Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-08
MAINE EDITORIAL COMMENT.
Those B. E. A. Taxes.
portland Press).


company.
The county of Aroostook was then
isolated and had no railroad connect
ion with the rest of the State, save
through a foreign country. The men
of ArOostook wanted a direct outlet in
to Bangor The county had done all
that it could to aid the enterprise. Its
representatives came to the Legisla
ire and asked the State assist. They
asked the State to abate taxes on the
railroad just as municipalities have
from time immemorial abated taxes 10
encourage the founding of new enter
prises. They came openly with bill
for the specific purpose of abatement.
They did not seek to hide the request
in some section of a bill dealing with
other affairs of the railroad. though
there were several such measures be
fore the Legislature. They made it a
separate measure SO that every man
who voted on it might know just what
| he was doing. The men of ArOostOok
said: This bill will help us. 1t will
develop our farms and our timber lands.
| 1t will make us a great county and add
| to the taxable wealth of the State and
though the State will lose in taxes on
the railroad for term of years it will
at the end of that term find prosper
Gus system that will continue to yield
revenue to the State for all time. We
don't ask the State to give US money at
this time. We don't ask for a subsidy
of money or land. We simply ask that
the taxes on this road may be abated
| for term of years to the end that
| northern Maine may develop"
| The lawmakers gave the proposition
due consideration and without dis
| Senting voice gave the act a passage.
To make the abatement legal. it was
| necessary for the State to enter into a
| contract with the road. That contract
| instead of saying. lin consideration Of
one dollar and other valuable consider
ations," made the considera ton the
free transportation of troops and mu-
nitions Of war in times of war. insur-
rection or civil commotion. No mem
Der of that Legislation hoped that there
would be a war. in order that the State
might get some benefit from it's pro
| fOrma contract. We cannot believe
that the Democracy of today desires
a war. just to allow the State to get a
charge in offset against the railroad.
| IN SIpit' TIC tult vi 1881 was
asked to aid the northern section Of
the State. 1t did so gladly. No one in
| Legislature or out was sorry then. No
| one is sorry today. for AroOstoOk has
redeemed to the full the pledge of ad-
vancement which she gave in return for
the assistance then redered by the law
makers in legislative session assembled.
| In 1891 the valuation of Aroostook
was s15,182157. In 1904. the last figures
available. the valuation was 500, 59S, 6O2
Ian increase of S8.416445.
| This is the story of increase in
ArOostOok alone. To make the story
compete, there should be added the adj
vanement Of northern Piscataquis and
Penobscot as result Of the building
# the Bangor and Arootook railroad.
And in the creation of Millinocket and
the new growing town at Milo Junct-
ion where the car shops of the B. and
A. are located These are but single
instances in a multitude of added
wealth to the state.
We think that when the voters OF
Maine have studied these figures they
will applaud the foresight of the mem
bers of the Legislature of 1891. and
will resent the Democratic attempt to
ridicuie their work and make it an
issue In this campaign. While We are
not of the opinion that it should be
an issue In the present campaign. we
submit that if it be an issue 1t is an
issue distinctly creditable to the Legis-
lature of 1891.
So much for the economic side OF
the question. Before we dismiss the
question, let us consider for moment
its political phase. If this measure
was 50 Ubiquitous as the Democracy OF
1906 says that it is. why did not the
Democrats of 1891 throttle it when
they had a chance In that Legisla-
ture Of 1891 sat Major William Dickey
Of Fort Kent, the idoIized leader oi
TIE minority Why didn't he protest
against the passage Of the act? Be-
cause he had lived his life In Aroos-
took and he knew what it was to &c
through Great Britain every time he
attended a session Of the Legislature
fie knew what state aid meant a,
that time and he knew that the State
could serve itself in no better way
than to grant the plea OF Aroostook
And therefore he was an enthusiastic
supporter Of the measure. And sc
were the other three Democrats IRON
AroostOok who sat in that house.
IL the measure was wrong. why was
not it opposed by Ealsey II. Monroe
of Thomaston, that Democrat OF
democrats who earned the name OF the
watchdog Of the treasury? MIR. Mon
roe had ever an eye peeled to protect
| the interests of the State. But ne die
not protest against the passage OF
the act for he knew it was 1or the
best interest of the state. In TINS
, the Hon. Halsey may have been true
to his State at the expense OF nus
party. Perhaps. if he could nave sser
that fifteen years later MS ieiio"
partymen would be turning over inc
, pages Of the Lcgislative record huht'
, ing for an issue, he would nave raiscc
his voice for party reasons.