The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1909-04-29
THAT SURPLUS REVENUE"

mlnlStratlOn. 1t was referred to in
sketch of the life of the late Mrs. Salome
Sellers of Deer Isle and at that time the
enquiry was made as to amount dis
tributed. 1t was given by one person as
800 per capita, while others united in the
opinion that it was less than $40. The
latter conclusion we believe to be cor
rect, although we have not been able to
ascertain the exact amount The history,
IN brief, of this distribution of money by
the national government is as follows:
The distribution of the treasury sur
plus among the States in preference to
appropriating it to internal improve
ments was advocated by President Jack
son in 1929, the debt having been paid,
while the compromise of 1882 forbade
the reduction of the tariff. In 1886
bill to this effect was passed by Congress,
and to It was joined bill to regulate the
public deposits. Afterwards an attempt
was made to separate the two bills, but
1t failed. The bill provided that all the
money IN the treasury. January l, 1887,
in excess of S., 900, geo was to be deposit
ed with the States in the proportion of
their membership in the electoral col
lege, and in four installments. The
States We're to give certificates of de-
post payable to the Secretary of the
Treasury on demand. Jackson defended
this step on the ground that many of
the States were improvement States"
with growing money market and a
large debt and therefore in urgent need
Of funds. The States mostly misused
40 n,,11
stallments We're paid, when the crash of
and no more were paid.
This practically forgotten incident of
the long ago has now become live topic
by the introduction of a bill in Congress
by representative Murdoch of Kansas
calling upon the 26 States to pay back to
the general government the S2S, 900. 600
received by them in 1886. The amount
received by Maine was 1856, 900 In most
Of the States the money thus received
has been absorbed in the general funds
and disappeared. New York, however,
posit using the fund to make real estate
loans through special commissioners in
each county and turning the interest into
the school fund.- An Augusta special to
the Portland Evening Express gives the
following interesting account of the
action taken by Maine in this matter:
After the passage of this act by Congress, in
1856 Governor Dunlap in his message to the
Maine Legislature said: | have been apprised
by the Secretary of the Treasury of the United
States that portion of the public money will
be deposited with this State on information
being given of certain prequiSite measures on
the part of the State. | transmit herewith the
letter from the secretary on this subject, ac-
companied by copy of the act of Congress
passed at the late session of that body en-
titled, AN act to regulate the deposits of the
public money. Should the portion assigned
to this State be received it must be recolected
that it is subject to the recall of the general
government. whenever the wants of the public
treasury shall require it. Whatever distribu-
ticn Of it, therefore, you may conclude to make
II Is essentially necessary that our financial af-
fairs be placed in such position as to be en-
abled to restore it when demanded
Governor Dunlap then went on to say: 1.-THE
accumulations by the general government of
an amount OF revenues, not necessary for pub
tlc expenditures, Is a policy of no doubtful
character. Scarcely less reprehensible would
Dc the policy OF such an accumulation to be
distributed among the States, either as pratui
rpuS or deposits. The revenues of the Federal
Government ought not to exceed it's actual
wants. arising from the exercise of such powers
only a. have been expressly delegated to this
IN The Constitution. To that grade the people
Of Name by the action of their Legislature
have repeatedly resolved that the tariff of
duties ought to be reduced and to that opinion
they steadfastly adhere. If you shall suppose
that renewed expression of that sentiment
would give additional strength to our deleea-
ton in Congress to obtain a reduction of
duties, | would recommend that resolves for
that purpose should be forthwith adopted
An act entitled IAN act providing for the
acceptance of the public money, apportioned
to the State OF Maine, on deposit by the gov
ernnent of the United States was passed by
The Legislature and approved By the Governor
January 26. In 1898 Governor Kent, referring
TO this matter, said: The law of this State,
passed last year authorizing deposit of this
surplus with the several towns and plantations
in proportion to their population, has given
rise to much discussion, relative to the justice
and expectancy of some of its provisions. The
restriction of that law. that any city, town or
organized plantation, is authorized to appro-
pirate its portion of the surplus revenue or
any part thereof, for the same purposes that
they have right to any moneys accruing in
the treasury from taxation has been much op-
posed and it is deserving of consideration
whether it ought not to be repealed. The use
Of that money for the ordinary expenses Of a
town, for the current year, in lieu of taxes, is
10 my mind, upon mature reflection manifestly
unjust, whether we regard the money as an
absolute or conditional deposit. The operation
Of such disposition of the money is manifestly
TO divide it among the people in proportion to
their property. If the usual taxes of a year are
omitted in consequence of this surplus money
each Individual citizen, in fact, receives an
amount equal to his annual tax. A distribu-
ton per capita is certainly more just than any
other.
Another plan, worthy of consideration, is
for each town to invest this money in fund
the annual interest of which shall be appro-
priated for the support of primary schools,
without releasing towns in any degree from
their legal obligations, to raise the sum now
required for their support. Such a disposition
would secure, in great degree an equal divis-
ion of the money. If, however, the restriction
is repealed, the inhabitants of each town can
decide for themselves the question of appro-
priation.
An act, approved February %, 1888, provided
that the cities, towns and plantations are re-
leased from ali obligations for the repayment
of the public money apportioned to Maine by
the government of the United States 1t also
empowered the cities, towns and plantations to
distribute this money per capita, or in the
same manner as money accruing from taxation.
In 1889 the Legislature adopted resolve
that inasmuch as the fourth instalmert to the
States had not been paid, and that there was
no surplus money in the treasury that it was
inexpedient for the general government for
the purpose of depOsiting the same with the