Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1899-01-10
eovEsso. POWER. ADDRESS.
Gentlemen OF the Senate and House Of
Representatives:

Gentlemen OF the Senate and House OF
Representatives:
We exchange congratulations on the
threshold Of this new year, as we ap-
proach the termination OF the century
J with convincing eveidence on every hand
that our state Is moving forward on
the highway OF present and future prog
ress, prosperity and Industrial develop
ment
The clouds OF war which for time
darkened the skies during the past year
have rolled away and we are fortunately
relieved from all future or further anx-
iety on this account
This legislature will mark the COM
pletion OF the grandest century the
world ever knew. A retrospection OF the
18th century furnishes US valuable
guide for the present. hope and inspira-
ton for the future.
II is our first duty TO rightly value the
| possibilities of the state We inhabit and
whose people have called and chosen you
TO legislate for them. This will enable us
TO discover and open paths TO new en-
terprises and beneficial industries. The
past seasons have brought us abundant
harvesis our mills and factories ARE
very generally In active operation. La
hOr is remuncratively employed through
out our borders. The disagreement or
| Misunderstanding between employers
| and employed. that prevailed for a time
! in two OF our cities. has been amicably
! and finally settled. Our people enjoy.
In marked degree. the blessings OF
plenty, OF health, OF individual liberty
and personal security Peace has once
more returned TO rule and bless our state
and nation. We have every reason To-
predict. wsth implicit confidence. the es-
| tablishment in our state before long of
many more and some new industries OF
great value To our people. And IL Is my
I deliberate Judgment that the action of
1 this legislature may and VIII have a far
Nachine effect upon that future prog
ross and growth,
We have been remarkably free from
/ contagious diseases except the typhoid
| fever contracted by our soldiers In the
! ChiCkamauga camp. We are undoubt-
.dly largely indebted for this immunity
| 10 the regulations and care OF our state
board OF health. and especially 10 It's
efficient and learned secretary Dr., YOUNG.
! who 50 faithfully and effectively dcvotes
| his whole time 10 sanitation. and 10 a
thorough understanding ~ the best
| known methods for control and prevent
/ Ing all diseases and epidemics
on Saturday evening. Nov. .6, isss. one
Of the severe~t and most destructive
gales or billiards OF which We have any
account. accompanied by binding SNOW.
| visited our New England coast. IL
| caused an unprecedented luss OF iif- and
| property. arvcking many vessels and
some steamers that were caught In It's
| path and II brought sorrow, misfortune
| and death 10 large number Of { 4 lies
and homes No calamity Of This kind ~
terrible and distressing. has, think.
4 ever visited our shores before.
Among those who pcrished on thr III
| fated steamer Portland was the Hon. T.
| Dudley Freeman ~ Yarmouth, member
and president of the executive council.
| gentleman of splendid and rare attain
ments. genial. upright. faithful and con
scicntious In the performance OF every
public and private duty. His sudden
! death In the prime OF manhood and in
/ the midst OF his honorable career and
useful iabors, was severe blow TO his
| grirf-stricken family and an almost
| irrepara BILE los$s to the state.
| Its the imperative cons titutional duty
! OF the governor from time TO time 20
give the legislature Information ~ the
/ condition OF the state and recommend
! TO their consideration such measures as
| ne may judge eSredieut In this my
endeavor TO comply with that require
| rnent and 10 perform that duty, desire
/ 10 call your attention 10 few n, least,
/ uf the many important measures which
will come before you 10 be wisely and
| impartially considered and detei mined.
| The always important and vital CUES
tions OF taxation and revenue upon the
] one hand. and OF expenditures or nrpro-
prIations upon the other. are very inrgc-
ly within your province and demand
unbiased and careful Judgment az your
4 hands The last legislature increased
! the rate OF direct taxation for state pur-
poses 10 two and hreefourths mil 5 on
the dollar. This increase OF rate and the
/ largely raised valuations which the state
/ assessors have. in the exercise of their
] Judgment. placed upon property. have
| caused the state tax 10 be somewhat
| onerous in amount and perhaps burden
some 10 certain towns and cities.
am confident that II will not he wise
J 70 add TO IL. and also, that 10y the eNcr-
else OF strict eoonomy-not paIsimony-
you viii find that IL Is not necessary TO
B DO So. for earnestly believe. and would
I impress upon you. the truth that thc
same principles OF economy, discrimina-
ton and care should be applied to all
state expenditures that the prudent
business man would use in conducting
| his own affairs.
| / find also from an examination OF
the methods and processes OF taxation
/ In other states that here are only three
! or four. al most. in the Union where the
| rate is as large as In Maine, while IN
| several states there Is no direct taxation
at all IL. however. you should find that
| am not correct and that some more
| revenue IL absolutely needed than can be
! realized under existing laws. j think u
| VIII ~ bo<fl just and advisable Ia seek
/ other sources from which To raise u
rather than increase the rate OF direct
taxation.
And In this connection | will repeat
substantially what I said In my address
20 the last Legislature, that all legisia-
tion exempting property from taxation
II generally unwise. and has tendency
To work favorltsm and injustice. To
exempt and therefore fail TO tax. is sim
ply to add 20 much more to that which is
| included In the list. and very often this
! additional burden is placed upon prop
| erty and persons that can Ill AFFORD 10
bear H. Hence. I always contend. and
do most earnestly insist. that both right
and justice demand that all citizens and
AL property Of the state OF every kind
and description should bear their and
its equitable share OF the public bur
dens. and that any person that Is not
willing TO do his part and desires that
l Maine shall in any sense or TO any class
be a tax dodgers paradise. and threat
Ems to emigrate In case he cannot shift
his just taxes upon his neighbor is not
very desirable citizen. and certainly IL is
not worth while TO bribe him to remain.
Therefore. any legislation which may
have a tendency TO more enectually pro
duce a greater equalization Of public
| burdens. or 10 do away with or repeal
any direct exemption, or indirect ones,
where the assessments are returned by
| the state treasurer. will be cheerfully
approved by me. and have no doubt
| IL will be welcomed by the most of your
constituents.
To enable you to legislate more under-
standingly, and to better determine what
financial aid you can and will grant To
various objects and institutions. and
what you must refuse In whole or In part.
IL is essential that you fully compre-
bend the exact financial condition OF
the state treasury. its available resources
and necessary expenditures under exist
ing laws.
| While we point with just pride and
qualification to the fact that there Is no
state whose credit stands upon higher
plane than our own, and that moneyed
Institutions and individuals would glad
~ loan II indefinite sums at low rates of
interest yet we must not forget that
there is a constitutional limit to the
amount that the legislature can author
ize the state treasurer to borrew for any
but war purposes, wisely placed there by
an amendment since the constitution
was adopted. which amendment express
ly declares that the state shall not. ex-
cept for war purposes incur debts in ex-
j cess of $500 OO0 and at present we are very