Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-03-15
Remarks OF Senator Heath OF Kennebec

IGctiOu CpOsllVrAllOu uStus EcspfNS IL
favor of the enlarging the State House.
Ar. PfssIden; i am glad to meet the
Senator from Cumberland in the same spirit
in which he has discussed this resolve, fer be
has put il to the members of the Senate as q
matter no, between the city of Portland and
the city of Augusta, bu, As State question,
to be decided without reference 10 localities
or sections The city of Portland has been
heard. Her application was filed properly
eourtaously and in iignifed manner before
this legislature. 1t was heard with patience.
The evidence was taken, the case WAS sub
mitted TO this Senate, and by the overwhelm
ing vote of l9 to 9 decided adversely, and
public sentlmen nj was so strong that when the
report went to the House it was accepted
without division.
The people by these overw whelming major
ties decided that the capital of the State
should be permanently located at Augusta.
/ The people of Portland in their case had
demonstrated TO Us, as q necessary part of
their cause that this building was untitled for
the business interests of the State. Witness af-
ter witness, archite ct after architect, editorial
after editorial, learned and polished argument
piled high upon cultured address demonstrated
TO the people that this building vas absolute
ly and totally unfit in which 10 transact the
great and solemn business of legislation.
When that fact was demonstrated, after
Portland has offered her remedy-the build
| ing of new State Capitol in the city of
| Portland-and the verdict is against her.
submit that when this matter is addressed TO
the conscience of this legislature, when sp-
peals are made that We must decide this mat
ter strictly as one of conscience. the city of
Portland cannot afford to make that change OF
| frnOy which NM ha -
my learned brother has referred To in his ad-
dress-I know of no other-that is now
made, standing here and saving to the people
of this State that if Portland cannot be the
capital of the State of Maine We the people
shall not have proper ;comm odations. Is
that the position that the county of Cumber-
land proposes 10 take in this matter:
| While Portland's ambition was oerleapirg
itself We heard nothing about the economical
administration of the States affairs; we heard
nothing about the burdens of taxation. 1t
was but light thing, bagatelle TO spesd
upon Bramhall Hill $500, 900 as they put it,
or even, they said, a million as We put it,
That was but a light burden 10 put upon the
shoulders of the people if the capital could
but be located in that beautiful and hand
some city by the sea. | have before me an
editorial taken from the Portland Press
| ms WAS DtIOrt tilt tuAngt
of front.
"To build a suitable State house not more
than S5oO, 900 will then be needed in addition
to Portland's donation. But ii is said that
even if you get the direct tax that even then
you have Sl00, 600 to raise that must come
from the pockets of the people. Yes, it will
| probably be necessary to raise hundred
thousand dollars by taxation. But let us see
| W hp will ma This Ry bu
sessed in lsSs Cumberland county will pay
nearly one-qusrter and York county nearly
one-tenth so that the burden of that hun
dred thousand dollars will fall about AS fol-
lows: Cumberland, nearly S25 900. York
SIC, 600, and the rest of the State about SG5.-
| 600 When York and Cumberland are will
ing to bear all but sixty-fve thousand or
seventy thousand of the direct burden of
giving the State a suitable capitol, ought the
other IA counties to grumble about the ex-
pense?"
| Mr. President, if the other II counties
are willing to take the proofs submitted by the
city Of Portland, and after deciding by over
whelming maJorities against her, vote to
spend sl5O,000 to give to the people
suitable capitol, ought York
and Cumberland to grumble at the expense?
| Laughter and applause. This is not the
| III 81 titnt III tile OF tnls tflat
have had the wealth of the grand old county
of Cumberland held up before the members
of this Senate There is not a member sit.
ting this floor that is not proud of the city
of Portland as is the distinguished and able
Senator. Sitting there pearl by the side of the
hills that slope to Casco bay, the metropoli.
of Maine, taking, tribute from the manufac-
turers and the labor of the people of the State
Of Maine as it passes through that city the
necessary business centre of the State, roll
| ing up her wealth from the sweat that pours
from the laboring men Of this grand old val
ley of Northern Maine, distributing her
wealth lavishly and generously. and with
public spirit that does honor to the city, it i'll
becomes her to fiaunt her wealth in the face.
| of the people of other counties. Because
| Mr.. President, if Cumberland county with
her wealth is deserving of consideration
at the hands of this legislature, if Cum
berland county with her tax burden is
to be considered let me say to the senator
from Cumberland that second in wealth
among the counties of this State stands this,
the county of kennebec, where the capital is
located; let me tell him that if this capitol be
permanently located here by the passage Of
| this appropration-for that is the issue-Ict
me tell him that the people have located it in
her valuation and wealth, and more than that
in the amount of the taxation that she carries
1t is often said, Mr.. President that figures
will not lie. 1t depends upon how you manage
| them. The senator from Cumberland ha.
given US an exhaustive financial exhibit of
the S'ate treasury but you will notice this
| that IN all he has given US his remarks bear
| wholly upon the direct tax that is TO be put
| upon the people, unmindful of the fact that
sum S3OD,eO0 of our revenues is drawn from
savings banks hundred thousand from the
taxation of railroads and thousands upon
thousands from telegraph and telephone com
panies and corporations of various kinds
took pains to draw up hastlly.a comparison Of
these burdens to see if it were possible that
the good county of Cumberl and did paw all of
the State tax
The valuation of the county of Cumberland
| find is fifty-one million dollars. The val.
uation of the county of kennebec is twenty
three million dollars. We are not so poverty
stricken in this good old valley as one might
lnfer from the eloquent remarks
of my friend from Cumberland
| The direct tax of the county of Cum
berland is sli2 900 The tax of the county
of Kennebec is s64 600. The Cumberland
bank tax is $50 900; but in this grand old
county we have saved few dollars and pay
s2s 900 tax from our Savings Banks deposits.
having located in this very city the second
largest Savings Bank in the State of Maine
Cumberland pays on the mill tax more than
she received $4,000 but this county allows
to flow ont from her to the small hamlets in
other counties not so favored in wealth a
loss of $50, 900 on the mill tax
SO much, Mr. President. for the position
taken by the Senator from Cumberland that
Cumberland is entitled to considerate treat
ment She has received it. She has Ger
tainly received all the time and all the space
she could possibly re ,eive at the public hear
ings before the removal committee. She
would have received more space at the
second hearing had there been more space
in the State House 10 accommodate the
spontaneous uprising Of the people Who
came here on the free and .pontaneou.
train.
Nov, Mr.. President, the Senator from
| Cumberland has made this 3 matter Of
criticism of the Finance Committee. He
says that their reports have been 50 my.te-
rious and the figures managed that run
| ing underneath the intmation is the charge
that the Finance Committee has deliberately
deceived this Legislature. Who are the
members Of the Finance Committed Both
of their reports were unanimous. The
! Senator say. that the last report he under