The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1889-08-14
STATE ToPlosIoF INTEREST.

One Of the ablest men on the commission
that Is now revaluing the property of the
State, told the PRESS, while In Portland the
other day, that the commission would please
large proportion Of the people Of the State
II II should increase the valuation Of the
wild lands and the seashore property. The
present low rate OF taxation on wild lands
makes it altogether too comfortable for the
SPECTATORS who are holding them away
property there has been such an increase In
its value in the last ten years, that no one
will complain at higher valuation.
For instance, ten years ago the valuation
OF Bar Harbor was 5000, 900; now 1t Is 81, 5,0OO.-
600. In many other places on the coast there
have been great Increases In value, though
perhaps none so astonishing as at Bar Har-
bor.'
The consideration of this rapid rise In Bar
Harb0r's valuation leads the PREsS's in
formant 70 advocate change in our system
Of valuation. "Our whole system Is out
rageous and antiquated," he said. There is
Bar Harbor, that has for decade been pay
ing State taxes on S6O0,000 valuation, while
during the greater part OF that time its valu-
alton has been from S2,Ooo,Ooo TO S5,oOo.OOO.
During this time the small country towns,
whose valuations were about $4,000, have
been paying State taxes on their full valua.
ton. The injustice of this state Of things Is
great, and bar Harbor is not a solitary case
of it,"
"How would you change this state Of
things" asked the PRESS. 81 would" he
said, "have permanent State Board OF Val
uation, composed OF two or three good men,
valuation equitable by changes from year to
year."
"But while you are talking of reforms In
taxation" sighed the member Of the Valua-
tion Commission, Il will tell you It needs re-
forming In almost every way. l have assess
ed thousands of dollars in taxes, and know
that II the assessors should get together
each year, determine the amount TO be raised,
look the town over and see from whom
money could be extorted most easily, and
then go out with clubs and seize by force the
money needed by public purposes, 1t would
be about as Just as the present assessment OF
taxes. 1t Is mere patchwork. Public our
dens do not rest on the shoulders best able
to bear them"
The caucus at South Paris to settle who
should be postmaster seems TO have been
conducted fairly and with the utmost good
humor, though the contest was long and
spirited. Two hundred and forty-two Re-
publican patrons Of the post office were
present. and there were i've candidates.
Each candidate named one Of his eonstitu-
ents to collect and count the ballots. Six
ballots were Ldkou UcAOk0 CHOICE WAS QHu.
MIR. Franklin Maxim was the successful
man. Mr.. Dingley was notified Of the re-
suit. and is expected to be governed by 1t.
DIR. George IL. Bailey writes that an effort
Is making to match Nelson against Stamboul,
the famous California stallion, for $1,000 or
$4,000. IL the match Is made, Dictator
Chief Will probably start in Nelson's stead,
both at Springfield and also for a special to
beat 2.20 at Charter Oak Park. DIR. Bailey
says that the spectators at Buffalo thought
that Aubine fairly won the race with j. X.
Shedd, and that she ought to have been
awarded first money. Some "handy break
ing" on the part Of Shedd sent him In ahead.
During the Maybrick trial considerable
mention was made of the fact that In Eng
land an accused person Is not allowed to tes-
tify in his own behalf. This was once the
law in America, and to the State OF Maine
belongs the credit Of making the wise and
useful reform. To ex-Chief Justice APPLE
ton, who now lives in retirement in Bangor,
belongs the credit Of advocating and secur-
ing this reform. With him the Hon. Albert
w. Paine, also oftBangor, was an enthusias-
tic advocate Of it, and did much to bring the
change about.