Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-02-10

by Chapter 81 of the Public Laws of
1907, in relation to the appointment of
election clerks.
Passed to Be Enacted.
An Act relating to supplementary
associations.
An Act respecting the place Of taxa.
ton of personal property.
An Act to extend the charter of the
Merchants Trust Co.
An Act to extend the charter of the
Aroostook Valley Railroad Co.
Finally Passed.
Resolve in favor Of st. Elizabeth's
Roman Catholic Asylum of Portland.
Resolve in favor of ]. w. HaInes,
town clerk of Dexter.
Resolve in favor of David e. Knight,
town clerk of Garland
Resolve respecting the benefits of
the Carnegie Foundation for the ad-
vancement of teaching for the Univer-
sity of Maine.
Resolve in favor of a special appro-
priation for the Eastern State Normal
School,
Resolve in favor of the Maine State
Sanatorium Association.
Resolve in favor of the Central Maine
General Hospital Of Lewiston.
Orders of the Day.
On motion by Mr.. Staples of Knox,
Bill relating to expenditures of money
by county attorneys, was taken from
the table. On further motion by the
same senator, the same was referred
to the committee on Legal Affairs.
h1y hn
Senate Doc. No. 81, Bill relating to
purchase of farm for scientific investi-
cation in orcharding" was taken from
the table. On further motion by the
same senator the bill was tabled and
Thursday. February II, assigned for
its consideration.
On further motion by the same sena-
tor, Senate Doc No. 81, "Bill relating
to uniform poll tax was taken from
the table.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Mr.. Presi-
dent: I very much regret that I feel,
at this time, called upon to make all
amendment to the bill passed the other
day. I regret very much that this
Senate curtailed the rights of towns
in the matter of the poll tax of each
and every town in this state. This IS
a small matter, but it involves a great
principle. I have seen, from year to
year, the rights of towns and of the
people being curtailed. A town has
not much left when you take this mat
ter away from them. We have seen
our highways passing under the con-
troll of outsiders. We have seen our
schools taken away from the people
parties. I am a great believer in homo
government. I believe that every town
and every state should manage it's own
affairs in it's own way Now, 1t was
passed the other day, and became a
law. to have uniformity of taxation
in this State. If this bill passes there
is only enc thing for me to do for my
people, and to place myself right be-
fore the taxpayers of the State of
Maine.
I want to be understood that, if the
right is to be taken away from towns.
where every town may vote one dollar
or five dollars. according to the condi-
ton of the town, then I say, there is
only one thing left for me to do, in my
position, and from my standpoint: and
that is to introduce an amendment. If
You must have a uniform tax, let us
have il at two dollars all over the
State. instead Of three dollars. We
forget, oftentimes, the poor man.
have heard the remark made the last
few days that three dollars is all he
paid. If he hires your house, or my
house. why he has got to pay the tax
on that. The man who owns the house
puts so much more rent upon it, ac-
cording to what the taxes are: and
the man who owns not dollars worth
of it pays the three dollars, besides his
rent. For that reason, believing that
two dollars is sufficient, in this State,
in our condition. offer, Mr.. President,
this amendment: Senate Amendment
A to Senate Doc. No. 81, amend by
striking out the word three in the
third line, and inserting instead there
of, the word "two," etc, and 1 move
the adoption of the amendment.
The question was put upon the
adoption of the amendment.
Mr.. KNOWLTON of Piscataquis:
Mr.. President: I object to that amend
ment for lots of reasons. All over the
State of Maine there are, today, vii
lagos and towns where people are en-
gagged in manufacturing, and things
of that sort, and where man pays
just a poll tax In my own town there
are, perhaps 500 people@-note quite so
many-3DO people, that pay just poll
tax, and that is all. The property Of
the town is assessed to educate their
children and to look after the poor,
to build roads, etc, and all those men
pay in the whole length of time is just
a poll tax for the year Now, it seems
to me that that town represents a
great many other towns similarly sit
uated; and it is very unjust indeed to
the property holders of these towns to
oblige them to do so much for those
people, and receive from them just a
bare two dollars. 1 certainly think
that it would be unjust and improper,
and think that those men who pay on
ly poll tax should pay the full three
dollars.
Mr.. STAPLES of Knox: Will the
senator from Piscataquis permit a
question?
Mr.. KNOWLTON: Certainly.
Mr.. STAPLES: How many of that
300 hire houses in your town.
Mr. KNOWLTON: Oh, half of them