The Portland daily press., 1889-03-07
a VOICE FROM WASHINGTON
COUNTY.
A New Capitol Should be Built and
u should be In Portland.

not known as public man, or had elsewhere
expressed my ideas. One man in Liberty,
Waldo county. thinks II there is a man, no
farther east than there, who Is insane
enough to want new State House. and in
Portland at that. he ought to be put into
straight-jacket and sent to the insane hos
pital. He may be correct in his views Of 1.-THE
matter, but Lone citizen away down east
am heartily of the opinion that the State of
Maine needs Cfor many reaoons which may
be giyen) new State House. l also believe
as a result Of much thinking, that Portland
is by odds the most desirable locality for
such structure; and that the lot ON Bram-
hall Hill, which had particularly examined
before any Of this State House talk had COM
menced, is the spot Of all others known to
me In the State, whereon to build 1t and my
faith in the good sense Of the future Is so
strong that don't believe If erected there
it will be battered down by an enemy.
Neither do fear that any untoward inhu-
ences Of the City Of Portland will so corrupt
the Legislators which may from time to time
be sent there. so that they shall become dan
gerous to the well being Of the interests Of
the State.
have read all the editorials, speeches, etc,
which have been.published in the Portland
PRESS, Lewiston Journal, Portland Adver-
tIser, Express and Kennebec journal. I
have gone through with the long lists Of let
ters published in the anxious Journal, per
haps bread and butter anxiety In part In
answer to its circular, and still think Just as
/ did before any excitement arose as TO the
matter. They may not be an indication OF
good common sense in the opinion Of some.
All talk about a geographical centre nova
days amounts to but very little. presume
nobody in Massachusetts would remove the
capital from Boston. At least eight States
besides Massachusetts, all very much larger
in area than Maine, have their capital cities
at or near one end Of the State. No place in
Maine to be selected for capital city, Is so
easily accessible all things considered, as
Portland. One Of the Bangor speakers at
one Of the recent hearings in Augusta, would
consider the needs OF the poor farmer In
Aroostook, as well as the rich bankers" Of
Portland. AS to the force OF the argument,
so far as the Legislature Is concerned, II
were to be at any time elected to II, should
be glad, personally, to have the meeting
place In Portland, and be poor farmer" or
something else, in say Fort Kent, for the al
most 500 / should receive for day and a
night ride, minus the regular fare, and per-
haps half ticket at that, would amply repay
me for the fatigue Of the journey. Wouldn't
1t. now?
This building of State House and its
location must be decided on by vote of the
but II N Insane asylum. OF Hospital or
State f1.son are to be built or extensively
repaired, or any other large expenses in
CURED for new purposes, which the Legisla-
ture considers to be needful. they do not call
for a vote Of the people on each and all OF
these matters, in order to ascertain II the
people will let them do it. What is Legis-
lature for, If not to take upon itself the
necessary responsibilities Of needful action /?
When the Congress proposes to expend S10,-
100000 or $4,000, 900 for a new navy or S20,-
OOc, 900 for internal Improvement IL doesn't
wait for the votes of all the people, before II
feels at liberty to act.
come now to the great "stck" In the
whole matter. l read many of the letters In
the Journal with both interest and amuse-
ment, especially so far as relates TO the let
ters from down East; l mean Aroostook,
Washington and Hancock counties partieu-
larly. The letters, especially from the farm
ing tows are ''burdened" with the idea Of
taxation. Some would prefer, / should
Judge, that the old State House, should go TO
the dogs" rather than expend many dollars
for repair, so greatly does this ogre Of taxa
tion trouble them. One would suppose that
those counties Notwithstanding the state
ments or idea, that the Eastern portion OF
the State Is especially prosperous( and that
they prominently Aroostcok Coz are to be
the FL Dorado of the future and that in the
future-dim. distant and far-the great bulk
OF the inhabitants Of the State are to be
dwellers therein, was sadly overburdened
with taxation, and had as much as they could
"wag" under. think my coming statement
may open the eyes Of some Of them In this
particular.
OF all the State expenses for buildings and
repairs, for the Legislature, and all its
necessary officers or attendants for the eoun.
ell. for all permanent State officers, for all
expenditures for account Of Agriculture,
Militia, Hospital, State Prison, &c, &c,
these three counties named, for the past two
years, and perhaps longer, have not paid OF
been called upon to pay the FIRST red cent
having in that time received from the State
for support Of their common schools, over
$4,000 above all their State taxes. And II
the State should conclude to build a new
State House, costing 81. 600. 900 (Which amount
don't believe it Is necessary to expend
for a good and satisfactory State House
to be built In Portland say, In order to
get the 100000 promised. leaving there
by $4,000 for the State TO pay-and II
it should then vote to raise the said $780,
900 by tax OF S150,OO0 per annum, for six
years, the aforesaid counties in the aggregate
or taken together, on the present valuation,
(which after 1890 will be changed somewhat)
will 60 "Seott free" for the payment OF any
portion of that large sum. In this case the
State will only take away the ertrd which Z
now pays those counties for common schools
over and above their State tax. Figure up
and see.
What downeaster breads new State
House now? And who Is frightened at the
enormous expense" and enormous tax"
which the two Aro0stook gentlemen make
mention of Aroest0ok,-that great and pros
porous county, so favored as to have received
from the State during the last two years,
over S25, 900 more than its whole State tax,
and which will within two years to come,
without new State House,) receive at least
$4,000 more. We favored ones may pity the
poor fellow on whom the burden" would
really come In the remaining 13 counties, but
so far as a million dollar State House is
concerned, to be paid for In six years, it
would only mean an expense in taxes, to
two-thirds Of the taxpayers Of the State, a
sum not exceeding IS cents q year for six
years. A SUN which by no means small
proportion Of them, would pay for seven 8
| cent cigars. or pound poor tobacco. or say
| three whisky drinks or one cheap circus
| ticket. IL the cost of these, to many people,
indispensibles, could be put into State
houses, we could in less than three years
| build a 81, ,000,000 one in each OF the sixteen
| counties Of the State, and have a few LETT
| over. without doubt. We shall need only
| one. 1 haYe no idea that Congress WIN ever
| make two necessary by dividing tne otate,
| as some seem to think may be the case In
the time of the great eastern boom.
believe In the State Of Maine-l desire
| IN see her prosper. / do not wish to see the
State, which takes Dirigo for her motto, TAX
\ ing any back tracks compared with the ad-
| yances of other States, which l think Is GER
tainly the case. Besides State House we
ought to have an expenditure as
soon as may be OF $4,000 to
SSOO,000 for other necessary institutions. l
am not cranky, and don't believe in wasting
money, but do believe in needed, judicious
expenditures. | am surprised not frequently
at what looks TO me like penny wise and
pound foolish" legislation, and all or much
OF 1t evidently because the members are
afraid Of the people, especially the farmers.
| This reminds me that l am a farmer, and
| that several years ago l enlarged my, barn,
| hay. Well. used cheap material aud pro-
| ceeded economically all through, but the
| expense was about $500. presume could
| have built a new and better one Tor less
money. A hint as to enlarging and repair
| ing the old State House.
| Taxes which would be assessed for State,
/ town and county which would include all
i a.. ~.r.~r., ait,,roa uamad hv me would not