Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1901-03-14

policy OF TINS House 10 pass an apprO-
priation as they did yesterday to erect
"A lighthouse in Moosehead lake which
enures solely to the advantage of one
navigation company there, and then
say that an educational institution
must be crippled in it's work for the
want of $4,000 2 year? Are we to pass
an appropriation as we did this morn
ing of $500 for building a church at
Pleasant Point for the use of the 400
Indians living there-which | heartily
approve-and say that we have not
got $4,000 annually with which to keep
an educational institution going? Are
We to pass resolves for every hospital
and then say that from sheer poverty
we cannot pass this resolve? We must
take one Of two positions in this mat
ter. either that the State Of Maine has
not got $4,000 year for two years to
spend for necessary purposes, or else
that we do not desire the Maine Stat.
College to do the work which it has
been doing and which it was designed
to do.
| want to say that one gentleman
who has debated this question in the
House stated to me frankly that if the
State had $4,000, 900 in it's treasury he
still would be opposed to granting
dollar to the State College. If that is
the policy Of the House. then the House
should vote down this appropriation.
and it should vote to take away the
$50, 600 a year, for there is no logi" i'm
furnishing an educational institution
with money enough to run and then
crippling it for the want of a few
thousand dollars so that it cannot go
on. If. on the other hand. the matter
is purely an. economic one, what about
the appropriations that we are per-
hitting to go by day after day? L
have no fear of this Legislature adopt
ing the marrow policy that the State OF
Maine is not able to keep up its state
institutions 1t is better that the state
of Maine should raise proper sums OF
money, it is better that the State
should do as your towns do when
you go to town meeting and vote taxes
on taxes, 21a and 8 per cent. on your
property-you do it because you want
schools and roads and water works
and electric lights. you want whatever
is good for your town. You figure first
on what is good for your town and
then raise the money to pay it: and
that | take it. is the proper way to
run the State of Maine. But If it was
not ! wish someone who is handy at
mathematics would figure how much
of tax he would have to assess 20
constitute $4,000 a year. You will find
that it will be lao of a mill. and
man who had 10000 worth of property
would pay $l.0O more Of tax if this re-
solve went through, if it was direct tax.
ana the man having $1,000 worth Of prop
crty would pay ten cents. and a farmer
having a thousand dollar farm would pay
2i2 cents. 1t strikes me, taking those
figures into consideration that the mat
ter Of economy has been little over
worked. II is our part to do our duty
ana do ii ourselves 1t is our part to as
sumo our own responsibility and if we d.
that if we act conscientiously. justly and
wisely as we can. we have done all that
our constituents elected us to do.
| desire to thank my friend from Port
land tMr Chasel for extending me tn
courtesy Of the floor; and | thank the
gentlemen Of the House who have lis
tened to me so patiently.
Mr.. CHASE of Portland: Mr..
Speaker, there are two or three things
to which | desire to call attention. in
justice to the citizens and tax payers
Of this State whom we represent. |
took occasion. one week ago, to call at
tentOn to the situation which we were
facing. | opposed this appropriation
mainly upon the ground that it was
not an absolutely necessary one at the
present time, and on the ground that
the finances of the State We're at pres
ent in situation where we could not
afford to appropriate one dollar. this
year. except for those matters which
are absolutely necessary. | think 1t is
our duty TO act intelligently and I'M
derstandingly in passing these numer-
Gus appropriations. There is only one
way in which we can do so, and that is
by estimating as nearly as may be our
income for the next two years and our
proba BILE expenditures. l gave you
some figures. a week ago, from the re-
port of the treasurer Of the pending ap-
preparations. and his estimate of the
receipts or revenues for the next .wo
years; and it seemed to me then. and
does now. that those figures showed
that this Legislature can
not afford to expend money right and
itIl lol EVERY tiidt '''iH'S
along. however meritoriouS il may be.
unless that appropriation is necessary
We had some figures given us, on the
following day. by which ii was made
to appear that we have money enough
and should have enough during the
next two years to pay every dollar of
the appropriations now pending, and
pay the entire floating debt, and come
out with balance on the right side
of the ledger.
Now, gentlemen. | have here state
ment. not compiled by myself. but
which was given to me by the chief
clerk in the State treasurer's office.
This account shows that the total
amount of the appropriations which
have now been made and are now
pending, dcducting the temporary loan,
is $4.00S.5 72.4S. The total actual re-
Ccipts in the past two years were
SO 592, 9l.S6. which is $4,000 less than
the appropriations we have already
passed and which are pending But
the State treasurer's Office has given
me another statement, embracing three
items, which are included in these re-
CeiptS for the past two years of siG. 900
which should not properly go into the
receipts for the past two years. I will
read it:
In the total actual receipts of the
past two years are included the fines