Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1910-07-02
GOV. FERNALD SOUNDS
CAMPAIGN KEYNOTE
Continued from Page One.)


1t cost $4,000 more for the bene-
ficiaries Of the State in the insane
hospitals in 1909 than in 1907. In
1907 the charitable institutions of the
State. the general hospitals, the
refugees and homes for women and
children, etc. We're assisted to the
amount of about $125.000, while last
year. in response to the representa-
tons and petitions that no good Citi-
zen within our borders would have
had ignored, they were aided to the
| extent of $36S000. Included in this
generous benefaction We're $4,000 to
the State School for Feeble Minded,
an institution the far reaching benefit
| of which can never be measured in
dollars and cents: for the Children's
| Hospital at Portland. $4,000; the
School for the Deaf, $29 500; the Insti-
| tuion for the Blind. $4,000: the Sana-
forum at Hebron. $4,000, and as evil
| dence of the appreciation our people
| have of the great work that is being
| done there, within a few months they
have contributed to it by public sub
scription more than $4,000. and a
| gentleman outside the State has en-
dowed the institution with a fund of
more than 100000.
Another item Of expenditure that
| increased from $4,000 in 1907 to ST.,
| 600 in 1909 were the payrolls of the
| members of the legislature. due to tho
salaries having been raised from $50
to $500 by the legislature of 1907, but
| which, under the constitution. could
not take effect until 1909. Even at
this figure. agreed to by all parties
our legislature is by no means over
paid. if we contrast their compensa
ton with salaries paid in many other
states. Here then, in these few
items, all objects that commend them
selves to everybody, the disburse
ments expended from $1,121,000 in
1907 to $1,S72.OOo in 1909. or an in
crease of $751;
| There are other items that affected
unfavorably on it's face the expendi-
ture column of 1909. but far from be
ing a charge against the administers
ton. they are decidedly to its credit
To illustrate: the State distributed to
the cities and towns last year in taxes
received from the railroads. $125.00o as
against $117,OO00 in 1907. and it sent
to the counties where the wild lands
the owners, $4,000 as contrasted with
$4,000 in 1907. Such items, which in
these two instances swell the disburse-
ments by 100000 are, as matter of
fact. evidence of sound legislation by
the party in power. legislation in line
with its general policy of collecting
generously, yet fairly and reasonably,
from the cooperative and other prop
| nrtx ,N1 20 y
)tributing it to the county, city and
town.
Some criticism has been made be
| cause the bonded Indebtedness of the
State was not reduced in 1909. but all
the bonds that became due last year.
$4,000, We're paid two and five years
in advance of their maturity. by a Re
publican administration, 100000 was
paid in 1904 and $4,000 in 1907, so
that the only method by which further
reduction could have been made was
by the purchase OF unmatured bonds
probably at a premium. Inasmuch
as they bear only per cent interest
and the banks pay us 2 per cent for
our deposits. it would hardly seem TO
| be a good business proposition to go
into the market as Il purchaser of our
| securities that holders are reluctant to
| sell. Certainly we do not need to do
| that in order to enhance or maintain
| the credit of the state. That is cs-
| tablished on a gilt edged basis in the
money markets of the whole country.
In further reference to the State tax
| of three mills. the rate that has pre-
vailed from and including 1907 to and
including 1909, it is important to as
certain what part of that is actually
available for strictly state and
multitude of other miscellaneous pur
poses, that is. for the payment OF the
salaries of all State officials, the gov
| ernor, the justices of the supreme and
| superior courts, the 16 county attor-
| neyS, the heads of all State depart
| mentS and their clerical force. the
| per diem and expenses of the trustees
of all state institutions, the appro
! priations for insane hospitals, our
! State school for boys. our industrial
SCHOOL for girls. orr dependent pen
sioners. our State and county agri-
cultural societies. our free public
braries scattered all over the state.
| our State university. our state prison,
| the thirty eight hospitals and homes
|Rnd asylumS and orphanages, from the
| little hospital in the plantation Of
| Eagle Lake in ArooStook county in the
| north to the great general hospitals
in the city of Biddeford on the south,
| that were aided last year. and almost
| innumerable other demands that mark
the progress and prosperity. not the
decline and extravaganza, Of a people
| And it is not difficult to arrive at the
| figure.
BY the provisions Of Chapter III of
| the Public Laws Of 1907 it was enacted
| that IL mills on the dollar shall be
| annually assessed for the support Of
| common schools. That was fixed by
| the law of the state. it was the law in
| 1909. and il was assessed in compli-
| ance with the law. and the revenue
| produced therefrom is and can be eX-
| pended for the support of schools and
| for no other purpose.
| BY Chapter 112 of the Public Laws
! of 1907 it was enacted that there shall
| be assessed annually on all property
| in the state tax of " of one mill
on each dollar for the permanent i'm
| provement of main highways or state
| roads. That was fixed by law and
can be used for no other purpose. BY