Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-10

Treasury had already ruled-and had
the money in cold dollars in the State
Treasury-that it would constitute a
very real and satisfactory element in
n cash balance. Mr.. Davis, however,
WAS somewhat in error in his facts.
The actual amount secured by the
State of Maine from this claim was
s2S1. 62.21 sos, Pigs of this was re-
ceived during the year 1902 and was
applied towards the payment of IA
temporary loan of $350,OOO which came
over from the war with Spain, and
every dollar of which was paid that
wear Now even Mr.. Davis will See,
if he will pause from his political
legertemain, to think for a moment,
that money expended for the payment
of a war loan in 1902, could not possibly
form part of the cash balance re-
mining In the Treasury at the close
of 1903. As 4 ma,.er OF fact the State
received from the wnl. claim III l9oS
$1S2, $3.50. 1t will be seen, T. efeiore'
that Mr. Davis was just S11', ~ .'"'
Of the way in the first statement Wish
glitch hs undertakes to explain away
the big p.pubiican cash balance of
Dec. 81, 1903. Or course. d trifiing error
of $111,000 may moi mean much to
political magician like Hr. Davis;
but the matter of fact voters IN the old
Pine Tree State will be disposed to re-
gard Il so somewhat important.
The sec0lld item which Mr.. Davis has
undertaken to subtract from the big
cash balance remaining III the treas
ury at the close of 1903 is one Of WAR
rants drawn and unpaid, $226, 1865. IL.
Nos every citizen of Maine who is at
al familiar with the conduct Of State
affairs Knows that it ir the custom of
the Governor and Council to be in ses
sion up to midnight Of the closing day
of the year, in order 10 draw warrants
for all outstanding bills. The war
rants drawn Oh the closing day of the
year Witch aggregate more than are
drawn at any council meeting during
the twelve months, liust OF necessity
be paid during the new year. has
much as the Governor and CounCN are
in session up to midnight warrants
drawn by them on the closing day Of
the year do not come into the Treasury
until the following day.
Mr.. Davis failed 20 mention this i'm
portant fact in his T.ockland address
Obviously it would be impossible for
the STATE .relsurer to send out his no
tiflcations Of Nsrrants drawn on De-
cember 81, in season for the holders
thereof 10 secure til air pay upon that
date
MIR Davis should also in all fairness
have Informed his hearers that under
the law the taxes Of 1903 We're payable
on or before Jan. !, 1904. This is true
Of the taxes Of every year with
the result that & large proportion Of
them go over ahnually to the first day
of the new year il has always been
the custom to carry over {: number of
the warrants drawn in December to the
first Of the n"W year, and pay them Gut
Of the taxes which come in at that
time Now Mr.. Davis-in his desper-
ate and frantic attempts to whistle
away the big cdYh balance at the close
of 1903-declares that warran tS drawn
and unpaid TO the amount of $4,000
were carried over from 1903. That is
true, but he neglected to add that IN
paid taxes were carried over from the
same year to the amount of $S60,000.
For every dollar due, therefore. on
had in reserve $3.50 in uncOlected
taxes coming from the same year. This
is a fact that Mr.. Davis should have
been frank enough and fair enough to
have stated to his hearers in his Rock
land speech. Had he done so, however,
he could not possibly have had the
nerve to deduct from the big cash bal
ance remaining in the treasury Decent
her 81, 1905, these unpaid warrants of
1903 which We're paid in Jan. 1904, from
the taxes Of 1903.-And so Mr.. Davis
ignored the most important half Of the
unpaid warrant StOry-in order that he
might have better opportunity to
balance. But his Efforts, far-fetchei
rs they We're, did not deceive the
intelligent voters Of Maine They
know that this record breaking bal
ance was genuine one They
know that nothing like it ever did or
ever could occur under Democratic
rule. and they know further that that
splendid cash balance stood at the
close Of 1903, as it will stand in the
years to come. a monument to the
sterling integrity, the watchful care,
and business sagacity which has from
the first characterized the splendid ad-
miniStration of Governor Hill.