Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1911-03-30

| Of the state for the next two years
at least and it became incumbent Oh
| the Democratic party to meet the con-
ditlOns of things as they found them
| and carry ON the affairs of the state
| to the best interest of all the people
| of the State.
| Mr.. Speaker the Democratic party finds
| a deficit, not because. we claim. from any
| extravaganza, not because of any improper
use of the funds of the State, not because
| of the dishonesty of any office holder but
| simply because of an error of Judgment in
| assessing the taxes of the State, and the
| Democratic party found itself up against
| this problem and some policy had TO be
| pursued in regard to the matter. What did
| they do? The Republican party said that
| the thing to do to pay the bills. If
| the Republican had been returned to pow
| er they would have paid the bills They
| would have taken care of the deieir. They
| would have assessed a tax sufficient to have
| paid it and the time TO assess state tax
is and not two years from now or four
years from now. The tax payer, we be
| lieve, wanted TO do that. They believed
| in paying the bills OF the State They did
| not believe that they should have these
great institutions which they have built
|
them. think they are willing 10 be taxed
| to pay for them. and the should be taxed TO
pay Tor them That has been the policy of
| the Republican party in this Legislature,
Mr. Speaker Instead of putting off APP
preparations. we should meet the question
now and here. The raising of the State
| tax does mean as much as YOU might
| think. sufficient TO pay every bill the State
| l,Ila
| Tor the man who pays 500 tax in the State
of Maine.
But different policy has been pursued
! by the Democratic party. as | might put
| i, by the machine of the majority party
and they say il is a policy of economy
but as | claim false economy. They
say, Don't pay your bills, don't pay them
| now, don't raise the money by taxation.
| for our Governor said in his message that
| you must not raise the State tax" Early
| in The session called attention to the
| fact that We ought not to assemble the
appropriations the eighth of March. |
said, appropriate what the State of Maine
| needs, do not appropriate anything for
what it does not need but what it does
need appropriate the money for 1t; but
the gentleman from Watervile said on
January Il, of course you can raise
taxes, you can make them higher if you
want 10, bur if you do ! am afraid there
won be much for us TO ATTEMPT to
get a reelection year from next sum
mer. DO you see it, The Democratic
leader OF this Legislature was playing pol
tiles lie said that you must pursue a
policy of economy thar would return YOU
to the Legislature year from this COM
ing summer: If you raise the State tan
TO pay the bills OF the State you could
not come back here: that is the political
thing; il must be a policy of economy
for politics: and all through the I.egisIa-
ture the gentleman from Watervlle has
said TO you Democrats that there must be
rigid economy. But there came a time the
eighth of March, when the little claims
from the towns the State for pauper
expenses and for roads and bridges were
presented here, and it was said that all
those must go over to the next Legislature
ana over they went. On the night of the
eighth OF March the Democrats met in caucus
and the question began TO be asked Why
can We raise the State tax and pay the
bllls now? and your Governor said be-
fore the Democratic caucus, You
must make the people of this State
feel economy in such "a way that it
may appear that it is due to the Re
publican party and the extravaganza
OF the Republican party that you have
not got your pay" and the Governor
vetoed the Children's hospital resolve.
1t was used for the purpose of future
campaign, for the purpose of return
must put the knife in if it hurts. That
hppn cd
thing else has been disregarded but
the policy of economy for politics and
putting everything over to the next
Legislature and taking no responsible
ty in this Legislature. What have YOU
done" You say, we repealed the
Sturgis law" That is a great thing TO
brag about You say you abolished the
office Of assistant attorney general. so
that ii the one man is indisposed or
absent the office and people must suf-
fer You did a great thing by your
law OF course in abolishing the State
paper. You took a great paper with
capital behind it and set it aside and
you made a State paper of little
sheet that borrowed it's type of the
kennebec Journal to carry on this
work. HaughterD And you abolished
tlit ptupcT law 81 llldt no low II
could get it's pay for taking care of its
alien paupers. That is the work you
have done for the State. That is the
constructive legislation the Democratic
party of the Seventy Fifth Legislature
of Maine; and you can now go home
and tell the people of the great work
YOU have done for the State
But the Governor said that YOU have
not done foolish things. Now as to
some things you have not done.
The SPEAKER: The Chair would
suggest that the gentleman confine his
remarks more closely to the matter
under discussion, which is the motion
of the gentleman from Bucksport. CAP
plause)
Mr.. PETERS,: Mr.. Speaker I move
that the gentleman have authority of
the House by unanimous consent to
continue his remarks in the line he
sees fit.
Mr.. PATTANGALL: Mr.. Speaker,
second that motion.
The motion was agreed to.
Mr.. HERSEY: Mr.. Speaker thank