Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-04-01
MAINE LEGISLATURE.
CONTINUED from Page Two.)

1887 and was the revenue dNaA'"oic
1909, and 1t came into the state treasury
January l, 1863 The Fernaid admlnistra-
ton had to do business VIII duliis
1910 a revenue from the tax assessed not
that year, but from the tax assessed LOT
1909 a rate of three mills on a Valuauoh
of s42s 212, 465, and that tax produced 81
2s4637. 40, making the total amount OF me
revenue from State taxes available Tor
use bv the Fernald administration during
the two years of 1909 and 1910 s., 46s, 1851
Let us look at the prospective revenue
Of the Plaisted administration for 1911
and 1872 The tax rate for 1910 OF nVe
mills and the revenues collected by that
tax which came into the treasury the hrst
of January of this year is the amount
available for this year, and that amount
is fixed. which is five mills upon the val
uation of 1905 s42s, 2l2, 465, producing a rev.
enue of LA, 062. SO. Assuming that the
tax rate for this year is five mills, and
that the tax is collected and comes INTO
the treasury on the first of January, SlZ'
the available revenue for the Plaisted adj
ministration during the second year VIII
be five mills upon the valuation OF 1911,
$451, $50, 49, producing revenue or S2'ZaS =
800 So or a total for the two years Of w.
Ss9, 1862 go.
That is the total revenue that the Plais-
ted administration will have for the TWO
years from direct State taxes. Compare
that with $2,46S, 1861, which the Fernald
administration had available for TWO
years. There is something to take into
consideration when they talk about Re
publican bills and deficit was going to
allude somewhat fully to that the other
day in connection with another matter
when the senator from Knox interfered
and 1 refrained. I pointed out the other
day that this Legislature has declined to
appropriate anything for new buildings,
for State paupers and for roads and
bridges, a total of practically a million
and a half dollars of appropriations made
by the last Legislature for purposes for
which this Legislature has made no ap-
preparation at all.
l have just shown that from the pro-
ceeds of the State tax assessed in 1910
and 1911 which will be available on the
first of January, 1911. and the nrst of
January. 1912, respectively. the Plaisted
administration will have a five-mill tax
for each year, under the original plan Of
a five-mill tax rate for both 1911 and 1912,
almost twice as much revenue available
as the Fernald administration haA,A
What is to be the effect of raising this
ie11 tax rate to six mills? 1t Will be
precisely this: 1t is going to give the
Plaisted administration II mills of tax to
spend, namely, the five mills which was
raised in 1910. assessed, and was available
- oh, anil hn
spent during 1911 and the six mills raised
in 1911 and available the first of January,
1912-and they will leave for the follow
ing Observation-Disclosures comes In
January 1st 1913-an available tax of only
four mills from a tax rate of four mills
assessed for 1912 but not available for use
until January 1st 1913.
i do not assume to know wheth-
or this is a political suggestion
pr not. but if it is only designed to
produce revenue during 1911 to pay
Republican bills. as the senator says,
that accrued during 1910, it is unwise
for two reasons. First, because the
necessity does not exist and if it did
exist this proposition would not have
The desired effect. But the effect is to
be to enlarge by just that amount the
available funds for the Plaisted ad-
Illinistration and to decrease the avail
able funds for the following admins
trati0n. l think we shall hear, if this
is adopted, in the fail of 1912 the
Democratic party asking the people to
look at the magnificent results the par
~ has accomplished. the reduction of
the tax rate in 1912 to mills. and that
IL is on the basis of Democratic econo-
my, when the real fact will be just
the contrary, namely, that mills was
put back to 1911 in order to have that
extra mill of revenue to spend in 1912,
and the following administration be-.
ginning Jan. l. 1913, will be doomed to
get along in 1913 with mills from the
tax of 1912.
Now this has been put up to me
within a very few hours, and | heard
il as a serious proposition for the first
time this afternoon. | am very much
astonished at the suggestion coming
at this late hour, and if the Governor
had intended different policy, this
either shows his ignorance or a desire
to play politics. I believe, in the light
of this last proposition, this finale to
the farce played here, when he told you
of the necessity for economy and the
saving that has been made by this
Legislature, he tried to frighten every
body with bogy man, in order that
somebody may satisfy his vanity by
pointing TO the large balance in the
treasury Jan. !, 1913.
/ want to say now that whoever is
asked to admire that balance when the
time comes, should remember how it
was procured, for throughout this Leg
islature we have heard no suggestion
OF an increase in the tax rate to pay
Republican bills. Deliberate injustice
has been done here in the name of
economy TO every interest in the State
If it were true that the tax of mills
for 1911 would have paid these bills in
1911, and if il We're true that this tax
was to be assessed, why not have been
fair and honest from the beginning
and have advocated that extra mill for
1911 with a 5 mill tax in 1912, on the
theory that with that tax proper and
adequate appropriations might be
made?
| will say this: That the only effect |
of this change and the effect ] believe
is intended. will be to add to what
ever balance there might otherwise be |