Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-19
One They Didn't Publish.

| testimony that We used them fairly
| Every signed letter received by US wa
| published irrespective of whether o.
not it co-incided with our views. 1t i.
| evident that Frank 3. Milliken, presi.
| dent of the Portland Board of Trade
| IS not disposed to follow our example
| He has, at the expense of considerable
| postage and a flood of circulars, well
public as to the real facts, succeeded
| in converting 4, of the S91 leading men
| of Maine who wrote the Journal, TO
| the extent at least that they are willing
| to sanction the big expense of an I'M
called and unnecessary special electio,..
He does not care, however. to afford
the slightest publicity to any views
that do not coincide with his own. The
Portland Press publishes six Of the
letters received by Mr.. Miliken and
in order to convey the impression that
there are others follows them up with
And so forth and 50 on" We publish
below one which was sent to Mr.. Milli-
ken and which it failed to find space
for. We presume it was one of the
80 ons."
Coopers Mills, Me, March &C. 1907.
Frank B. Milliken,
Pres. Portland Board Of Trade.
Portland, Maine.
Dear Sir:-Your communication of the
18th inst, received and herein acknowl-
edged
regret cannot in any manner change
my opinion or judgment as expressed in
my letter to the kennebec Journal
You claim that no increase in taxation
will occur should as you seem to advo-
cate, new capitol building be erected
at Portland; that Portland will contrib
ute $4,000 and the commonwealth will
contribute 100000 Do you claim that
this $l,2Co,CO0 viii build and completely
furnish such building? If 50, the people
of this commonwealth cannot subscribe
TO your opinion.
AS citizen Of this State seemingly
your judgment must tell you that other
appropriations will be required, thereby
causing a radical increase in individual
taxation. There cannot be any injurious
effect in showig to the peop,e that a few
politicians and perhaps a few influential
men are simply studying their own in
dividual benefit and the benefit of the
city of Portland by advocating the re-
moval of the Capitol to that city; but are
no Tnr11a no MI %,
monwealth, to receive no considerationo
Will the farmers of this State who
pay a greater portion Of the taxes, DO
made to bear additional taxation that a
certain few may reap n golden harvest?
Must the present condition of poor
roads continue which prevents the farm
er from getting his products to a. fair
market: Must this large body of men
continue to receive from Is to 81 per cent.
less than their products are worth by
being compelled TO sell at the farm, sim
ply because OF the want of good roads"
OR shall We let che farmers and others
wait until a new State Capitol building
is built and furnished, time indefinite?
The Capitol building at Augusta was
good enough for such men as Blaine and
many who possessed energy, ability and
integrity-mcn whom the whole State
honors today. If it was good enough for
such men, is it not good enough today?
We elect our legislators under the be-
lief that they can be trusted and are hon
orable men. Augusta furnishes no allure
ments to distract their undivided attcn-
ton to their duties. Our legislators when
at Augusta as a rule devote their time
to the States business only. Change the
Capitol to Portland, then note the Incl
dental expenditures Of each member with
that at this date at Augusta. Portland
becomes richer with no material benefi.
to the member or the State. Our legS-
latorS as rule cannot afford large in
dividual expenditures of their own hard
earned money. The legislators represent
the people The people and a majority OF
the legislators consider the moving of the
capital unnecessary, and in all this grand
old commonwealth not one sane individ-
ual can be produced who can give a
sound. sens BILE, good reason for this I'M
necessary expenditure Of the States
money.
If Portland has so excessively taxed
her people until she has a surplus of
$1,000 why not use n portion or all of
this surplus in good roads, Surely the
people have a right to some benefit from
the expenditure of $4,000 of their money
The city Of Boston has a Capitol build
ing. The people of that city and the
state of Massachusetts propose expcnd-
ing some S5.O0.0GD improving their State
House; but they have no thought of
changing its loo alton Why should our
State House be moved when all improve
ments necessary can be made at It's pres
ont location at 4 comparatively trfling
expense, and grating to any large
amount can be completely barred out?
The Albany state capitol building first
appropriation was considered largr
enough to complete the building and fur
nish it. Appropriations and appropria-
tons have since been made of the peo-
pies money running into many millions
and the end is not yet Take the Arkan-
saS State House at Little Rock, and the
Kentucky State House at Frankfort. now
building. The appropriations call for an
expenditure of not over a million on each
of tie buildings. Twice the amount and
more will be expended on each and tho