The Portland daily press., 1899-08-21

~ pay FOR ~ our labos. Il s. What Jon put
Tito the ground that you pay taxes on
tor fqfm worth II nothing II you DO not
work u yourself. As old rs am haye
nnt late snH p ms G IN Ot ssy 70 pay
taxes have to pay $50 a year on farm
not worth more than 5000. It makes
me mad when 1 think Of IL. 1t is unjust
aud unfafr and Il goes on year after year
and win 20 on until the farmers Of this
state put an end to IT," (Applause.l
Mr.. L. RoLEE
Of DssrIng, was the next speaker. He
said that where the farfners are today
they have only themselves to blame The
politicians and the rings have bsen lead :
Ing as by thu nose. They don't pay q
dollar OF the taxes while you ana / who
pay their salaries by the sweat OF our
brous have to keep our noses to the grind
stone to make both ends meat. Mr.. Rolfe
said that when, Deering became a city
man was elected road commissioner at
salary OF $500 q year. Another man
offered to do the wnrk that this officer
did for $3.50. hut he was not elected to
the place. He said he had seen Que man
paid - day to sit around and watch
three men work out their taxes
Mr.. Small here interrupted TO soy that
he had seen six men at 81 a day watch
one man work, and this made the crowd
laugh.
Mr. Rolfs said that the papers and the
politicians never mentioned this farm
ers' movement without slurring ct it, and
sneering at the farmera He said that
short time ago an Increased valuation Of
$500 had been placed on some of his prop
srty BY the assessors. who had to raise
the valuation in order to keep the rate of
taxation down. Instead Of putting the
WnI In ttera 4lx. l..
where 1T should 90, the assessors made
the farmers pay more tax to cover the
extravaganza of.the legislature He spoke
OF the building of the new High school
In Deering, which 1t was, said would
cost $50, 600. but which extravaganza and
waists OF money had made cost over S7O,-
600 In a country town he owned proper
ty he had to pay Ssl thousand on, which
he considered too high a rate. cit is a
case of scratch my back and will
scratch yours in the Legislature" said
Mr.. Rolfe. "Why believe the whole
Maine Legislature of last session could
have been bought for dozen slaps ON the
back"
MR.. z. @. BooTHBY.
Mr.. z. Y. Boothby Of Huntington was
then called upon to speak. He proved
to be one of the most entertaining talk
ers OF the afternoon. He was evidently
intensely in earnest In what be said
and what he didn't put into words he
plainly illustrated by gestures and act
Ing. He danced around the little pavilion
and inflated nrst the farmer, who was
led by the nose and then the staggering
politician. with his thumbs In the arm
holds OF his vest until the crowd shouted
with laughter. Mr.. Boothby first an
nonnced that he came from Liminqton
In York county. He came to this meet
ing because he believed the principles nd-
vocated here were right. Whofs to step
on this movement II the farmers assert
theirss rightsf Shall 1t be rebellion IL this
extravagancs goes on. Well, rebel, and
that Is the end of 1t. 1t will be grind,
grind, grind upon the farmer until there
will be nothing left to grind. Shall we
go on until like the ancient Romans, we
sit In the dirt while the rich man sits
in the shaded We can't do ANYTHING
through the Legislature. 1t is as impossi-
BILE as 1t would be TO go to heaven and
bring the devil back with you. LINING
ton sent one honest man to the legisla-
ture. but didn't vote for him. He was
Republican, and the only honest He
publican l sver. met. When he came back
he told me that he couldn't spin thread
at Augusta. 1t was all the ring and an
honest man had no voice. We elected
William III. Sawyer TO the legislature He
was an honest man, but he didn't
amount 70 snap OF your ungef there.
The devil would be the only man who
could go to Augusta and be ft to serve
in the Legislature. 1t IL no place for an
honest man MS things now run. You
can send an honest man there, but his
voice will not be heard. Do you wonder
that the people are growing? Are not
the wicked rulingP Yes. they are, but
i! we are ashamed of 1t and hang our heads
| ray n tax of $40 on 100 acres OF farm
land with dilapidated buildings. But
the honest men will win out for they
are the chosen ones OF God.
Mr. w. II. Sargent of Portland said
that the farmers had very little chance of
doing anything because the men In the
citles made politics their business,
Ex-Alderman Burgess of Westbrook
nlso spoke at great length, :reading what
he had to say from a carefully prepared
and scholarly paper.
The organization was perfected as fol-
lows:
President-H. K. Griggs of Westbrook.
Secretary and TreasurAr-W. II. Nc
Laughlin of Soarboro.
Executive Committee--Yarmou K.
@. blanchard; Falmouth, Z. VI. Davis /;
Gorham, Alpheus Boothby; Cape Eliza
beth. George II. Stanwood 4 New Glouoes-
ter, John W. Trae.
The president was empowered to in
crease this committee to one mem Der
from each town.