The Republican journal., 1899-03-16


The tax laws of this State need revision. 1t
IS the most important question before the
people to-day and very many members Of
the legislature regret that it has not been
done this year. The bill to raise She tax on
railroads will probably go over to the next
legislature, as there is not time now to
properly consider 80 important a matter, and
other things need looking after as well as
the railroads
The peculiar and extravagant methods of
tine State Board of Agriculture is a much
discussed subject at the State House just
now. The law says that the Board shall
hold an annual business meeting at the
State House for the election OF officers and
for laying out the work for the year. The
original statute limited such meeting to tw o
days, but that limit has been removed and
the members now all charge for six days
time, S12, and mileage, 50 that it now costs
the State over $3.50 for this business meet
ing. Not satisfied with this they proceed
10 hire musicians and entertainers to make
things lively. According to Secretary Nc
keen's figures in House Document No. 223
the Board entertained themselves at the an
nual meeting in 1898 as follows:
Jan. 20, S. l.. Boardman, paper for
annual meeting. Observation-Disclosures Is 90
Jan. 21 Melville Smith, use of piano
at annual meeting. ng................. 7.50
Jan. IL Llzzle Nj. Brown, singing. Is. 10
Jan. % VIM. e. Simonds, illustrated
lecture. ...........,.,......... 135 80
Feb. /, Board of j. G. Hills, W. L
SlmQnds and Lizzie NJ. Brown dur
ing annual meeting. g.........,....... $50
Iotdi. , $40
Add this to the other expenses and if that
does not look like Extravaganza what does
it look like The law says that members
shall receive nothing for their time or ser
vices, but shall receive two dollars per day
for subsistence and six cents a mile for
travel. Sec. McKeen says that it has be-
come custom to pay the travelling and
hotel expenses of members and in addition
two dollars day for services when in their
own county attending Institutes, and that
when they 60 outside the county they are
allowed pay as lecturers, all OF which is
said to be clearly illegal.
Az the hearings before the committee on
agriculture lawyer appeared to champion
such measures as the ''pure food" bill, the
proposed tax on bran and middlings, ard
other matters The question arose among
tue members as to who was paying that
lawyer, and investigation brought out the
astonishing fact that not only lawyer, bGC
witnesses, were being employed by the Board
Of Agriculture at the expense of the State to
push upon the State such legislation as the
board desired. 1t is an interesting study to
look over the statute book and See what has
been secured by them in this way. In Sec
retary McKeen's account. reported by him
in House Document NO 223, see the follow
lug,
1897, Feb. 1S L. O. Straw, expenses
on Legislative committee. - 90
Feb. II. E. E Light, services and ex-
penseS on Legislative committee, IS 10
Feb. % n, j. Bachelier, services
and expenses i'll attending commit
tee hearings 25 10
March 10. I. f. Skoteld, expenses
attending committee hearings. ..... 90
March 10. w. II. Moody, expenses
attending committee hearings. 49,. II 0Q
March 10. w. q. Hunton, services
ings.. 80 90
Nov. /. Chas. E. Wheeler, legisa-
tive work. ................... so
Dec. 4. A. M. Spear, legal services in
1897 Observation-Disclosures. ITO 90
Total for 1897 7.......................S .S277 20
Look at the Acts and Resolves of 1897 and
see what was done for the benefit of the
Board of Agriculture and be your own Judge
as to whether or not it was good legislation
At this legislature the same kind of work
has been done, as on Jan. L. 1899, we find in
House Doc. No 223 that John F Talbot re-
ceived for legislative committee work $22 so
and John NJ Winslow S17 go, and that is as
far as the account IS made public. All this
is done in the name of the farmers of the
State OF Maine.
We do not believe that the farmers want
the money of the State spent in such ways
as the above and in others equally objection
able, as shown by House Document No. 2233,
which is an account rendered by Sec. Nc
Keen per order If the legislature just
who is most to blame for all this re-
mains to be seen, but a radical change is cal
led for by great many people. The De-
partment of Agriculture has cost the State
about $4,000 in two years. The Patrons of
Hus bandry did not cost the State single
cent during the same time.
Which was of the most benefit to the farm
ers of Maine?
The Agricultural Department should not
be abolished but it should be managed more
economically, and W venture the assertion
that if it is not better managed in the two
years to come than it has been in the past
that the next legislature will clear the whole
concern out of the State House.
Capt. and Mrs. l.. P. Heald of schooner
Hattie c. Luce of Rockport, were privileged
to met the brave Cuban leader, Gen. Gomez,
at Matanzas, Cuba, Feb. 22d, and also to at
tend the reception and ball given in that
gentlemans honor by Gen. Wilson on the
of ho Aro 30