suggestions of future disaster
arising from the causes therein enumerated
Your Committee fear that the tendency of
that part of the message which discusses the
subject of taxation, both State and national
ment bonds, corporate power, freehold, and
the comparisons and conclusions connected
Herewith. is to create discomfort at home
and to lead the people Ia enormously believe
that they are living under unjust laws
which bear unequally upon different classes
If the effect of these teachings were to be
confined to our own borders, whilst its de.
pressing influence upon all branches of in
dustry would be regretted il would still be-
easily counteracted, when in connection with
its assertions, our attention is turned to the
sources of our real prosperity, which on every
hand are visible to our own citizens. But
when We consider It's effect -upon people
abroad who are less conversant with our
financial soundness and means of wealth, aud
its tendency tn prevent immigration and the
investment ofcapital in the State we are aware
how difficult it will he to dspcl the impression
which the declarations of the Chief Execu-
tive are calculated to create.
Nor do your Committee admit or believe
that the people of Maine are suffering under
the weight of unequal burdens. or under the
operation of unequal laws. The code of
statute laws under which we are now living
is the result of the legislation of the sixty
years which have elapsed since our separa-
tion from Massachusetts. and have been en-
acted under the vigiiant eyes of all political
parties existing during that period. Most of
these laws relating to the taxation of prop
crty and the collection of debts have been in
existence during all that time. The modiii
cations which have been made are uniformly
in favor of the equality of taxation. and of
| the easy release of the debtor from arrest
She statute of eighteen hundred and seventy
six was passed to prevent the division of "A
claim into small demands for the purpose of
harassing the debtor by arrest, and section
| fifty mine of chapter seventv-four of the pub
| lie laws of eighteen hundred and sevety-eight
was framed for the purpose of providing
for the examination of a poor debtor either
before or after his arrest. AT the expense of
-
property not exempt from attachment where
with to dctray such expense The exemp-
tion of property not liable to he taken for
debt may amount 10 at least one thousand
dollars.
Turning to the laws of other States YOUR
Committee find that in thirtv-one ont of forty
seven States and Territories there are pro-
visions for arrest for debt in some form In
some few the causes for action upon which
the arrest i made are more restricted than
in Maine, but in majority the facility for
disclosure in this State is much in favor of
the debtor. The States in which no arrest
on meshe process or execution for debt il
permitted are mainly, although not entirely
in the South, where the communities are
heavily burdened with local taxation and
where determinations against class and
color have been marked and have
| laborer who before the war had no
recognized rights of manhood or ciii-
zenship. Nor must We forget that creditors
are not ali rich. 4 very large portion of SUITS
in our courts are brought by the humble and
the poor to secure their rights in property or
the proceeds of tlr il labor. against the de
signing debtor
For these reasons. the assertions found in
the message that thousands of our citizens
have left our State during the decade to cs.
cape their burdens of debt and taxation hop
ing to better their chances in new country. -
and thai zone of the most efficient causes
tending to drive citizens frosi the State is the
law of imprisonment for debt do not seem
To the Committee to be well founded. They
seem rather To be reflection upon those who
have gone to new States, allured by the
cheapne-s and fertility of their lands or bv
their mineral wealth, and who were amongst
our most enterprising citizens.
The constitution provides tor general val
uation TO he taken once in ten years, and that
..all taxes upon real estate assessed bv ali-
thority of this State -hall be apporiioncd and
assessed equally. acco ding to the just value
thereof. To carry ont this provision the
State. at considerable expense. have just com
pleted a valuation Of real and personal prop
erty The Commission to which this work
has been entrusted have been aided bv the
assessors Of the several cities and towns. and
ii is presumed have performed their duties
conscientiously. The State therefore has
availed itself of all the means provided by
: Law to prevent unequal taxation.
BY the laws of this State certain property
and persons are exempt from taxation. But
| il will he found upon examination that such
| exemption extends only to property which
| from its character or the purposes to which il
| is put. all will agree should be exempt or to
persons who, from iDfrmity or poverty. are
unable to contribute to the public burdens.
Of this description are churches. charitable
institutions, public buildings. household fur
niturc. young stock. hay grain. and vegeta-
| bles. the tools Of the mechanic, and like prop
erty The courts have decided that excmp.
ton of private manufacturing enterprises are
not allowed by the constitution.
| ii j. true that not only the State, but most
Of the cities and towns within the State are
subject tn public Indebtedness. The State
debt is in large measure the result Of the ex-
penses incident to the war and the assumption
of certain war Indebtedness of cities and
towns. whilst the municipal debts have grown
up partly from the war. and in some cases
from aid extended to railroads. Other States