Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1907-01-09

the taxes, and they look with conn
oence toahis Legislature to investigate
the conditions. and II abuses exist to
seize and apply the remedy. It ia 4
mistake and wrong to call this feeling
Q ra-ttzsn oae II 70 too general %
wsuaas saoh q conclusion, and II the
suo1ect 10 approached In any spirit
otner than shat OF fairness and public
onty the real purpoae of the agitation
Is more likely to suffer defeat,
Wniis then the present system and
metnod OF taxation Of the property
within the State Is not altogether
.ieai and will undoubtedly meet with
vivision at yonr hands. there can be
no question as to the care and skill
exercised by the Board OF State Asses
sors IN determining values for taxa
tion purposes under the existing laws
And no better or more eloquent state
ment can be made of the wealth OF
the State and the growth Of that
wealth than Is furnished by the State
assessors In their report for the year
Just closed. From this report 1t will
be seen that since 1904 the State valu-
,on OF Real Estate has increased
o,S7S.461. Personal Estates $4,617,-
100, Wild Lands $7,422,699, and
Growth on Public Lots $245,726. In
1904 the total valuation was 1886, 514,-
Ola. In 1906 1t is 1894 ,732, $50, gain in
two years of $28,21S,976. Under the
local valuation placed on property in
the cities. towns and plantations in
the State, the average rate of taxation
on $1,000 was $20.57 in 1904, $21.O3 In
1905 and s20.s7 in 1906.
The finances Of the State are 4, ex.
cellent condition, as the following
summary and comparison will show:
Cash balance on hand Jan. /,
Bonded debt Jan. /. 1907. ). 81 ,Os3 900
Since 1901 $4,000 OF the State
bonds have Md each year. but
under the prov: - OF Chapter 6,
Private and Spec Laws Of 1903, a
part Of this issue having been previ-
ously purchased. there was left to ma
ture $4,000 for the year 1905 and $780,
600 for the year 1906, which were re-
deemed at maturity, and under au.
thority Of the act above quoted, an
additional purchase of $2s0,00O was
made. SO that during the last two
years the bonded Indebtedness has
been reduced $4,000.
The last State valuation upon which
tax rate of IL mills was assessed.
was $366,514.014. yielding, for the two
years. together with the tax of one
cent on each poll. q revenue of
$1.S36.34620.
The present valuation is 1894. 1872
800, showing an increase of $2S,21S,-
976.
A tax rate OF Q 1-2 mills levied on
this new valuation, together with the
poll tax. will yield for the two years, a
revenue Of $1.977,47406.
The total receipts for the
years 1906 and 1906
were ................. Vt, 292 ,36S.73
The total expenditures for
the same years were.. =. 4,939.337.62
The estimated ordinary re-
ceipts for 1907 are. 500 $500
The estimated ordinary re-
ceipts for 1908 are. 80. 1850, 100000
The estimated ordinary
expenditures for 1907
are ................... 2.2o2. 7oS.42
The estimated ordinary
expenditures for 1908
are Observation-Disclosures. 2,120, 100000
1t should be borne in mind while
contemplating these figures and re-
suits, that the last Legislature re-
duced the rate of the State tax from
two and threequarters mills TO two
and one-half mills, and I may mention
that at no time during the last two
years has it been found necessary to
make temporary loan.
1t will be noticed that the cash bal
ance now on hand is unusually large.
II was expected that before the close
of the year 1906 an additional pur-
chase OF the States bonds would be
made amounting to not less than
S250,000, and thus show a reduction
of the bonded indebtedness during the
last two years of nearly 100000. Ne
gotiations to this end were progress
ing satisfactorily when they were
abruptly terminated by the death OF
one Of the parties in interest. These
negotiations, however, are about to be
resumed, and l have every reason to
believe that before the expiration of
another month the bonds will be in
the possession of the State.
have been afforded the privilege
to visit intimately all the institutions
supported and managed by the State,
and have visited many of the others
in which the State has q vital, al
though indirect, interest. No one
can become at all familiar with them
without being tremendously im-
pressed by the magnitude and charac-
ter of the good work they are doing,
or without wishing that the opportun-
tiles they so splendidly utilize might
be further enlarged and sustained.
They are credit to the State and a
tribute to every sentiment of human
ity and progress cherished by her
people. 1t would be better for the in
situations and for all of US If our citi-
gems generally would acquire a closer
knowledge of their methods of admin
istration and their accomplishment,
for the pride and satisfaction such
knowledge would surely bring would
not only be a deserved appreciation of
the devoted and unselfish services of
the men and women charged with
their direct control, but would remove
forever all doubt as to the wisdom of
their existence and the urgency OF