Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-02-11

Maine, how can you vote to increase
the salary of the judges to $4,000. The
people of this State do not ask it. The
people of the State are opposed to the
raising of salaries of any officer of the
State Government Four thousa nd
dollars is a large sum; $4,000 is larger
sum-for eight judges-five times
eight-$4O, 900; and before this Legis-
lature convenes again. we will have
paid the judges of the supreme court
$4,000. Is anybody going to tell
me that the volume of business
before the Supreme Court of Maine
is greater today than it was twenty
years ago. Look at your re-
ports and they will answer for them
selves. Are their opinions any better?
There is no law to compel a judge of
the supreme court today to hold his
position. / should hate to see any
judge of the supreme court resign
because they are able men-they are
all my friends. l have practiced before
them for a number of years, and a bet
ter class of men never wore the judicial
ermine; but / have great faith in the
people of the State of Maine Should
every judge resign, today, / do not
think the State would go to the dogs.
Where there are eight places there
would be twenty men, coming in from
every by-way of the State, wanting to
be appointed. Do you apprehend that
we do not get our best men? Why
they tell me-they cannot afford to
take it on account of the salary. OF
the $500 lawyers in the State of Maine,
how many do you suppose there are
that have an income of over $4,000 a
year. There are some, of course,-cor-
poration lawyers, but, on the whole,
right through the State of Maine there
is not 10 per cent. of them who receive
the compensation of $4,000.
1 do not know what you may do,
gentlemen. AS for me- would not
want to go back to my constituents
and say to them that l voted to in
crease the salaries of the judges of the
supreme court of Maine. l wouldn't
want to say to them that 1 voted for
any appropriation that was not neces-
sary. There is no occasion for raising
these salaries. If i was capable of be-
ing one of the judges of the supreme
court of Maine, l should consider the
salary of $4,000, an ample one, and l
would risk but that could support my
family, and lay a little aside for a
rainy day, upon that salary. There
are only few people who are prosper
ous in the State of Maine. A certain
class are prosperous, because legislation
mas been in the interest of few at the
expense of the many. l know that the
people of the State are groaning under
Unequal taxation and l know they are
opposed TO any expenditure unless as a
legitimate expense. / do not believe
that the Judges need it. l don't know
as they ask for it.
Today in the State of Maine one
half of the property valuation of the
State is exempt from taxation. When
this body will vote to tax all prop
erty alike, then / won't object to your
raising the salaries, but while one half
has to pay the taxes of the other half,
L shall call a halt every time a bill
comes into this Senate asking an ap-
preparation of the peoples money
which is not necessary. / believe the
people are with me, but whether they
ire or not, have only one light by
which my feet are guided, and that is
he lamp of equality and economy, and
[ shall raise my voice against the APP
of one dollar of the peo-
Pies money, just so long as those men
who vote for it deny us the right of
equal taxation, while the agricultural
classes are taxed so that we have beg
cared farms all over New England,
md corporations reap the benefit.
The question being put upon the ac-
,eptance of the report the report of
the committee was accepted in con-
,urrence, and the bill was referred to
the committee on appropriations and
financial affairs.
Bill, An Act to amend Chapter 25s
Of the Public Laws of 1898 as amended
oy Chapter 100 of the Public Laws of
1895, relating to the taxation of saw
ngs banks. This bill came up by spe-
cial assignment, the pending question
being upon the acceptance of the re-
)ort of the committee, in concurrence.
rhe report was accepted in concur
rence.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox, moved that
the bill be Indefinitely postponed, and
said:
Mr.. President. / have but a very
few words to say in regard to that bill
AS this Senate well knows, l was OPP
posed at the hearing to the reduction
Of taxation upon savings banks-from
V of mill, | think the bill is, in 1893,
md 4 of u mill in IS94-If | am not
correct some senator will correct me.
THE PRESIDENT: 1908 and 1904, I
presume you mean?
MR.. STAPLES: Yes, Mr.. President.
Now / am one of those that believe as
you all know in equal taxation. When
sS3,000,000 of property is locked up in
The savings banks it is a great deal of
money paying no taxes excepting this
,mall bank and mill tax. When ST.
100000 of railroad property is tied VI
in this State and only paying one half
IF one per cent. upon it's gross earnings
it reads funny, Mr.. President. and
gentlemen, to the common mind. They
isk us the question whether, under
our form of government, any class of
property is exempt from taxation. j
was somewhat amused. Mr.. President
md if it had not been for that one in
eident / do not know as l should have
spoken on this subject, when we had
a hearing before the committee on tax
ition in this chamber, there were, ]
think, fifty-one members, trustees and
directors of the savings banks, pre-