The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1900-12-14
Tells Of Some Ways In Which 10
Economic.
Particularly in the State
Government.
And Then Gives His Views On
Equalizing Taxation.

Last evening at the Falmouth hotel
Calvin L. woodside, Esq, read a paper
on 'iTax Reform in Maine" bafore the
Civic club. The attendance was not very
large, but several prominent citizens
/, Including Hon. James T.. Baxter, h. q.
Jordan and Col. II. K. Boothby were
present and listened TO the able discus
sion OF Mr.. Woodside with apparent
interest. Mr.. Moo1side was introduced
by Mrs. E. q. Jorden and for over an
hour held the closest attention OF the
club and its guests. In the first place
he went on to state that the tax payer
pays three kinds OF taxes at one time,
town, county and state taxes but for
convenience they are collected by the
towns at one time. He then said that
there was plenty OF opportunity for
economy In the city, county and state
governments. Ths city government
can be improved by adopting the new
city ohartsr which sim plitled the gov
eminent a great deal. The county tax
can be reduced by pltting all the courts
under ase control, doing away with the
fee system for sheriffs and giving the
state entire control of the jails, thus
reducing the number OF jails to three or
four. The board of county commission
ers and the county tressurers could be
DISPENSED with and the state could con.
troll the highways by having one board
to look altar them. IL this were done the
county expenses would be much reduced.
Mr.. Woo dside then went on to say
that great saving could be made in the
state government. All OF the state OIL
GERS have passes ON the railroads, but
still collect their mileage from the state
treasury which was not contemplated by
the statutes. BY this means the officials
add about one-third g. their salaries.
Mr.. woodside scored the present system
OF fish and game laws, saying that the
state paid too much money for this de-
pertinent and that guides sworn In as
wardens would do away with many paid
officials and that large saving could be
made In this direction, Another thing
which could be done would be the doing
away with the state app:op 7iations for
academies and also with the large appro-
priation for the Mains State University.
Mr.. Woodside stated that primarily this
university was established to be an agri-
cultural school and as su III 1t received
state aid. Now only few men IL any,
take this course ut the university, and
this college has no more claim upon state
aid than has Bowdoin or Colby or any
other college in this state because the
agricultural department exists only In
name. He said 1t was simply ridiculous
for the state to maintain this institution
at cost of SEA, 900 a year to educate one
or two men in the agricultural depart
ment.
MIR. woodside then went on to define
taxes and showed that ib was those who
use or consume property who ultimately
pay all taxes. de said that the Henry
George theory Of taxation would destroy
the value OF all land and he showed that
to tax the steam railroad corporations
direct would be putting an unjust tax
on the stockholders of the road, while to
tax the bondholders would be doing lust
the same thing. He offered no remedy
for this difficulty. lie contrasted the
steam railroads who buy and pay for the
land on which their tracks are located
with the electric roads which use the
pablo highways, maintained at great
cost by the municipalities and don't
ply a cant for the privilege. He advo-
Gated taxing the railroads and Telegram
companies and also the deposits in the
savings and national banks over a certain
sum. He also advocated the doing away
with the tax on mortgages. showing
that the mortgage was forced to pay a
double tax by the present system. He
thought the tax on the mortRaged prop
erty should be divided between the mort
gagee and the holder of the mortgage.
His remedy for the existing condition OF
affairs would be a sworn return OF all
taxable property to be made by everyone
to the assessors OF each town.
Speaking OF the state officers and the
needed reforms In some of the state de-
partments. Mr.. Woodsids said that any
attempt to bring about a reform would
be the signal for the combining Of the
office holders to defeat the attempt and
ss all state officers are good fellows and
Mopllar In their localities 10 would be q