Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-02-14

| multiply tle LAX OIL last ycii NY loul
If the cost We're less than three and
one-half millions the part falling upon
| each town would be scaled down pro-
portionally. If it should cost that. and
| certainly it would be likely to cost
more rather than less, the proportion
ate part falling upon the towns from
| which the members Of this committee
| come would be as follows: Portland,
$576,000; Newport, s6,116; Nobleboro,
s3,252; Skowhegan, s35,1SS; PASSPORT,
| S17,172; Brunswick, $31,344; Deer Isle,
s352: Richmond. $10,15s: Corinth.
s4,24S; Washington, $2,162. 10 you
| think that the taxpayers of these
| towns would enjoy having this bur-
| den added to those they already bear?
Take the figures for the counties and
| the contribution Of each county would
| be as follows: AndroscOggin, $685., 900;
| Aroostook, $4,000; Cumberland,
s7S6,0O0; Franklin, $4,000; Hancock,
$4,000; Kennebec, $4,000; Knox.
s14S,0O0; Lincoln, $4,000; Oxford,
$6S,O00; Penobscot, $4,000; Piscata-
quis, $4,000; Sagadahoc, $4,000;
Somerset. $4,000; Waldo, 100000;
Washington, 100000; York, 1924, 900.
country towns one dollar of tax means
heavier burden than two in Portland
or Augusta. We all know the inequali-
ties of our taxation system by which
the property Of the farmer out on
these hills is all taxed. while the prop
erty of the man in the city who owns
stocks and bonds largely escapes taxa
ton. Moreover, the first cost Of this
palatlal capital which it is proposed to
build in Portland to crafty the local
pride of that city would not be the
whole cost by any means. It would
cost a great sum to maintain it and
care for it, surely not less than $50. 600
annually.
FURTHER it is to be remembered
that the burden of building TINS new
capital could not spread over a series
OF years. BY law it would be necessary
10 nave all the money on hand when
the contract was made. There could
De no temporary loan for such a DUR
pose. and 1t would have to be raised
py taxation Surely nobody would sug-
sest that the building be erected by
DAY labor, for that would open up a
door for unlimited graft, and even
mere IN honest Maine we cannot take
100 great chances along this line.
bul somebody suggests that a ne1v
Capltoi can be paid for out of the sur
Plus money in the treasury, and it is as
serted mat we have surplus Of $500. ON
year which would allow for the pavjn,-
VI capitol in 10 or dozen years. o.
course this is on the assumption that tho
expenditures of the State would not in
crease as its population and needs in
crease. and that they would be kent at
the present standard for the next ~
years.
"Eut before the State Of Maine has s,ch
luxury as rev State House. are tber,
any other great causes in behalf of
which this surplus revenue might bnttor
De spent? There are the feeble-minde,1
OF the State; there are the blind and the
insane; there is the cause of good roads
winch means so much to the progress of
Maine; there is the University of Maine.
to whose maintenance our State &c
pledged; there are the hospitals in our
cities; there is the need of a ne7v State
prison at Thomaston and Of a separate
prison for women; there are the State
pensioners to be cared for Have NOT
each and all of these causes a right to
be considered before the State spends
millions CT dollars in the erection of n
palatial Capitol in Portland to Eratify
tho CIVIC pride of that beautiful cityo
Moreover, il there is surplus in tha
treasury which is to be spent in behalf
OF these worthy causes, both OF our no.
litical parties have repeatedly pledged
themselves to the cause of retrerchmer-
ana economy. to cut down the tax rate
II possible and tighten the burden Of tax
alton. Did these promises. made before |
election. mean nothing Or are they |
binding upon You Republicans and Dem |
ocrats who helped insert those prom |
1ses in yonr party platforms at the cor
ventions last year"
There Is another point which I want
10 touch upon briefly. though 1 have not !
seen 1t mentioned in the public prints or !
heard it discussed in connection with this
matter. Has Portland any legal power
10 raise by taxation, bond sale. or other
wise, SIo0,CCO to give the State toward the
erection of State House in PortIard2
it looks as though in the first place that
Portland considered the seat Of Stats
government matter of barter and auc-
ton. 1t seems t. me bride, in fact.
and II it is bribe, is it to be paid In |
counterfeit money? The supreme court |
of the United States declared in 1889 81.
is dercgatory to a State and reflects no
honor upon it to accept donation from
any particular locality to receive the To-
cation of State institution" In that
opinion of the supreme court Nathan
Clifford concurred, the learned jurist
who was the grandfather of the present
mayor of Portland who comes here with
this offer on behalf Of his city.
THE borrowing capacity of Portland.
as Mayor Clifford informs me. is now
but $1,000. To be sure the city has in its
treasury $4,000 in gas stock and about
slWo.0o of railroad stock, and it might
be possible for it to sell these assets in
order to get this $4,000. Of course such
a thing would be the greatest folly. 9th
erwise, the money would have to be
raised by taxation, and the supreme
court says in the 59th Maine Report:
The constitution gives no authority to
raise money to give away" This pre-
else question in its legal principles was
settled by the case of Dyer VS.. Farming
ton Village Corporation, where 1t was
decided that the same piece of property