Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1889-02-19

been approved and acceptedvill satisfy all csn
did zen that ID i idle and delusive 10 estimafl
Tie cost Of erecting and furnishing such {
Capitol - is projected % less than 81 600 600
above all donations. This must be raised
| by taxafions. This means an increase Of
| II mills ON every dsllor Of our present State
valuation. OF this needless taxation andre
scosgin Co. must pay in addition to hel
general tar. eSs 200; Aroos,ook $50 200
Franklin. $40. 600; Hancock. 35, 100; Ken
nebec. SIS 800; Knox. 90. 200; Lincoln
e2S, 100; Oxford. az 700; Penobscos, SO.
COO; Piscatquis. egg 400; Sagadahoc. s4S.
700; Somerset. 1880; Waldo, $40. 800
| Washington 4S9, 800. Cumberland mus
pay e2ls.00o and York SIS, 200: and if it b
true that those two counties are willing and
anxious to pay their amounts, that fac
makes it no easier for the others to pay theil
shares. | also have q tabulated statement
showing the amount which must be paid b.
leading cities and towns Of the State. vii
mention only . part: Auburn. e2l $50
Lewiston. 40, 420; Hculton. 81 $50; Presqus
Isle. - $50; Pennington $500; Castine
$3.50: Thomaston, $3.50, Boothbsy
%, 265; Dexter. $1,000; Bangor. S37, 100
Dover. s2440; Bath, S25 100; Ssarsport,
l ~ rJC It@Dfoke, 90. bkuuSIOf1
S24,950: Kennebunk. . ,925.
But it 10 said that the direct tax which wal
levied on them by the federal government il
1861, is to be refunded to the States art
that Maine may receive ss50,OO0 from tina
source. If We may judge from the attitud,
of Senators Edmunds and Blair, as reported
10 the morning paper, the bill is not likely t,
become Law st all. Blair saws New Hamp
shire would receive $ls5. 900, and pay il
taxes on account of the bill $500, 600 A
revision of the figures may show a similal
result for Maine. But assume that the
| whole amount is received. 1t belongs to the
x-payers of Maine from whom il wal
wrung. Every dollar of it 10 needed ant
should be used to erect = new General Hoe
pitsl at Lewiston, . new hospital for the in.
sane At Bangor or Portland, to establish and
maintain reformatory prison for women, &c
make improvements in your State prison
and render suitable aid to other Institution,
of learning, bsnevolence and charity /,
should be expended to inculcate among the
youth the principles of morality and jus.
tice love of country and humanity; sobriety,
industry and frugality; charity, moderation
and temperance, and all the virtues which
ornament human society, but not for the ex.
travagant luxury of = palatal Capitol fol
$50 men to occupy two months of every al
ternate year.
The people of Maine are q plain people,
neither afflicted with poverty nor burdened
with riches. They inherited from Puritan
Ancestry the sterling private virtues and ex
allied public principles which formed such q
potent factor IN moulding our free institutions
They are accustomed to assemble under plain
roofs to consult upon the common veal. New
/ p0l. nd nh AZ 4
town house where freemen met in council.
In Maine the accamulations of wealth have
beer: SLOW and gradual the result for the most
part Of small and prudent savings of two thirds
of a century. Tn, people would consent
| to be taxed seven mills on the dollar, that the
integrity of the nation or the honor Of the
State might be preserved; but not that their
representatives aud public officers, taken
from their own midst, may have more elegant
and luxurious apartments.
The business of State has never been re-
quired to halt for want of accommodation in
the public buildings. For sixty years ii has
been conducted in this building to the gen.
ersl satisfaction Of the public, an with az
great dispatch and as little discomfort a. in
any New England state. For sixty years the
legisl .tive business has been transacted in
this city and with greater purity and integrity.
or with greater freedom from the aggressive
influence of powerful corporations and
monopolies than in any other State in the
Union. In his message to the first legisla-
ture assembled in this Capitol, Gov Smith
said: I'VE may congratulate ourselves upon
the possession of Capitol " hich is an orna.
ment to the State and in beauty of material
and style of execution inferior
to no similar building among
our sister States" And when in sub
sequent years eight more committee rooms
were provided, it was declared to be the
"most convenient and best arranged of any
capitol in New England" During all these
years the number of representatives. has re-
manned the same-the departments of gov
eminent are for the most part the same
and the inquiry Gomez. what conditions
have changed 10 cause this agitation? Whom
has the seat Of government or this capitol
building offended3 mot the plain people ~
Whence these tears? Not from the people
But il more light is needed in this building.
let it in. If more air, let it in, If more
space is reasonably required, lett be
provided. It DO done nowhere cleo
as economically as here. The Boston
architect to whom | referred will estab-
lish the fact that all extensions or modi-
ications that will be required for the rest
half century. can be made for . sum not ex.
ceeding Sl25 900 and probably less. The
difference in mileage for travel of members
to Portland or Augusta would be not
less than $500 per year in favor of Augusta.
This would pay the the interest on the entire
cost Of the collections and improvements
Furthermore have personal know ledge that
house rent in Portland 10 very nearly and in
come instances exactly double what it is in
Augusta. This would involve an increase
of 33 per cent on salaries of such officers and
clerks residing in Portland, and such increase
would justly be one of the earliest things
demanded in case Of removal.
Governor Ames of Massachusetts,, stated
few days ago that the principal reason for
extending their capitol without radical recon-
struction were the old associations connected
with it. SOitis the pa riotic memories mingled
with the early history of Fanu,il Hall, that
still preserves its primitive architecture az
the cradle of American liberty.
And there are historic ASSOC atoms and in
spring memories connecte with these plain
and massive walls which the people fondly
cherish. Names ''men of might
and grand in soul" have here sat
in delberation in the years gone by. This
hall for the peoples repre- sentatives has
sS"oeN W shc 'uiC0 VI w III Nv Ttsstuutu
of John Holmes, of the Shepleys. father and
son, of George Evans. of Ruei williams, of
Anson p. and Lot NJ. Morrill,, of John A.
Peters, of Hannibal Hamlen and James
G. Blaine. Yonder Executive Chamber has
been graced by the presence of her honored
sons whose portraits hang upon its walls.
In the dark days of the country's trial and
peril, these walls resounded with the martial
tread of the loyal and enthusiastic men who
led the soldiery of Maine to their country's
defense. Within these walls, at different
periods of history, in peace and war, have
gathered the noblest sons of Maine, who by
wisdom in council and vslor and victory in
the field, jointly aided to achieve the
greatest triumph Of modern time for human
rights and contributed to the glory aud gran
deur Of their country for all time to come.
Let this honored building stand ~ the capitol
of your State, AMI as q monument to COM
mend to the example of our fathers to future
generations.
At the close Of Judge Whitehouses re.
marks Capt. Otto Micbaelis, of the United
States army, was called and stated that he
hal made careful computation of the GEN.
ter of population by the method adopted by
the superintendent Of census of the Interior
Department at Washington. These COM
putations based upon the census figures OF
the different years, showed that when the