Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1909-01-08

upon state for years and years to
rome; while the fruits of wise and bene-
ficent laws make states happier and bet
ter. I beg of YOU. however to consider
this phase of your duties seriously. If
there be any man here who looks upon
his oath of office taken before God and
man, as of small account, let me beg
him to revise his views. If any man
there he who assumes his first duty to
be to his political party and his second
duty to his state. let me beg him to
dcsist. This is not the proper field for
an exploitation of party prejudices or Of
personal and political ambitions. The
gravity of the duties here imposed calls
for "A higher eStibate Of our service than
this and constitutes an appeal to the
patriotism of every man. in such degree
that lie will ungrudgingy sink himself
End his party, in devotion to the service
IF the whole people.
| need not say that large issues con-
front us. Rarely has a legislature faced
II greater complcXity of problems in both
moral and economic fields of legiSlati ton
than does yours. Your solution of some
pf them may determine the policy of
the state for years to come and be the
means of setting her face either towards
progress or decline. 1t is not much legis-
lation. but wise legislation that we need
A fearless regard for the rights of the
study of these problems demands our
whole time and requires that our SER
vice be in the very spirit of the religion
of our better natures. ] believe, in all
solcmnity, l doubt not you do, that
the Lord has this nation and this state
in His holy keeping, and that He will
lead us by His kindly light as He has led
us until now Reliance on Him, con-
idencc in ourselves. determination to
be swayed from what we believe to be
right neither by wealth nor by power
nor by any influence or combination OF
influences that may be brought against
us, will carry through to such an en-
bodiment Of Justice into law that we
shall not fail to justify our service alike
10 our conscences and to our constituent
ces.
A Prosperous Two Years.
1t is hardly necessary for m" to say
that our state has been very prosperous,
the past two years. and that our fnan-
res are in excellent condition. Our total
bonded Indebtedness is but six hundred
ninety eight Thousand dollars t$59S, 0o0).
no part of which VIII fall dur during TINS
administration. On December 81, l9oS,
shore was S56S, :,34. IA cash in the treas
nry We have paid three hundred ninety
FIVE thousand dollars (s39a.o0o) on the
bonded indebt cdncss jim the past two
years. All but two hundred sixty-eight
thousand three hundred dollars t$26S.599)
Of our present Beaded indebtedness IS
bearing interest ut tic rate OF three
percent and while mono of our bonds ma
ture before 1911. | would advise purchas-
Ing them, from time to time. as we can
make the purchases on reasonanlc pas
is. The present valuation is S42S,2l2,-
iG5. 90. showing an increase of S23.fl9,-
1880 ovcr that of 1906.
The tota! :eceipts for the years 19o1-S
were So. POS, 252.iS.
The total expenditures for the same
years were s6,327, 6s9.o6.
The estimated ordinary receipts for
1909 are S3,95S. 4i0.S2
The estimated ordinary receipts LOT
1910 are S3,s09. 1885,
The estimated. ordinary expenditures
for 1909 are So. S56,3 43.29.
The estimated ordinary expenditures
for 1910 are 1886, 751.42.
1t should be remembered that whlie
we have a large cash balance at this time
much of this will be used in the next
few months for current expenses, or be-
fore the state receives revenue from any
available source While it is matter
of gratifying pride that we are lncreas-
ing rapidly IN wealth, we should practlce
the same careful economy that mas won
approval of the citizens in the past IN
using this term 'practicing economy,
wish YOU to understand that employ II
IN the broader sense which means to
deal literally with an to stint no IN
stitution or state function but to keep
within the reasonable limits of our abill nh.
ty; to eXpend our money wisely; 10 see
that we get a good return for our ex-
penditures and to live so that we may
pay our debts without placing heavier
burdens upon the tax payers.
Conservation of Our Resources.
Since the legislature of 1907 adjourned,
the Supreme Court of Maine in response
to request CT the Maine senate, mas
unfinished an opinion affirming that the
legislature can regulate the cutting or
logs on wild lands. This opinion was well