The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1908-09-03

sale of the entire lean at pre-
MUM of $79.900 which amount was
directly applied to the payment of the
public debt Soon after the negotia.
ton of these bonds there was an I'M
favorable turn in the money market,
and had these initiatory steps been
delayed 1t is altogether probable that
these bonds could not have been float
ed at par The annual saving in the
interest account effected by this sue
cessful funding of the State debt
amounted to ST. $4,000, and has very
materially lightened the burdens OF
the taxpayers.
Agriculture Made a State Department.
Through the recommendation of
Governor Burleigh, who has always
been In sympathetic touch with the
farmers of the State and their inter
ests, the secretary of the board Of
agriculture was given a merited in
crease of salary and assigned perma-
nent quarters at the State House,
thus making his department conven-
lent and available to the public, and
enabling him to devote his whole time
to the exacting and important duties
of his office.
Increased State Appropriation for
Pensions.
The survivors of the late Civil War
have had no truer friend in Maine
than Governor Burleigh. 1t was upon
his very earnest recommendation that
the legislature of 1889 increased the
appropriation for disabled veterans,
and those dependent upon them, from
5000 to $4,000.
1t was upon the recommendation OF
Governor Burleigb that the law was
passed providing heavy penalties for
the careless setting of forest fires, and
making the land agent the forest
commissioner of Maine, with wardens
in every section of the State. The
expense of this department has been
very small, but the value of the work
to the State Is generally recognized
and would be difficult to estimate.
Indexing of the State Library.
When the State library was about to
be moved into its new quarters in the
State House extension, in 1891, Cover
nor Burleigh called the attention of the
legislature to the great Importance OF
supplying II with a modern card cat
alogue, In order that its treasures OF
information might be unlocked and
rendered easily available to its patrons.
For this reason he advocated an APP
preparation for the purchase of the
necessary cabinets and other material,
and the employment of additional help,
skilled in this class of work. The legis-
lature responded to this appeal, and
today the State library of Maine, in
convenience and usefulness, is second
TO none in New England.
Reduction of the State Tax Rate.
1t was upon the recommendation Of
Gov Burleigh, in his first inaugural
message, that the rate of State taxa
ton was reduced to 2 Ia mills In ad-
vocating this reduction Gov. Burleibh
said:
The total taxation may safely be
reduced for the year 1890 to two and
one-quarter mills, which would be a
reduction of s117,799.94 per annum
The lightness of a State tax of two
and one-quarter mills can be appre-
tiated only by remembering that one
mill Of 1t Is for the school fund, levied
according to property and divided &C
cording to population. Excluding the
vision for the youth of the State in
force now for II years. 1t will be seen
that the rate nj taxation for general
purposes Of government win in 1890 be
the lowest tax levied for 80 years, and
as low as any that has been levied for
30 years The entire State tax for
next year will be $3.50, 099.75, or less
than was levied on Cumberland county
alone IL 1868"
So well pleased were the people OF
Maine with Gov. Burleigh's able and
business-like administration of State
affairs that at the next election,
although 1t came in an off year, they
returned him to the Office he had filed
80 well by an increased plurality
When Gov. Burleigh, therefore, was
sent To Congress he was no new or in
experienced man. He had been tried
in the highest office Ia the gift OF the
people of his State and had, by his able
and conscientious discharge of its ex-
acting ami important duties, merited
and won their confidence and esteem.
AS member of the national House
ol Representatives he has made good
froV the start, and has grown steadily
in strength and influence. AS we have
already stated, he Is today the ranking
member on the committee on public
buildings and the census, In direct line
of promotion 10 two OF the most i'm
portant chaiImanships In the gift of
the House. Such positions came to no
man save through intelligent and sue
cessful work. We have already spoken
of the notable personal victory won
by Gov. Rurleigh in securing the pas
sage of the Burleigh apportionment
LII, against an apparently insuperable
opposition: but this is only one Of the
many notable results achieved by him
sil,GG he has represented the third dis
trict CT Maine at the national capital.
He has, during his term of service, Sc
cured for his district
Larger Appropriations
than have ever come to it in any SINH
lar period of its history. We have
only space here to touch upon some
of the more notable things accom-
pishcd by him. In his work at Wash
ington he has known no political diff
ferences. He has been. in the broad
est sense. the representative of the
whole district and the interests OF
those of different political views have
teen looked after with the same
rromptness and faithfulness that has
characterized his relations with all his
constituents
During Gov. Burleigh's service in
Congress the following appropriations
have been made for the Kennebec
river and for the third Maine dis
trict:
Kennebec river between Au-
gusta and Gardiner. w $S1 100000