The Portland daily press., 1881-03-14
AUGUSTA.
Report of the Committee on the
State of the Commonwealth.
A DESERVED REBUKE TO GOVERNOR
PLAISTED.
Anxiety for IN Early Adjournment.
Especial Despatch to the Press

amount Slb,OUU Is lOr 1901 OIL WHICH %4 ,UUU is TO
pay outstanding bills and So, 900 for current
expenses. For 1882 the sum of $1,000 goes
for current expenses ami $1,000 for painting
buildings.
Both branches took recess to-day to enable
members to pay their respects to Hannibal
Hamlin who was on the floor of the House.
A charter is asked for the Sullivan Waukeag
Mining Company, with capital of 81 100000.
A bill was reported providing that when
railroad corporation by any irregularity on un-
certainty in its location, has failed to acquire
legally the land actually embraced in its road
way it may at any time correct and perfect a
new description, and where damages have
been once determined aud the owner of the
land taken has been paid damages on account
of the original location, the railroad
company shall not be subject to re-assess-
ment of damages by reason of such corrected
location.
There seems to be determined movement
on the part of few members in both branches
to have the Legislature adjourn early next
week and singular as it may seem this plan is
being urged by members from the larger
places on the ground of the calls Of their own
private business. To-day they have been ad-
vocating a final adjournment next Wednes-
day and will not consent to the naming of any
later time than next Thursday forenoon. Their
plan is to practically shut off all debate, to in
definitely postpone all matters that cannot be
disposed of without discussion or to thrust up
on another legislature two years from now,
matters which ought to be disposed of at this
session. Some of the most important
measures are yet to be presented and acted
upon. 1t is obviously better that the Legisla-
ture extend its session few days rather than
allow any isnpertan. matters to he disposed of
without careful consideration or to fail entire.
ly. Hasty legislation is very apt to be inner
feet and prolific of expensive controversy.
The folio wing is the full text of the major
lty report of the joint special committee on
the state of the commonwealth:
The joint special committee on the state of
the commonwealth have considered the mat
ters properly falling within their province, in
Guiding certain statements of facts and princi-
pies of state policy contained in the message of
the Governor, with as much attention as they
have been able to give them, and ask leave to-
report:
The committee cannot agree with the repre-
considerable portion of the people of this
State are wanting in substantial prosperity, or
with its 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,
the militia. imprisonment for debt, govern
ment bonds, corporate power, freehold, and
the comparisons and conclusions connected
Herewith, is to create discomfort at home, and
to lead the people to 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 depressing influence
upon all branches of industry would be re-
GREETED, it would still be 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 citizens
But when we consider its effect upon people
abroad, who are less c0nverSant with our finan-
cial soundness and means of wealth, and its
tendency to prevent immigration and the in
vestment of capital in the State, we are aware
how difficult it will be to dispel the impression
which the declarations of the Chief Executive
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 re-
suit OF the legislation of the sixty years which
have elapsed since our separation from Massa-
chusetts, and have been enacted under the
vigilant eyes of all political parties existing
during that period. Most of these laws rela-
ting to the taxation of property and the COL
lection of debts have been in existence during
all that time. The notifications which have
been made are uniformly in favor of the equal
ity OF taxation, and of the easy release of the
debtor from arrest. The statute of 1876 was
passed to prevent the division of a claim into
small demands for the purpose of harassing
the debtor by arrest, and section 80 of chapter
q OF the public laws of 1878, was framed for
the purpose of providing for the examination
OF poor debtor either before or after his ar
rest, at the expense of the county, if such
debtor has not sufficient property not exempt
fom attachment wherewith to defray such ex-
pense The exemption of property not liable
to be taken for debt may amouts to at least one
thousand dollars
Turning to the laws of other States, your
committee find that in thirty-one of forty
seven States and Territories there are prov-
slons for ARREST for debt in some form. In
some few the causes of action upon which the
arrest is made are more restricted than in
Maine, but in majority the facility for dis
closure in this State is much in favor of the
debtor. The States in which no arrest on
mesne process or execution for debt is permit
ted, are mainly, although not entirely, in the
burdened with local taxation, and where dis
examinations against class and color have been
m arked, and have operated most unfavorably
to the black laborer, who before the war had
no recognized rights Of manhood or citizen
not all rich. A very large portion of suits in
our courts are brought by the humble ana the
poor to secure their rights in property or the
proceeds OF their labor, against the designing
debtor.
For these reasons, the assertions found in the
message that thousands of our citizens have
left our State during the decade to escape their
burdens OF debt and taxation, hoping to better
their chances in new country" and that
lone OF the most efficient causes to drive citi-
zens from the State is the law of imprison-
ment 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 cheapness and fertility
OF their lands, or by their mineral wealth, and
who were amongst our most enterprising citi-
zens.
The Constitution provides for general val
uation to be taken once in ten years. and that
'all taxes upon real estate, assessed by authori-
ty of this State, shall be apportioned and as
s Sc equally, according to the Just value
State, at considerable expense, has just COM
pleted valuation of real and personal proper
ty. The commission to which this work has
been entrusted have been aided by the asses !,
sors OF the several cities and towns, and it is
presumed have performed their duties consci-
entiously. The State, therefore, has availed
itself OF all the means provided by law to pre-
vent unequal taxation.
By the laws of this State, certain property
and persons are exempt from taxation. But it
will be found, upon examination, that such ex-
emption extends only to property which, from
its character or the purposes to which it is put.
all will agree should be exempt, or to persons,
who, from infrmity or poverty, are unable to
contribute to the public burdens. OF this de-
scription are churches, charitable institutions.
public buildings, household furniture, young
stock, hay, grain, and vegetables, the tools Of
the mechanic, and like property.
The courts have decided that exemption of
private manufacturing enterprises are not al
lowed by the Constitution.
1t is true, that not only the State, but most
of the cities and towns within the State are
subject to- public Indebtedness. The State
debt is, in large measure, the result of the ex-
penSeS incident to the war, and the assump-
ton OF certain war Indebtedness lof 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
are in debt and, considering our resources and
situation, it will not be denied that we are
both able and willing to pay what we owe. The
credit OF the State of Maine stands eqnal to
that of any other State in the Union
Nor do the committee believe that any ap-
prehension need be felt that the land of this
country will ever be held in the hands of a
few people. We have no laws of inheritance
which would operate to that end; on the con-
trary, inasmuch as real estate descends to the
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