Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-03-27

all the property of the State, and that
Is contributing toward State expenses
only three mills on a dollar. The aver
age rate of all other property in the
state 2.OS per cent. There seems to be
VIDE gulf between the tax rate of the
Wild lands and the tax which is assessed
upon other property. 1t seems to me
that if two of the gentlemen of this
House have a hundred thousand dollars
each and one Of them invests his money
in wild lands and the other in some
manufacturing enterprise the invest
ment in wild lands should not practical
~ escape taxation, while the other gem
tleman pays on his investment the NUM-
cipal rate of taxation. And the people
OIL this State have been interested in this
matter; they have been thinking of this
proposition; they have been talking it;
they have been been agitating it: and it
seems to me it is one of the most i'm
portant matters which has come before
this Legislature at this session The
committee on Taxation have carefully
considered the matter, they have spent
great deal of time in inspecting the
various measures which have been pre-
scented to them, and they have come to
the conclusion that this bill which we
nave reported by unanimous report is
the best measure that We could present
to this Legislature
A question has been raised about the
constltutionality of this bill While
90 not pretend to be much of a con-
stltutional lawyer. l have looked the
matter over carefully and believe that
this bill is legal. The Constitution pro-
vides that all taxes upon real and per-
sonal estate, assessed by authority of
this state. Shall be apportioned and
assessed equally according to the lust
value thereof. The words "apportion-
ed and assessed l think refer wholly
to the method of assessment and not
to the method by which we distribute
the tax after it is assessed. The tax
must be apportioned and assessed up
on all the property of the State and
l contend that the Legislature has a
right to determine how it shall be eX-
p9nded. The gentlemen owning these
wild lands have for many years thrown
out the objection that our tax meas
ureS are unconstitutional. Tom Reed
once said in Congress that when some
of the gentlemen there declared that
a measure Was unconstitutional, at
first it scared him a great deal, but
after hearing it so many times when
some member of the House arose and
in a deep sonOrous voice declared a
measure to be unconstitutional it
simply meant that he simply did not
like it. Haughter). And I think,
gentlemen, that the unconstitutionality
of the bill which this committee has
presented arises simply from the fact
that the wild land owners of this State
do not like it. (Applause).
Mr.. COLBY of Bingham: Mr. Speak
err: The gentleman from Waterville
has told You that this bill has the
unanimous support of the committee
He has told you correctly; but l say
this, that ! never was in favor of this
plan of distribution. l wanted to bring
IN n minority report, but it did not
seem best after we talked it over.
can see now where I made my mis-
take. I never believed, as I say, in
the manner of distributing it. I can
not believe it. | don't know whether
it is unconstitutional or not but it
seems to me that it is not fair to my
constituents 1T certainly is not fair
to my, own mind; and while l did not
bring in minority report, I wish to
say that when the vote is taken ! claim
the right to vote as / think best and
according to my conscience in each par.
ticular case.
Mr.. ADDISON of Leeds: Mr.. Speak
er: AS u member of the committee
on taxation | wish to state my posi-
fn,,
consideration before our committee, it
is well known that l was in favor of
the Grange bill, so-called, which raises
one mill on a dollar and distributes
it in equal shares to every school child
of the State. but when I found that
this committee could not agree on this
measure. /, with other members of the
committee who felt as l did, consented
to the report of the bill which is under
consideration; but now that this
amendment has been offered by the
gentleman from Bremen, / claim the
right to vote as I see fit. and | pro-
pose to favor this amendment. | do
this because I believe that it is right
and Just ! believe that the Grange
bill is constitutional and that there is
no doubt about it's legality. With the
other bill there is q doubt and an I'M
certainty 1t may jeopardlze the whole
State tax and | do not believe that
we as sensible men should take that
stand I believe in this amendment
because I believe that the distributor
of it is fair and just as proposed in
this Grange bill Under it every child
in the State. whether it he the child of
the rich or the child of the poor. viii
receive precisely the same amount.
What fairer proposition has there been
placed before you? | should vote for
this amendment because I do not be-
lieve in the principle. and never have.
of returning this tax according to the
valuation because it is unjust to the
poor towns and small plantations. and
under it the rich towns receive more
and the poor towns less. | do not con-
slider that this is just taxation, sucn
as the Grange stands for. If we can
raise one mill on dollar according to
the valuation, we can raise five mills
or ten mills, and this is not taxation,
it is confiscaton; and for these rea-
sons. Mr.. Speaker and gentlemen. l
shall favor the amendment to this bill.
Mr.. PATTANGALL of Watervlle:
Mr.. Speaker. If the gentleman is will