Daily Kennebec journal., 1911-04-17
An Answer to democrat"

A correspondent who signs himself
Democrat" writes saying that in our
comparison of the total appropriations
of Cobb and Plaisted we forgot the
increased appropriations by Plaisted
to towns and cities for common schools
and the $600,000 for temporary loans
in two wears. We beg to say that We
did not forget it but that we bear it
ever in mind. Six months ago when
Democratic spellbnderS We're going
about Maine abusing GOV. Fernald
twho alone and unaided had cut down
the appropriations of the 18th Legis-
lature nearly $7o0. 5000 for permitting a
total appropriation of over sS,000,o 900
for 1909-'10 the Lewiston Journal did
its best to enforce this truth on the
people-viz.. that under the new and
progressive policy of Fernald the State
was taking over more and more the
burdens of towns and cities and that
this of necessity increased the total
State appropriations and decreased the
local town and city appropriations.
We insisted that it was unjust and
meretricous to charge this as "reck-
less and extravagant." But what was
| the result? Today without one single
example of an "eXtravagant and reck-
less" appropriation that ever was
sanctioned by Fernald; without an
example anywhere of any graft or
scandal in which Gov. Fernald par
| ticipated or which he sanctioned he
continues to be maligned as reckless
and extravagant. Gov. Fernald built
for the people, an insane hospital,
built a Home for Feeble Minded, a
new building at the State prison. a
State Capitol. 1t is fitting that
Plaised should help pay for this. 1t
is not an extravaganza. 1t is not a
burden. The people assumed these
| debts in a legislature of Republicans
and Democrats and the people pay for
| them. Fernald paid his portion out of
six mills available tax. Plaisted has
eleven mills. And when we point out
that the Plaisted appropriations are
the greatest in the history of Maine we
are simply stating a fact. Such they
are.-Lewison Journal state Chat"
| Democratic "Economy."
Here is another of Managing Editor
Staples little cracks, to which Demo-
cratic leaders seem to object:
/ Isn't it odd The Democratic
statesmen who defend the large ap-
preparations of the Plaisted admins
tration $4,000 in excess of Fernald' s
and $2,500,000 in excess of Cobb's) do
$50 on practically the same grounds as
those upon which Fernald defended
his. Six months ago, the Democratic
papers were full of this statement:
appropriations have increased 800 per
cent. and population only 30 per cent"
In vain Republicans declared that
these appropriations We're largely to
be returned to towns and cities. The
Democratic SPELL binders poohed at it
and declared well show you! Two
millions are enough for the total ap-
preparations in any year said they.
And now they have not only adopted
the inevitable exactly as did Gov.
fernald but they have even increased
the appropriations to the formidable
sum of sS,161 900 or about $4. 4OO, 900 a
year. the biggest in the history of
MAINE. Now don't misunderstood us.
we are not hereby or herewith enter
. ing IN any discussion of the necessity
!. OF THESE appropriations. What we do
desire to enforce is, that today Demo-
= Gratis are defending in their own ad-
: ministration exactly what thew called
reckless and extravagant under
; Ferhald. And in addition to this
: they have eleven mills OF taxation to
. draw from against but little more than
half that under Fernald. ~,