The Republican journal., 1904-08-25
a Figure or Two :
on the State Finances
From One Who K1OnvS.
Kendall M. Dunbar, Esq.,, of Damariscotta
Democratic Campaign Skinner.

The Maine democracy has been having
the time of its life playing with the fig
ures of the State treasurer's report,
ranging them in serried ranks and fenc-
ing them in with heavy borders in it's
party organs. 1t has proven nearly
everything that can be proven by TAX
ing a part Of one set of figures and set
ting them over against a part of an
other set of figures. But it has studi-
ous1y avoided q discussion Of the gen.
eral issue as to whether Maine has been
spending its money wisely and in way
which has benefited the whole people OF
the State.
Down in Damariscotta there lives
man who has been reading the part-of-
the-story arguments of the democracy
till they have made him tired. And he
has at last felt in duty bound to call the
attention of the people at large to the
holes that there are IN the democratic
skinner. This gentleman is Kendall NJ.
Dunbar, esq.,, the secretary of the Maine
Senate and a recognized authority on
the political and economic history OF the
State. For many years he has watched
the lawmakers do their work and when
he comes forward to discuss State f.
nances he does not have to qualify as
an expert. Mr.. Dunbar is known Of all
men in public life as most dispassion-
ate and conservative citizen and his
fairness will be recognized quite as fully
as his ability. Mr.. Dunbar says:
Every few years an epidemic of criti-
cism Of the expenditures Of national and
State governments seems to pass over
the country, and while it is having it's
run. great many well-meaning citi-
gems are honestly led to believe that ex-
travagance and corruption are running
riot, and those gentlemen who have been
life time building up reputation for
iy1tn svrt{x E1-
out conscience of the public funds.
OF course it is the province of every
tax payer to demand an honest account
ing OF every penny exacted from him
for the support of nation, State or mu-
nicipality, and his undoubted right-nay
his duty-to protest vigorously, without
fear or favor, against the diversion
from it's proper channel of any portion,
however small, of his contributions to
the public treasury. No one will dis
pute either of these propositions.
But it often seems that when the fever
Of figures is upon us, We are prone to
lash ourselves into temperature that
would be alarming, if, indeed, it had
such a mass of lamentable corruption
to feed upon as is passed before our
eyes and borne in upon our ears The
columns of many newspapers will TEEN
with articles, anonymous and otherwise
portraying such a condition of affairs
10 sooAi ICuuCCS LIE lIlOSl nearly anu
robust optimist to a lean and voluble
pessimist.
This has been brought more especial
1y to my attention within the past six
months, during which time 1 have had
some business that required the perusal
OF files of newspapers running back to
the '20s and thence down to recent
dates. Almost invariably the disease
broke out few months prior to some
election, usually local or State, and the
nrst symptoms were either a mild edi-
torial or calm communication. But
turn the pages and see the story grow
The first week it was sitting down; the
second week it was in the act of rising;
the third week it was standing on It's
feet; the fourth week it was strolling
leisurefy; the fifth week it was out for a
vigorous wark; the sixth week it was
jogging; the seventh and succeeding
weeks it was going full tilt, throwing
to right and left, and shouting stop
thief" at random.
And through it all, there has usually
been, when calmly analysed, very little
that was enlightening and left the read
er and nearer much wiser than at the
start.
The campaign that is now approach
ing in Maine, bids fair to be of this
character. This time it appears to be
State affairs that agitate us. Appro-
prlationS are extravagant; expenditures
are reckless; taxation is outrageous:
once holders are rapacious.
Now I do not wish to be understood
as holding brief for the defence of
anybody. I very much doubt if any is
needed. I write merely as one citizen
OF Maine; perhaps one of the much
advertised common people," an aver
age tax payer. 1t is true that I have
held an office in one branch of the leg
1siature, requiring my presence at the
state House several months every al
ternate year. but do not suppose that
would be sufficient to install me in the
regular ranks of office holders"
Be that as it may, however, 1 would
lke to place where they may be read.
a few figures that 1 have taken some
pains to get together, originally for my
own personal enlightenment, and while
almost daily running into articles to the
effect that all hands in the State of
Maine are in pretty desperate straits,
First, the matter of appropriations.
1t has been stated as an alarming con-
dition, that the one hundred and eighty