Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1899-01-06


ana description should bear their and
us equitable share of the public hur.
uens, ana that any person that ;s M,
~Wi.iHs 10 90 his part and desires that
ne shali IN any sense or to any class
De tax-dodgers' paradise. 'and threat +.
rus 70 emigrate in case he cannot sniff,
nis JUST taxes upon his neighbor IA not a
seIv desirable citizen. and certainly it Is
no1 worth While to bride him to remain
ihereiore, any legislation which may
nave tendency to more effectual!y pro-
auce a greater equalization of public
puroens, or to 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
| II VIII be welcomed by the most of Won.
| constituents.
10 enable you to legislate more under
standlngly,a 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
| II Is essential that you fully compre-
| mend the exact financial condition of
| the state treasury. its availa BILE resources
and necessary expenditures under exist
| ing laws.
While we point with just pride and
gratificatiOn to the fact that there Is nc
state whose credit stands upon hishe,
| plane than our own. and that moneyed
institutions and individuals would glad
| ~ loan it indefinite sums at low rates oi
interest. yet we must not forget that
there is constitutional limit to the
amount that the legislature can author
| lze the state treasurer to borrow 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 en-
| cess of $500. 900 and at present we are very
near that limit. l recommend to you
careful perusae of the reports of the
state treasurer. in which you will find
temized statements of all the receipts
| and expenditures for the past two years
BY so doing it will familiarize you with
many details, and be a valuable aid in
| legislating for this and the coming year
l also feel that it devolves upon me
| to invite your attention to some of the
statements and facts contained in those
! reports which may. perhaps. enable you
| to better understand and appreciate the
exact situation. The receipts from all
sources, except loans, for the two years
past. have been $3.254042.9S. The ex
penditures for the same period includ-
| ing 100000 paid in reduction of the pub
| lie debt, have been $685., Sl9.S3. At the
| close of the year 1896 there was in the
| state treasury the sum of 5000. 500. 49, At
| the close of the year 1898 there was in the
| state treasury the sum of sl54.723.15.
The amount received from state tax
for the years 1897 and 1898 was sl,sS5-
321.6 5 The amount received from saw
lngs banks during those two years was
$775, Sl5.S6. one-half of which was re-
| funded to the cities and towns of the
state for school purposes. The amount
| received from railroads during those two
years was 1926, 46. The amount re-
| funded to the various cities and towns of
| the tax received from railroads, under
| the law, was S126, 700. IS. The amount
paid out and expended during the years
| 1897 and 1898 in excess of receipts. eX-
| cept loans, was Sl9S, Il6S5.
The balance which is found in the
| treasury at the end of the year is soon
| dissipated and is rather fictitious than
| real as Immediately after. nearly all or
| it is due to the various towns on ac-
| count of the school fund
| These statements of receipts and eX-
| pendituras contain none of the liabilities
| incurred, or money used in eGuipping
| the troops called for to ill the quotas OF
| the state in the recent war with spain
| Not one cent has been taken from the
| treasury for military purposes during
(! these years except the usual approprla-
| ton for the National Guard in time OF
| peace.
There are, therefore. considerable sums
| due which should be provided for and
| paid. The railroads have willingly fur
| nished all the transportation asked for.
| and have not yet received any pay. ThlS,
| | think, is one of the largest claims to
| be provided for. and should be PAID at
| an early day There are other and press
| ing bills which l know it will be your
pleasure to take measures to meet.
| Yet am confident that when the final
balances are struck and when the state
| shall have received from the general
government the amount that is actually
| due us. of which the accounting officers
| have already certified as correct, $751;
| 45O so. and there is some $4,000 more not
| certified, as ii has not been presented YET
| il will he found that we have not IN
Cured any very large debt over and
| above the sun, that is due~us. Bit the
states creditors should not walt longer
IN the meantime. until the United states
government shall pay, the state should
| settle ali its debts that are just ard due.
| which it can do with small temporary
| or perrnanent loan for war purposes. |
| have not ascertained the exact amount
| of outstanding bills that need to be cared
for: that will be presented before the
| proper committee.
Neither the appropriations for wa:
purposes or any other have been over
| drawn during the past two years. or APP
piled TO any other objects thar that tor
| which they were appropriated or were
intended. and there will be found that a
balance of uneXpended appropriations
was carried into the treasury at the close
of the year 1897 OF $26.646.11. ana at the
close of the year 1898 of $751;
The urgent necessity and sound pusi-
ness proposition that we should bring
our expenditures in times of peace With
in our incomes must be apparent to you
all. There should be a reduction OF APP
propriations in all cases where Ii can De
made without Gripping or injurlns
worthy objects of state aid until TINS
basis has been reached. Therefore. II
would be well for you to scrufinize and
Il examine not only the measures or re-
solves presented to you creating new
avenues to the treasury, but also some OF
those acts now on the statute book, and
i see if their necessity is plain and urgent,
and if the state is not. in some cases
having too much for what it receives
No one should obtain for anything done
for or furnished the state one cent be-
yond a reasonable price.