The Portland daily press., 1895-01-04
GOV. cLEAvEs's ADDRESS.

Gov. Cleayes's second inaugural ADDRESS
delivered to the legislature yesterday Is
a comprehensive review of matters aHect-
ing the welfare of the State, with many
suggestions and recommendations that
appear to be wise and timely. The con-
dition of the public purse takes preced-
epce in the address and the statement
which he is able to give is exceedingly
gratifying. In 1874 the States debt was
S.. $40. SIG and the annual interest charge
1884, 252 Now the debt is so, 403, 900, and
the annual interest charge less than $780,
00e. During the past year the entire tenn
porary loan of 100000 has been dis
charged, $1O3, 800 has been paid on our
bonded indebtedness and there was on
the first day of January an unexpended
balance in the treasury of S45S, l95. So,
a sum more than sufficient to meet all
our outstanding current liabilities. The
State tax is now two and hall mills.
Owing to a probable decrease in receipts
from some sources the Governor thinks
it will not be safe to make any reduc-
ton in this rate the coming year, but
the year following he believes it can be
reduced to two mills and he SO recon-
mends. Upon this basis the amount OF
taxation would be only 20 cents on one
hundred dollars, and as half of this agoes
to the support of schools, the amount
levied for the support of the State gov
eminent will be but ten cents on one
hundred dollars, the lowest rate since
Maine became State. Speaking of
municipal taxation the Governor sug-
gests careful inquiry before any radical
changes are made in our method of val
uation, reminding the legislature that
our past policy has been to pursue a
course of legislation on this subject that
"would invite capital to aid in the de-
velopment of our great resources, and not
repeal it or drive it from u.s." Perhaps
the Governor had in mind when he
peDned this paragraph the listing" bill
which it was sought to push through the
last legislature and the one preceding,
and the effect of which would undoubt-
eddy be, as it has been in every State
where it has been tried, to drive capital
out of the State without increasing ex-
cent for a brief time the property dis
closed for taxation. 1t is pestilential
measures and the Governor does well
thus early to indicate his views in regard
to it.
The Governor has some appreciative
words to say in regard to the principal
industry OF the -agriculture-and
under this head wisely recommends an
increase of the appropriation for the pro-
lection of live stock against contagious
diseases. Maine has been fortunate in
having an intelligent and energetic
board OF cattle commissioners, and it is
due largely to their efforts that the State
is almost entirely free from that
insidious and dangerous disease, tubercu-
losis, which has made such inroads among
Massachusetts herds, and constitutes so
serious menace to mankind. They
should be provided with sufficient funds
TO enable them to continue their good
work.
.Education," says the Governor, ais
the great hulwark of our defence. - There
is no doubt about that, and every dollar
wisely expended F., to promote the cause
of education. is money well invested.
1t is fact. however, which cannot be