Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-06
the ADDRESS.
CONTINUED from page 81

indicating the frugality and marked
prosperity Of our industrial classes and
wage earners, who SO very generally
deposit their savings with them.
The tax assessed upon trust companies
IL placed upon the stock Of, the COM
panies, and the basis is the same as that
which prevails in taxing national banks
I believe this is equitable and right, as
they do substantially the same business.
The method of taxing savings banks Is
very different, and depends to some ex-
tent on the securities which they possess.
Most of the persons who have charge Of
the savings banks. and they are men as
q rule of. sound judgment and large
business experience, assert and believe
that the taxes assessed on them, under
existing laws, are not only burdensOme,
but in excess Of what they should equita-
bly, pay, and that if continued, will Grip
ple them and very seriously impair their
usefulness and ability to pay dividends
in the near future. The bank examiner,
as will more fully appear by his report,
concurs in this view.
1t is claimed that large part Of their
assets which have yielded high rate Of
interest, have matured or soon Will, and
that in their place the banks have been
compelled to invest in securities paying
much lower rates, thus very largely re-
ducing their profits and impairing their
ability to continue to pay from their net
earnings such dividends as Will satisIy
depositors; and that it is wise ana just
that they should be relieved from part
Of the tax as now placed upon them.
For these and other reasons which the
banks will present to you through their
officers and agents, they may ask or you.
am informed,a reduction in the amount
of tnx assessed upon them under exist
ing laws. Whether any relief, and II SO,
To what extent, should be granted them
or not. and whether their contentious
and claims are we'll founded or not, IS 1or
YOU to consider and decide
SALARIES.
Maine has never paid high salaries to
its public servants. yetit has never 1alled
to obtain competent, faithful and effl-
cient services, 1t is principle generalfy
recognized that all offices should and do
carry with them something OF value De
yond pecuniary Compensation 1t is Tor
the best interest of the state that TINS
view should continue. The salaries pa1u
to the members of this Legislature. ana
also to the executive, sufficiently Illus
trate and prove that the money consid-
Grafton is not the sole compensation, yet
for those who devote all their time to the
duties of their office, and especially one
calling for a high grade of talent, there
should be at least reasonable pecunlafy
payment. You will be called upon by
petitions to raise the salaries of the
Judges of our supreme judicial court,
and very likely those of very many state
and public officers. In reference to these
state officers and especially the justices
of the supreme court, whatever increase,
after investigation, you shall determine
to be right and equitable, if any, you will
not hesitate to give.
The salaries of the county officers are,
and should be, largely within the pro-
vince of the several county delegations.
They are presumed to know what the
people of their respective counties are
willing to pay for the services performed.
Hence, all bills and petitions, effecting
in any way their salaries are uniformly,
I believe, referred to the county delega-
ton. where the officers live, and their re-
ports have usually been adopted by the
Legislature. There has grown out OF
this, from a misunderstanding of the
facts, practice to refer any petitions or
bills to increase compensation of a coun-
ty attorney to his county delegation,
and so far as know a favorable report
has always been forthcoming. This re-
ference. l do not think. is a correct one,
as the county attorney is not county,
but a state officer, though chosen by the
electors in the county where he lives and
serves. His salary is not paid by the
county but by the state. and should,
therefore. be determined by a commit
tee representing the whole state, in the
first instance. The practice referred to
has produced a marked inequality in the
compensation now received by the sew
eral county attorneys, tested by the SER
vices required as based upon the popu-
atiOn of their counties.
I submit. as l have no doubt you will
have petitions before you for further in
crease Of the salaries of some of these
attorneys, that it would be wise for you
to carefully investigate as to what sum
in justice should. be paid by the state as
a fair equivalent for the services per-
formed. to each one of them, if the state
is to continue to pay them, or if you deem
it better that the county delegation shall
settle and continue to determine them,
primarily. then change the law so as to
have the several counties pay.
STATE AUDITOR.
In my former address / calAd atten-
ton to the fact that 1 had received COM
munications from quite a number of
men. familiar with state affairs. deciar-
Ing that in their judgment there was an
urgent necessity of creating the office of
state auditor, and insisting that the state
would save money by so doing in excess
of the cost of the department. After
two years experience in examining and
auditing bills against the state by COM
mittees of the executive council, I am
fully convinced of the truth and correct
ness of these statements and the press
ing need of such an officer. | care not
how faithful committees of the council
may be- they cannot so fully protect the
interests of the state as an experienced
auditor would. ! think there are
but two states in the Union be-
side our own that do not have
this officer. To create this office ii
will be necessary perhaps to submit al
amendment to the state constitution, a!
section 4, article 5. now imposes very
many of the duties of the auditor upor
the Governor and co,ncil.
REVISED STATUTES OF MAINE
] would also invite your attention t.
the desirablity of providing for anothe
revision of the statutes. The last revis
ion was in 1883, and if measures are takei
at this session with a viey of effectins
another there will be a space of Is year
intervening. as the new statutes will b.
submitted to the Legislature that is It
meet in 1901 1t would also seem emf
nently fitting and proper that we shoult
mark the threshold and beginning of tn,
goth century with a new revision. No
only necessity. but something of Senti
ment. and the placing of a time mark 70
future reference points to this as TIL
proper thing to be done.
7 OF to revision nf tba CT