Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-26
in a Bar Room, or Two Years of De-

mocracy"
The State tax for 1908, three mills,
was paid in 1909" he continued. "the
State tax for 1909, also three mills,
| was paid in 1910. as Fernald had six
mills TO use in the two wears of his
administration; the State tax Of 1910,
five mills, was paid la 1911, and the
state tax for 1911, six mills, was paid
in 1912, so that Plaisted had IL mills
to use in his two years.
| Remember that the State taxes are
not due until the following year af
ter they are assessed, and you viii
see that this wonderful campaign
text book of the Democracy puts down
the net debt, Jan. !, 1911, as $2,5i9,-
| Geo. but the net debt, Jan. 1, 1912. is
not put down. They give Plaisted six
months to collect his taxes and then
tell us what the financial condition of
| the State was. July 1, 1912.
Much Money to Spend.
| DO you realize the enormous
amount of money that Governor
PIaisted has had to work with dur
ing the two years of his administra-
ton. He has had s4,12s000 more than
| Governor Cobb and had in his first
administration, $3,S5S,000 more than
Cobb had in his second administra-
ton and s2,500,000 more than Fernald
had in his administration and yet
Plaisted goes around Dragging, tell
| ing how he has saved 100000. Then
this book here says that the Demo-
Gratis have reduced the tax rate from
five mills to four mills but they do
not say anything about its being six
| mills, last year.
| You can save million if YOU
raise the State tax two mills. Gov
! Plaisted didn't need to raise the State
taxes but he did and got $500 from
the city of Gardiner to put away in
the State treasury That raise of the
State tax was either through ignor-
| anee or for political purposes.
Mr.. Nelson at this point paid some
attention to what he called Demo-
cratic graft, taking up the Wateryllie
Sentiners illegal printing contract, the
enormous number of needless ballots
| printed, the over-charges on the Dill
| for the primary election ballots ana
| the States advance to the Sentinel Ter
stock. "They printed 80 tons of' these
ballots" said he, about two baiiots
for every man, woman and child anu
| ON top of that charged $4,000 more
than the contract called for
The shortcomings of the Democrat
ic Legislature We're taken up by the
speaker. He pointed out that they
failed to make an appropriation o.
$4,000 for free High schools so that
they might keep it in the treasuf =,
didn't pay $4,000 of pauper bills due
the towns and cities, while Governor
Plaisted vetoed the Childrens hospl-
tai resolve.
Not One Act to Benefit People.
You cannot point to single act
of the last Legislature for the bene-
| fiji of the people," insisted Mr.. Nell
son. They passed a corrupt practices
act that the courts declared uncon-
stitutional. they turned down the d.
rect primary law initiated by the peo-
pie and passed one that even the W :
terville Sentinel was not satisfied
with. They promised public utlli
ties bill but Mr.. Pattangall, whose
committee had charge of 1t, said that
il wasn't complete and passed 1T aions
to the next Legislature along with
the unpaid pauper bills.
About all the regular session did
was to pass resubmission and adj
journ on April FOOLS day. Then a
special session was called in the in
terests of the National Brewers AS
ISOLATION and tried to pass a bill to
provide local option in the cities and
towns, where 81 per cent. of the peo-
pie wanted SALOONS. The finally adj
journed after passing the ill-advised
ballot box act, which might bring
about a repetition Of the situation OF
1878, when an attempt was made 20
count out Republican Legislature
and make the State Democratic
Failure to Enforce Law
Governor Plaisted's failure TO en-
force the prohibitory law after his
promises of two years ago that he
would enforce the law as long as II
was on the statute books was com
mented upon by the speaker, as well
as the fragrant conditions ON non
enforcement of law now existin-
throughout the State. He cited the
Republican nomination of John
Mooers as sheriff Of Somerset coun-
ty, after the Democrats had turned
him down for enforcing the law as
proof that the Republicans meant
what they said in regard to enforce
ment of the prohibitory law.
The whitewashing of Sheriff Emery
of York county and the removal OF
County Attorney Richardson. who
complained against him, were sci
forth as the results of Democratic
caucuses, which had declared tbs
sheriff innocent and the county attor-
ney guilty before any evidence was
heard.
He quoted from the Year Book OF
the United States Brewers Assocla-
ton, showing that the liquor interests
appeared to be thoroughly conversan'
of Governor Plaisted's intention 70
call a special session, these words.
"The Governor announces that ne VIII
call a special session in when con-
stitutional amendment VIII be submit
ted to the people. giving local option