The Somerset reporter., 1899-03-16
The Question of Taxation.

the Question of Taxation.
The following remarks we're made by
E. n. Merrill, Esq, in the House of
representatives at Augusta last week,
on the question of referring an order re-
lating to taxation to the committee on
taxation, as they appeared in the official
report of that days proceedings:
Mr. Merrill of skowhegan: There is
no question that has come before this
assembly, there is no question that will
GENE before il, that is nearer to the
hearts of the people of this State than
the question of taxation. Every man.
woman and child within its broad do
main, who is possessed of dollars
worth of property, is subject of taxa.
ton; and the constitution of this State,
the fundamental law authorizes taxa.
ton, authorizing taxation for the protee-
ton of its subjects in their property, in
their life and in their pursuit of happi-
ness--I say the fundamental principle of
taxation is that it shall be equal, fair
and just. Now the gentlemen who have
spoken upon this question have said
that at this late hour it is not becoming
for us, as the great court of Maine, to
stay here and investigate this question;
that this bill should have been intro
duced at an earlier date.
Pray tell me Mr.. Speaker and gentle.
men, why the railroads and other corpo-
rations that have been mentioned, that
are not paying their just proportion of
the taxes, have not introduced some bill
to equaize the taxation? | appeal to
you, gentlemen of the House, and ask
| you as real estate owners, as bank stock
owners, as personal property owners, if
/ your property is not taxed to the very
extreme of its par value? Tell me, gen
tlemen, any man from any part of the
State of Maine, sitting here and in the
hearing of my voice, if you have piece
of real estate that is not taxed to the
very margin of its value? Tell me, far
mers, if your oxen and your COWS and
your horses and your sheep are not
taxed for all they are worth? Tell me,
land owners, if your LAND is not taxed
for all it is worth? There is not a voice
/ that can be raised in this House to sly
no.
We are here, as has been said by the
gentleman from Pressure Isle, as the
grand court of the State. We are here
at the expense of the state; and it is a
/ great question that confrontS us. 1t is
a question that is of interest to our con
stituents from the most northerly to the
most southerly, from the most easterly
/ to the most westerly border of this great
commonwealth. Pray tell me, gentle
men, when question is brought before
I this assembly in which every individual
/ tax. payer of the State of Maine is inter
ested-tell me, is it cheaper for the
State of Maine to break up this court
and send another here two years hence
to deal with a question that has already
been placed before il? The gentleman
from Pressure Isle (Mr. Smith) said he
was willing to wait here until the last
| Jackpot had been opened and the last
raise had been made. That is language,
gentlemen, that | don't understand.
UaughteD wish the gentleman
would use language that we could all
understand.
Mr. smith: | will explain the mys-
terry TO the gentleman from Skowhegan.
j Naughter)
Mr.. Merrill: Now this is a question
which hope, before You vote to indt ii
nitely postpone, you will consider we'll
whom you represent. | am not opp sed
to railroads. am not opposed to cor
l
of Maine have done more to develop lis
interests, to develop it's resources and to
develop its wealth and prosperity, than
any other class of corporations within
it's borders. They are entitled to Ger.
tain considerations; they are entitled to
be treated fairly, squarely and honestly
/, for one, would not say one word to
hamper or in any way encr0ach upon or
I Il, f,rit,t1a A rai lrnaAs of tho Atata pf
Maine. We owe much to them We
owe, also, much to consolidated capitol
that is put into all these corporations
and they should be protected, and pro-
tected at the hands of this and every
other legislature.
have not the slightest feeling against
corporations; in fact, believe that the
corporations of this state have done
more to develop it than the individual
efforts outside of corporations, But
say, when we undertake to pass over
this matter and indefinitely postpone il,
we must answer to the people who have
sent us here, we must answer to the far
mers, the merchants, the land owners
and the property holders of this State
outside of the corporations, and their
rights are just as dear to them as are
the rights of the corporations and of the
stockholders in these corporations.
hope that you will consider care
/ fully when you vote upon the question
of indefinite pOstponement. | hope you
will consider carefully the interests of
your constituents over this State; and |
say, while ! would be glad to put on my
overshoes and overcoat and return To
my quiet home at an early date say
that we are here to meet the questions
that may he before us, and let MS stay
here until we can satisfactorily settle
them and not vote for the indefinite
postponement of a question that is the
most important that can come before
this Legislature and one that is of the
greatest interests to the people of the
State. don't know how long it would
take to open the last jack pot, but | say
let up stay here until the hot suns of
July drive us away if we can protect the
interests of the people of the good old
State of Maine.
Every family should have its household med
ictne chest and the first bottle in IT should he
| Dr. Woods Norway Pine syrup, natures rem
4 adv for ha and colda