Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-25

been three mills instead of five mills.
| had It not been for these debts. In
| other words, had the States finances
been in reasonably healthy condi-
ton when this administration came
{ into power. no direct State tax for
1912 need have been levied excepting
the tax for the support of common
| schools.
| But the debts existed and there was
no shirkng their payment. The State
of Maine always has and always will
! pay its honest bills. There was but
one way t. meet the situation. The
only way to pay a bill is to pay it,.
The only way in which a state can
pay its bills is to tax the property OF
its inhabitants sufficiently to produce
the money with which to pay them.
The situation demanded a tax rate
higher than is desirable and. at the
same time, the practice of the strict
es; economy.
With "a tax rate of five mills for the
years 1911 and 1912. the entire reven-
ues of the state for the two years will
be approximately $500, 900 OF this
amount more than 81 ,O00,0 600 must go
to pay debts contracted by the previ-
Gus administration. over $4,000. 600 Of
the balance is taken up by the COM
mon school fund. leaving less than
! $4,000, 900 to be otherwise expended
during the coming two years, or APP
proximatelv $2,50o00O for each year.
When it is remembered that the
appropriations made by the Legsla-
| ture of 1909 exclusive of the amount
| appropriated for common schools, ag-
gfegated So. 900. or an average of
| $3.50. 600 for each of the two years
of 1903 and 1910, some idea is obtained
of the contrast between the lavish
extravaganza of YOUR predecessors as
compared with the strict economy
which that extravaganza forced upon
us.
=, desire t. congratulate YOU and to
| thank you for your faithful and con-
sist"nt work in assisting me is car
rying out the policy of economy which
| We found necessary. 1t has required
| great self-control and involved much
self denial on your part to adhere as
strictly as YOU have to that policy.
| TIE good result is now apparent.
! Without raising the tax rate we shall
meet all of the bills contracted by this
I.pgisat ure. pay oft the 81 600 0o6 OF
debts hcauoa thcd to us and leave in
| the treasury, at the close of the two
years, a reasonable working balance.
The revenues of our State will grad
uallv and steadily increase as bust
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cow. ,,i.l,nr Win tho hurd.n of
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acconplisiti' VIII w pr ''i i'''' ~.
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homes To give 10 Your pe'ple oil az
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t"' a., ai.a,,,,,
| .,, w ,rto
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