Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1905-03-21

SUBJECT to taxation. 1 hone thew vii,
oe even more careful than ever he.
Iore' the coming year. to the end that
no property be unjustly taxed and that
none escape it's fair share Of the nuh-
lie burden. e pun
With the valuation befora yo, =.
VIII be necessary for you to determ,ra
how much money can reashna h,,, ~
expended and upon this basis you
must Xix the rate. Bear i'm mind thar
rate OF taxation does not pay expenses.
IL Is an easy thing to fix the rate lew
but that does not pay the bills,
II our maturing debt is not In be
paid, II the poor are to be forgotten.
II our fire department is TO be ahan-
doned. if our highways are 10 be me-
elected, it is simple matter to greatlv
reduce our tax.
l need not say to you that this City
will permit nothing of this kind to be
done. But it does insist. and VIII in
sist. that unquestioned integrity and
unalloyed public interest. regulate all
our acts.
With these matters all in mind, how
ever. l hope. and believe, that we may
lind II possible to make a substantial
reduction In our tax for the coming
year; provided that there he not 4 de-
crease In our valuation and unfore-
seen and una oidable expenses do not
come in to thwart us. I do not want
rate fixed which shall result in Il
deficit. for the next administration to
care for: for that is nothing less tnan
fraud.
APPROPRIATIONS.
In making your appropriations,
please bear i'm mind, that whatever
you appropriate, in any department. is
your judgment Of the amount which
that department ought normally 10 ex-
pend; and let every effort be made to
keep within the appropriations.
The practice of every ward rushing
in all sorts Of orders, calling for the
expenditure Of money, at the opening
session. is one which, i'll my Judgment,
is prejudfcial to the interests of the
City and should be discouraged. Let
the representatives of each ward, rath-
err, vie with one another. in conn
mCndable effort to protect the TraIs-
ury and to keep the expenses down to
the lowest joint consistent with good
government.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
cannot speak too highly Of the eff
cheney of this department. Though a
volunteer organization. it is the equal
of any, of any kind, of which I have
knowledge, and is entitled to the loyal
support of all good people.
Certain thing are necessary to be
done at the hose-houses to provide
what may fairly be called reasonable
conveniences, and at least a thousand
feet of new hose should be purchased
at once. 1 commend the report of the
Excellent Chief Engineer to your care
full consideration.
POOR DEPARTMENT.
The closing Of the cotton mill the
past season, and the unusually hard
winter, have made extraordinary de-
mands upon this department; but l am
glad to report that the Overseer has
been able to keep within his appropria
tons, and has. I believe. faithfully dis
charged the duties Of his trying posi-
ton.
In all cases the demands Of humani
ty have been considered as primary to
every other consideration and no de-
serving person has been allowed to Suf-
fer.
The specific needs of the Depart
ment are set out in the report of the
Overseer, to which invite your atten-
ton.
HIGHWAYS
The principal streets. save Sewall
street and a portion of Arsenal street
which will be the new approach to the
Insane Hospital grounds-are now in
COON condition. l recommend that the
further extension of expensive building.
unless in these localities. be curtailed.
for a time and larger amount be ap-
piled to our country roads. Our pOrta
BILE crushcr should be made use of. in
sections where the way is specially bad.
and general improvement in our out
lying districts be undertaken. especial
~ upon the trunk lines. The policy of
hiring men and teams to work out tax
es, while an old one is one which re-
quires many safe guards. Nobody
should be employed unless there is
need of the service. nor unless such
service yields its just measure of profit
to the city. Personal considerations
have no place in public administra-
ton.
SCHOOLS.
1t needs not my commentator to en-
sure our school system place in the
esteem of this people. The Common
school is universally recognized as the
bulwarK Of free institutions. No city
in the State can boast Of better. none
has been more Loyalty supported than
ours. Whatever shall be needed to
maintain their efficiency. you will
1 cheerfully grant.
PUBLIC HEALTH.
The extension Of our sewerage sys-
/ tenn and the observance Of the rules
promulgated by the Board of Health
have served to reduce disease and the
death rate to the minimum. 1t is
Ehoped the same care and cleanliness
viii be observed in the future.
SEWERS.
Good sewerage is an absolute essen
Etial to good health The work done in
this fine in the past few years cannot
The TOO highly commended am of tho