Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1911-01-11


raissd in some dtrsctlons, in the interest q
squality, bat In others they nay properly
b 1owsfsd. % that the nst result win b
10 lsavs things about - 10 And them %
~ = the ineons ofthsat 10 concerned.
The situation must b met inst o. ~
would meet like condition In our private
af1airs-by . reduction In expenditures.
No unnecessary appropriation OF money,
howevsr small, should b passed..
VICIOUS 1rNANoB ooNDEANED.
In connection with the condition Of the
State treasury and closely related to 1t,
call your attention to the Importance Of
ascertaining the financial standing OF our
State institutions. The custom Of fnanc-
ing these institutions on trustees and
treasurer notes, thus adding, indirectly,
an unknown amount to the liabilities Of
the State, 10 . vicious feature Of the
system under which our State government
has been conducted, and ID another custom
which should be changed.
Before an appropriation is made by the
Legislature for the use Of State instit ution,
You should consider it your duty to sscer-
tain the exact state OF its finances. Their
requirements should be fully canvassed 90
- to first establish the amount Of aid to
be gained by the State ana to theresf ter
remove the necessity for any such
borrowing in violation Of the constitu-
tional law. Means must be found to pre-
vent the contracting OF excessive or
illegal debts by State officials ON behalf of
the state.
The income OF all institutions and de-
partments should be paid directly to
the State treasurer, and all expenses, after
proper audit, should be paid from the
State treasury.
Appropriations made by the legislature
should be certain in amount. The present
provisions OF law with regard to the ap-
preparation OF money for the use OF the
State highway department and by The
national guard are not satisfactory. In
the one case the law imposes tax OF
three-fourths Of mill on all the property
OF the State, in the other one-tenth of Q
mill. In place OF these provisions I be-
lieve that there should be appropriated .
fixed am ,unt, sufficient for the needs OF
these departments. Then the people will
know what we are spending. suggest
that reasonable license fee be collected
from owners of automobiles coming into
our State, and that the money thus OBJ
tanned be expended in the maintenance
OF the highways which the State has al
ready built.
At present, the fines and licenses col
lected by the fish and game department
are appropriated to the use OF that depart
ment, making its income uncertain and
variable. These hnes and licenses should
be turned into the the State treasury and
such amount OF money appropriated as
you deem necessary to pay the expenses Of
this important department.
PROGRESSIVE LIQUIDATION PROPOSED.
Besides promising the people of Maine an
economical government, conducted on
business principles, we promised to enact
certain progressive legislation for which
there appears to be popular demand.
We are bound to enact Q direct primary
law. Guided by the experience OF other
states, believe it would be wise in enact
ing such law to apply the principle of di-
only in which the people feel the deepest
interest and the candidates for which are
likely to be well known to the mass of the
vo.ers. Nominations for governor Q I'd
representatives to Congress may well be
made by direct primary. IN my opinion
it would be unwise to go farther than that
until the new system had been fairly
tested.
We shall, without doubt, join other
stites in asking for an smendment;t to the
national constitution permitting the cleo
tion OF United states senators by direct
vote OF the people.
A corrupt practices act should be en-
acted. This law should be drawn with
great care, and honestly enforced. 1t may
not be possible by legislation to prevent
bribery at elections. There is one way
that is certain, and that is by educating
the voter to appreciate the value OF the
ballot and by creating q sound public
sentiment which will make the man who
buys his way into Office an object OF pub
lie contempt. But something can be
accomplished by legislation. The proof Of
the purchase Of q single vote in favor OF q
member OF the British House OF Commons
vitiates the election and seat Of the MEM
Der. A like provision in our laws might
effect an agreeable change in the
method Of carrying elections in this State.
The people have been promised that we
will approve the proposed amendment to
the national constitution authorizing the
levying OF an income tax. That promise
should be kept. Our government was
supposed to have that right and, indeed,
exercised it up to very few years ago.
In approving the proposed amendment We
are not comforting any new right on the
nation, nor are We taking away any right
now reserved to the State. The State still
possesses the right to tax incomes II it de-
sires to do so, and so far as the nation Is
concerned we are simply affirming the