Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1904-09-10
The Treasury Balance.
(POrtland Press.)


Mayer Davis said at Westbrook, and
he will probably repeat it in this city
later, that the Toasted surplus of s6i1 OoJ
in the State treasury at the close Of the
last year was really only $4,000 on ac-
count of warrants drawn and unpaid, that
the most Of that was paid into the treas
ury from the United States government
in the old war claims, and that without
that assistance and the s261 900 and some
odd dollars made available by grange
legislation in 1901 and 1903, they would
have closed the year with a deficit of
$4,000" They might have, but they did
not, If other things had happened. which
did not happen, there might have been
a deficiency of million. If the skies
should fall we might catch, not larks per-
hars. but eagles, hawks. wild geese and
other high SoarerS. AS to the source of
the State receipts, il makes no practical
difference whether they came from the
pockets of the farmers, the city folks or
Uncle Sam. SO long as they came legiti-
mately and properly. Nor does 1t make
any practical difference IL part Of The pro-
ceedS came from new tax laws proposed
and urged by the grange. If the lee.sla-
t!re adopted the proposition it became
Thereby responsible
Mr.. Davis claims that the balance of
sh@rnD was forced balance. To prove
80 .iT III - t'ulictS warrants Drawn ana
unpaid. $226,S65.l2, which cuts that
noasted surplus to Si10Sl3.26 These are
Mr.. Davis's words. 1t is very true that
warrants drawn by the governor and
council on the closing day of The year
nave to go over to the next year ard ap-
pear in that years account as paid. 1t
happens That large and varying amount
goes over in this way every year. But
d lici mat Mr.. Davis neglected to state
was that large amount of uncCllected
taxes also went over to the next years
accounts In 1903 the amount of unpaid
e e"ars mat thus went over was $4,000.
every dollar of which was good. Hence
against the s22G Gao of unpaid warrants
.neTe stood SS600n0 of unpaid taxes so
e eh1t as far as concerns these items the
oGte was $4,000 to the good If we
should apply the Davis system Of calcu-
E1lion' we might with just as good reason,
Sol1,TO was 81. PSI 900
In regard to the amount received from
me me government claim it appears that Mr..
DAVIS "a, IS way off on that. He said You
neft after tier taking out the unpaid war
rants, S'39, 702. 10 was paid into the state
treasury from the United States govern
1 , on the old war claims" But it an
pears that the actual amount secured Nv
7 zHe >, STATE from her claim was s2S7.-
ooi,n, and that $40, 21265 of this was re-
celVed IN the year 1902 and applied toward
Inc Inc payment of the temporary loan nf
$500 600. 1t appears further that as mot
Ter OF fact the State received from the
war war claim IN 1903 the sum Of s1S2. 5ie5s
th thls latter item was the only one
that could figure in the cash balance ne
iast year, and Mr.. Davis overestims tea
ant ae1 mo more than sl77,O00k-to be exl
what are we to call such misct,to
ments as these? Are they not wild 49,
and reckless And yet Mr. Davis1s '@ ns
per, the Watervile Sentinel saws th "a
be backed up. h lnaue can