Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1905-01-10
NUMBER 2.


pend ucol tie abil!ty OF tie 3,.te to
provide the Necessary financial support
and | am cot prepared 10 say :h2t the
axigeacy is so urgent that the State
should Immediately respond.
While, therefore, it is to be assumed
that you will examine the reports of
the Departments and Institutions, ana
consistently provide for their needs ana
efficiency, yet so far as any unusual
expenditure Is concerned, either lot
those now in existence or for those III
contemplation, have preferred to re-
frain from making specific recon-
mendations, but urge instead that this
whole question be left for your con-
siteratiCn, and that your decision be
made after you have heard each case
discussed upon its merits, in accord
ance with the usual routine OF legisla-
ton. There is no end to the demands
n lde upon the Stlte treasury. but there
is an end to the ability OF the treasury
to meet those demands without lmpoS-
ing excessive burdens upon the tax
payers. am fully aware tnat in many
cases involving public expenditure, the
State cannot afford to be unduly eco
nomical There are too many pressing
needs for that, and such a course Won q
be too narrow and contrary L. the sp!r-
il of progress and humanit.. BIT there
is middle ground of true economy,
not readily found nCr easy to stand
upon. but one which after all. should
be the goal and abiding pla of finan-
-. \ l,If fa~Fn a -
pie of the State will not Tolerate laY-
ish expenditure OF public .GIds. ana
believe as fully that even our present
splendid financial showing furnishes no
sound reason to ii~tify an expenditure
Of such character
If appropriations are eXcessiTe. new
sources Of revenue must he found or
debt incurred. II the energies Ji leg
islature or Of tax assessors are 10 ye
directed constantly toward seeking new
sources of revenue Tor the D,:rpa's ot
keening pace with eXtravagant 1ppro-
priations. 4 grave injustice may ice
done to property owners. The eqH.I-
ization of values for taxation is second
in importance only TO the revenue -
self. and under the circumstances 'att
named. the tendency viii be T. .#c
sight of the principle of ecu 'Hti1n
and to increase the taxes upon c.l:.cs
of property peculiarly open to attack.
II is true that the present state TAX CT
two and three-quarters mills Is nc ''er
large nor hurGeasome BIZ, :, i equal
" true that If Il can he reduced con-
sisteutly. such reduction Should he l.
fected. One arg lment against 7" 2
tion of the State tax seems to be 4 At
NJ some future time II ml%ht - neg
essary to restore ,ie Did rate 81 n
increase Il. and that lie Htf"'.n x IN 20
this would prove 20 lie em .E;i's as
10 o political party or TO IN adal.h'' l.
ticn. Put this is more an excuse IN
4 reason. It is t. 90 ass "i ih2' II
a reduction is made il i ,e,"!se ! IS
rioht ard necessar' TO mih2 Il, ~
the same as e an mere lse. IN r''r
case. the legislature wollt @ire ne
matter mcst care. i ccrSl"c:1 II.
ard the people Of The '''tte l
surely have fGil knowle Ire Cf tle
facts ard moti:e; so"craing .a5-
.s,o.iye action, and wouid rInG ,: :. -
judaTaent accordingly. The cue II
OF ,Gnging the lax rae .s pur2.%
business one. dependins Tor rs !.
ton upon eT;saE2 Cnl!3ohS, and II
We are agreed upon this proposition II
is simply truism TO say that tho All
thority to effect the change /. IN your
hands and yours alone. | am oi iHe
oninion thar the revenue Ol lh@ .lalc
have grown Ia that po.n: were II
prudence Is observed. a:l yet not
Darsimony. you can sa.e'y =, ,CC2 me
present tax rate and al the save uiie
cause TO unjust or un"casoraHle leS'
seniLg Of public efficiency. tHiieye
too that such action on you! part
would meet with the prompt. cordial
and very general appreciation oi the
people OF the State.
recommend. therefore. that the
State tax be reduced from two and
three-ouarters mills to two and one
ouarter mills. The following figures
are presented by the Treasurer of
the State. They are presented In
this brief and concise form to show
the essential features OF the financial
condition of the State.-a most graf
flying result of the financial policy
pui sued by the last administration
and to indicate as well, the economic
reasons upon which is based the rec
ommendation for a reduced tax rate.
Cash balance on hand January lst.
1905. s244.S3991; bonded debt Janu.
airy lst, 1905, ST. 100000. and, In
this place. it should be stated that
during the last two years, the bonded
Indebtedness has been reduced $780,
10000. While, since 1889 and prior to
1902, $4,000 of the State bonds have
matured each year. yet, under the pro-
visions of Act of 1903, authority was
given to the Treasurer. with the ad-
vice and consent of the Governor and
Council. to purchase additional bonds,
IL such course was deemed advis-
able, and all bond purchases during
the raet two years in excess OF the
7O,OOO maturing annually for the past
three years, have been made under
this Act.
The last State valuation upon which
the take rate of two and three-luarters
mills was assessed was S352.22o,S3'-
90, and yielded for two years rev.
enue of s1.940,95l.54. The pre-. ent or
new State valuation is $685. 4.Ol40O.
showing a gain in valuation OF
$14.2S5. .ll7.00.
A tax rate of two and one-quarter
mills on this new valuation will yield
for two years revenue OF $l,65o,'
09l36.
The total receipts for the years 1903
and 1904, including $22S,lS6.94, the
amount received from the United
States Government, were $4,S5S.359.3O.
The total expenditures for the years
1903 and 1904 weN $5,O52,412O7.
The estimated regular receipts for
1905 are $2,249, ,707O0; the estimated
regular receipts for 1906 are $2.ll6.'
100000.
The estimated regular expenditures
for 1905 are Sl,997 10000; the esti-
mated regular expenditures for 1906
are 1907, 10000.
Among the convictions held by our
people which seem to be in entire
accord with the theory and principles
OF self-government, Is the belief that
every citizen is entitled to know the
exact amount of the compensation re-
ceived by State and County officials Tor
the services they are called upon to
perform. and that this knowledge
should he obtained from open records.
The law provides in many instances
that those officials shall charge and
collect fees in return for public acts
and services rendered by them, and
that all or part of the fees so collected
shall be retained by them as pay
ment for such services. This plan OF