Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-14


finances of the State, but most of these
are made in compliance with a rule
once given for arguing with woman,
state your case and walk away
This is the case with the Democrats.
They state things without explanations.
Extravaganza and increased expcndi-
lures are two very different things.
The State has prospered in the past
two years beyond the dreams of any
one. The States income last year was
over 100000. Our expenditures are
matter of necessity and are made along
lines which are relieving towns and
municipalities of a part of the burden
Of taxation.
The State has taken over mal,y bur
dens hitherto supported in other ways.
1t has taken over the support of the
insane, lifting the burden from the
towns. 1t has taken up the support Of
the School for Girls at Hallowell. Ten
years ago the State paupers cost $15,-
900. while in 1907 this was increased to
$50, 900. The cost of supporting the in
sane has increased from $66, 900 to over
800, 900 in the past 10 years. Ten years
ago the expense of preventing the
spread Of contagious diseases among
horses and cattle was $4,000, while last
year it had increased to $4,000. These
ate conditions which have arisen and
have to be met. In 1907 an apprOpria-
| ton was made for a building for the
| insane. This was for the sum of $40,-
600 Another appropriation of $4,000
| was made for one at Augusta and $780,
| 600 was laid aside for the building of
| the home for the feeble-mindeG. Such
conditions have never before existed
in the State and had to be met by the
| Legislature. Pensions have increased
The allowance for the State College has
increased from $4,000 to 100000 With
the growth of the State the appropra-
tions for the maintenance of the COM
mon schools have inevitably been in
creased. The school and mill fund has
Increased in 10 years over $l0o,JDo. In
| 1908 over so05, 900 was appropriated for
the maintenance of the State roads.
Previous to five years ago no such ex-
penditurcs were made. We must con-
slider that the last Legislature passed
a law by which the school and mill
fund was increased from one to one and
cne-half mills to be applied as a COM
mon school fund. leaving only a5 cents
| per capita to be raised by each town.
| These figures amount to a large sum.
The school and mill fund equals nearly
one half of the polls of the State to-
day and amounted to s1.1S0,000 this
year This increase of $456.000 in State
expenditures is for purposes against
which no one could say word.
The state has also added to it's in
come by the taxation of corporations,
such as railroad, telephone and teie-
graph companies. so that the income
derived from this source will in rea-
sonable time eliminate all the state tax
from the polls save the school and mill
| fund
In 1900 the State debt was 1893. 000
OF which $3.50 900 was paid, leaving only
$4,000. and of this remainder S2G,S0C
was held by the State. In 1907 there
was in the treasury of the State s479,-
600 in free cash or s357OO more than
enough to liquidate the State debt
Thus far in 1902 it has been impossible
to purchase bonds to take up this debt
on account of the condition Of the mar
ket We hope however, to be able t.
purchase some of these bonds later and
still further reduce the debt. The office
ored to have been the first to occupy
that position. Under the old system the
various departments made requiSitior
upon the Governor and Council for
funds for that department and fol-
which vouchers were later returned
These vouchers were usually returned
near the end of the fiscal year in such
quantities that the mnutest attention
could nor be given to the details. Yet
no scandal has ever arisen over the
State finances.
This year the State has neither ne
gotiated a loan or paid interest upon
borrowed money. We are attempting to
revise our present method and give
you a still more economical method OF
handling the State expenditures. Mr.
Hatch closed his talk with an express
sion of his belief in the fact that a
rousing majority would be rolled ul
for Bert NJ Fernald on Monday
Tho third and last speaker Guy A. Hill
dreth Of Gardiner. was introduced and
was received with the same enthusiasm
which marked the entire evening. Mr.
IIidreth confined himself to county mat
ters and gave in that connection some in
| tcresting facts and figures.
TIe called attention to the fact that
while Sc different people had taken out
United States liquor licenses in the past
year, So of that number have never been
indicted by the grand jury. OF the 123
liquor indictments brought 81 were either
mol pressed or Uuashed. In 13 cases the
| Jury brought in verdicts Of not guilty, so
that 50 came to nothing. with expense to
the county.
In spite of the promises made there had
been no investigation of the Matte Hack
EFT case
Mr.. Plaisted and his deputies had taken
| $500 more out of the police court at Gar
diner last year than mad ever been taken
before. and that the superior court had
cost the county more last year than ever
before.
| He denounced Mr.. Plaisted's Togus
scheme by which officers were sent
there to detect persons in the act of SELL
ing liquor to old soldiers. and passing by
places where they knew the law was be-
ing violated, this being carried on at
constant expense to the county.
eyDcced tho half tr,,tbs.