Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-03
The Same Old Story.

Hon. Cyrus w. Davis came within
IS, 600 votes of being elected the last
time on the issues of State eXpendl-
lures and resubmisson-that is, rum
and money-and he succeeded so well
that he seems minded to try it again.
His Alfred speech was devoted almost
entirely to those matters and especially
to State expenditures. On this, how
ever, he has shifted ground little and
cut down the figures. The last time
he took the years 1882 and 1902 for
comparison and started out with the
assertion that in twenty years the
State expenditures had increased 300
per cent. This was quickly refuted
and SO completely that the claim was
dropped. Now he takes the year 1898
and 1905 and figures out an increase OF
so per cent. "In 1885," he says, the
State expenses, exclusive of the public
debt and interest, We're $1.5S6 215.30. In
1905, last year, the State expenses were
S., S54 ,1S4.60 Think of it for a mo-
ment. An increase in ten years of
s7S6, 5000 or nearly so per cent.
During this time business conditions,
population and valuation in Maine have
remained nearly the same. Was this
increase warranted? Was it honest"
That depends. and it depends in large
measure on whether the facts and
figures are set forth honestly and
sincerely or whether they are slanted
for partisan purposes. Mr.. Davis
specifies eleven items of increase,
amounting to $230,000. But where does
the remaining $556,0O0 come in? Or
does it come in as mere book figures
that form no part of the real current
expenditures? Is one of the uncon-
sidered items for instance the increase
in the school fund and mill tax, which
was $514,0O0 in the former year. while
the Legislature appropriated $4,000
for the latter? Here was an increase
of $50 1000, but everybody knows that it
is a tax refunded to the towns, col
lected on one side and paid out on the
other, and everybody knows or ought
to know that the increased disburse-
ment simply means more money for
the schools and therefore better
schools. 1t also means SO much less
net State tax for the towns benefited.
one of Mr.. Davis items of increase
is ''legiSlative expenses 53,99096 more
than in 1895. No larger House. no
larger Senate" What he includes in
Legislative expenses" is not clear.
Certainly the pay roll of the two
branches is practically the same.
bill of particulars will be necessary to
find out what Mr.. Davis is driving at.
In the cost OF its Legislatur 81 Maine
ranks lowest of any New England
state. and in salaries of State officials
it ranks below most states. He says
it costs $50, 900 more to sustain the fish
and game department.. Well. suppose
it does. 1t is money well spent, and it
more than comes back to the people
through the spending of those who
come here from outside Of the State to
hunt and fish. He complains of the
$4,000 bounty on pOrcupineS and says
there was no bounty in 1895. There
was rot, and this bounty was offered
on the ground that it would be for the
public welfare to lessen the ravages
of destructive. 1t may have turned
out to be a mistaken idea, but it is not
fairly to be attributed to extravaganza.
And there is an item Of $3S000 rail-
road tax dbated-"paid railroads for
transportation of troops in time of
war;" Mr.. Davis puts it, but no such
entry appears i'm the report of the
State treasurer. 1t is tax rebate and
therefore book and not real eX-
penditure. Then he complains bitterly
because the law enforcement commits
sion has exceeded it's appropriation.
But if the law had not been nullified
in the first place. particularly by the
Democratic sheriff i'm this county, no
commission would have been thought
of. We await particulars as to the
remaining half million of increase
alleged by Mr.. Davis.
But why does he select the year 1895
for comparison, and what warrant has
he for saying that business conditions,
population and valuation have re-
NAMED nearly the same?' In 1895 we
were about at the bottom of the worst
panic and business depression for many