Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-07-18
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Davis and Taxes.
portland PreSS).

The democratic plan OF campaign
| in Maine this year was clearly re-
vealed in the speech of Temporary
Chairman Davis on taking the chair
| of the Democratic convention at
Waterville. 1t is to whoOp it up on
| the burden Of taxation, accuse the Re
publicanS Of extravaganza, ana make
| IA special appeal to the farmer vote
| Never" SAID Chairman, now Candi-
date Davis, have the noble men who
till the 10000 farms of this State felt
so keenly the iron hand of taxation
as in this year of grace We omit
some of his rhetorical embellishments
about the sun and rain kissing the
mellow acres into harvests. but leav-
/ ing out the Osculatory part, that is
the substance of what he said on this
point. And again he remarked that
| while the people have been led to be-
lieve that the tax rate remains low,
they have not been informed that the
State valuation for taxation purposes
has been showed W $l1G,25O,1S1 since
1882, the last year of Democratic
rule"
! AS to the latter point it may be said
in passing that it would be strange in
| ut'-u IL tIlt VI ehC h'e"St ii'''
not increased in u years. What
would they have? DO they expect
things to stand still? Would they
have the State put to sleep like the en-
| ch:inted princess, from the time of the
last Democratic administration? DO
they live in the dark ages DO they
refer everything back to the time of
Jackson? Do they not know that this
| is an age of growth and progress? One
would think SO, to hear their candi-
date for Governor speak of the in
crease of taxable values during the
past score of years. as if it were
something discreditable instead of be-
ing evidence of prosperity.
MI. Davis alleges that the farmers
| have never been so heavily taxed as
| now. There is only one word that fits
| this statement, and that is gulf"
| The farmers know better. They know
| that the state tax rate stands just
where it has stood for Il number Of
| years. at the moderate rate of two and
| three-fOurths mills. and they know
that the small fractional part of the
local assessment that goes to the sup
port Of the state is in itself a slight
burden. This is the Republican record
Of financial management during the
administration of Governor Hill, as set
forth in the Bangor platform, and Mr..
| Davis cannot refute it.
| with n state tax rate of only two
and three fourths mills. and with half
| the towns in Maine receiving more
money from the state treasury for
school purposes than they paid into it
! in taxes. there remained at the close of
| 1903 the largest cash balance in it's
| history. Every temporary loan has
been paid, and the principal of the
| bonded debt had been reduced during
the year 1903. seventy thousand dollars.
which has been followed in the pres
ont year by n further reduction of
| $250. 900, without a dollar of temporary
! loan. thus making Governor Hills adj
| mniStration one Of debt reduction and
| tax reduction. The burdens of our
state government are now borne in 4
larger measure than ever before by
great corporate interests. many Of
| which are located outside of the state.
This policy we commend and mean to
maintain. The finances Of the state
are today in better condition than they
have been for 40 years. and state taxes
are lighter than they have been at any
| period since the close of the Civil
| War"
| And vet in the face Of the facts Mr..
Davis has the gall to prate about the
'irOn hand of taxation never being
felt so heavily before! The farmers
are not fools. to he overcome with Il
| little taffy and to have the wool pulled
over their eyes. They keep posted,
and they know how much the taxes
are, who pays them and what is done
with them.