Daily Kennebec journal., 1897-01-08

NiOIS Will Which, NOtClhOt
Powers treats it is gratifying. No one
will dispute his belief in the willing
ness of the taxpayers to be taxed to a
degree commensurate with the privi-
leges enjoyed; and it will be generally
agreed that it is not worth while to
bribe men to- remain in the State
by omitting to tax them as they
should be-. The need of equalizing val
ues rather than4of Showing an increase
OF wealth is forcibiy presented. Refer
cnce to the finances follows that in re-
gard to taxation. sss
Governor Powers from the facts con-
tanned in the reports of the State
treasurer deduces the following con-
clusions:
"The balance in the State treasury
at the beginning of the year 1895 was
| $i5S. 1856. The balance there at the
present time is. in round numbers.
about 5000, 100000 1t is very desirable
that there should be at all times at
least 800. 100000 to properly carry on it's
business. The expenditures have ex-
ceeded the receipts during the past
two years by the large sum of more
than $3.50, 10000. This has resulted sole
ly from the largely increased appro-
priations which the last Legislature
deemed advisable to make. and from
reduced rates of taxation.
The same ratio of receipts and ex-
penditures for the years 1897 and 1888
would create a deficit of more than
| $100, 10000. But there is one other i'm
pOrtant fact to be considered. The
receipts for the year 1897 from direct
| taxation will probably be some $780,
00O.0O less than they were in 1895 or
| 1896, as the tax levied and assessed for
1896 is two and one-fourth- mills in
stead of two and onehalf mills which
was the rate in 1894 and 1895. The tax
assessed for any year is not. to any
| considerable amount, collected or paid
into the treasury until the following
year. Hence the decrease in the amount
to be received in the year 1897
The people Of this State are as amen
able to natural laws as are those of
other portions of the earth and conse-
quently what they have they must pay
for. All will agree with Governor Powesr
| that 1--WE have arrived at point where
it is imperative that our expenditures
| must be brought within our income.
| Moreover those, who, like him, have
been unable to ascertain how this may
| be done without raising the tax rate
to what it was in 1894 and 1895, will
concur in his recommendation that the
fourth of a mill should be restored to
| the tax rate. Such an increase is
slight ard falls upon those that can
well afford to bear it. for it is well
| known that very many towns in the
State get back from the State treasury
more. in the way of the mill tax for
schools, than they pay in.
While advocating retrenchment the
Governor expressly says that he does
not wish such a recommendation to
apply to the sums necessary to educate
| the common people. to properly sup
port our school system and to provide
| for the unfortunate. insane. or de-
pendent pensioners of the late war.
He duly appreciates the fact that the
| work upon the Eastern Maine Insane
hospital should go forward. but leaves
| to the Legislature to- determine the
| amount that should 1e appropriated
for that purpose. His references to
the State institutions are pertinent.
He realizes the need of more practical
and efficient methods in building and
| under the existing laws the burden of
| maintaining roads and bridges often
bears very unequally. He sees the
| evident necessity of having a reasona-
BILE number of energetic and efficient
game wardens," whom he thinks
should also act as fire wardens. as it
is necessary to protect the forests from
| fire if we would have game at ALL" He
asks the Legislature to keep ever in
| mind "the constitutional inhibition
against creating corporations by legis-
lative enactment when they can be Or
ganized under the general provision
for so doing" He also apprehends a
| tendency toward too much public leg
=, islation. .
The manifestations Of approva1 With
which the audience received the ad-
dress indicate the favorable impression
it will have upon the people. The
candid, conservative but withal pro-
| gressive spirit in which he treated the
subjects under consideration should
have great weight with those who
| have assumed the responsibility of
making wise laws for the State and
correcting any inequalities or injustice
that may be found in those already
made.