The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1896-04-30
Cumberland Pomona Grange.

WAS nelQ at the HceSulnpScOb orange ID
Deering, yesterday. Representatives from
the oranges of Gorham, New Gloucester.
Cape Elizabeth. Windham, Westbrook,
North Yarmouth and Scarboro were pres
emit. The following prominent members
were in attendance: Messrs. Corthell,
Parker and Scammon of Gorham, Elihu
N. Jordan and Charles K. Jordan of
Cape Elizabeth, Hunnewell Of Scarboro.
blanchard Of Yarmouth, Barstow and
Sweetsir of North Yarmouth, McConke y
and Chapman of Gray, Hatch of New
Gloucester, Jones of Windham, Griggs,
Hale and Hawkes. of Westborok, Walker.
Jones, Scholl and Cobb of Deering. The
| address Of welcome was made by the mas
ter of the Presumpscot Grange, L. B.
bennett, and responded to by the lecturer
of the Pomona Grange, J. K. Griggs.
The Pomona Grange voted to hold it's
meeting for the coming year as follows
With OAK Hill, March, 1897; Westous-
tago, November, 1896; Gray, February,
1897; Presumpscot April 1897; Cape Eli
zabeth, May, 1896; Riverside, June, 1895;
New Gloucester, Angus t. 1896; Pleasant
River. September, 1896; Westbrook, o.
tober, 1895; Gorham, January, 1897. The
day of the month Is to be fixed by the
respective oranges, of which due notice
will be given.
The following resolution was unani-
mously passed:
Resolved, That the Pomona Grange
or Cum berland County have missed the
genial presence and able support of our
Brother, S. B. Gunnison at several Of
our last meetings, and we rejoice to learn
| that his health is improving, and we
hope that at an early day he will be able
to resume his accustomed place in our
meetings, to cheer and encourage us as
he has SO many times done heretofore. a
The following resolutions were offered
by L. B. BENNETT, and unanimously
passed, and money appropriated to pay
the expenses Of printing and mailing:
Whereas, each city. town and planta-
ton underline act Eapproved March Goth,
| treasury. of Maine, tax Of two and one
half mills, on the dollar, of the present
| valuation for the current disbursement Of
the Treasury, and
Whereas, the timber-lands in our unor-
ganized townships under said act, shall
| be assessed and pay two and one half
mills, and
Whereas, the timberlands in said un-
organized townships have not the addi-
tional burdens of taxation for municipal
purposes such as, for the support OF COM
mon schools, paupers, the maintenance of
highways and bridges, and other town
| expenses, and
Whereas, Article TX, section g. of the
Constitution of Maine, provides that,
So 70 and oil fofo
assessed by authority Of this state, shall
| be apporUioned .and assessed equally,
according to the just value thereof" d
Therefore BIZ it resolved, by the Cum
berland County Pomona Grange, that
the next Legislature Of Maine, be respect
| fully requested in order to equalize taxa
tion, that the rate of taxes be increased
half cents upon the dollar. This rate is
ksomewhat less than the average rate of
municipal taxation throughout our state.
| Such being the case we believe that
| Justice to our taxpayers requires this
| legislation in order to equalize the bur-
dens of taxation as required BY said Con-
stitutional provision above cited; and
Be it further resolved that copy Of
this resolution be sent to every Pomona
Grange in the State of Maine, and to
every subordinate Grange in the State
of Maine. And we respectfully solicit
the cooperation of all said Oranges by
petition to the Legislature and by resolu-
lions and by calling the attention of
| Honorab BILE Senators and Representatives
| to the next Legislature to said inequality
of taxation and earnestly urge them to
provide by law for the taxation of said
| timberlands at the rate OF one and one
| half cents on the dollar, and
| Be it furth3r resolved, that the next
Governor of Maine be respectfully re-
<,l To, h
| legislation as not only just and in accord
ance with the Constitution but as abso-
Iutely required in order 10 make further
provisions for the support Of our public
schools.
In order to equalize the burdens of tax
alton for the support of our common
schools it is necessary that larger part
of the total sum required should come
| from thu state treasury and not from the
municipality. The reverse has hitherto
been the practice in our state. Our small
towns in order to raise the same amount
per scholar as our cities raise, are COM
PEELED TO assess for the purpose at a ratio
| three hundred percent larger than the
cities. 1t should be the policy of the state
to give the children OF our rural towns
the same educational advantages with
the children of our wealthy cities SO far
as the same may be possible. Certainly
they should have an equal number of
school days Ger annum.
| The relief to the cities and towns of our
state, which this inst and equal taxation
of the wild lands" would afford, would
be instantly felt by every taxpayer, and
the increased educational advantages thus
given to our common schools in our. rural
towns would be appreciated by every
| friend of education, and the effect of this
emil htened policy of taxation would be
a benef1cence to our people, which would
never cease, and tend to the perpetuity of
our characteristic American institutions,
all of which rest solely upon the univer-
sal education of our people as the bull
wark of our liberties, and the stability of
our government.
After dinner the Worthy Lecturer
Griggs. offered as the subjeot for discus
sion. the following: "Ought Immigra-
ton to be Restricted" and "What edu-
cational qualifications should the person
have to be allowed to immigrate to this
country" Speeches were made in favor
of greatly restricting immigration by K.
J. Griggs, Hon. W. J. Corthell and L..
| B. bennett. The educational Qualitica-
| ton provided for in the bill introduced