Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-03-31
Increased Legislation.

Increased Legislation.
As the State has developed, indus
try and commerce changed, our laws
have been modified and changed to
meet these constantly changing con-
ditions of the people. The more COM
pick society has become, the greater
the demand for legislation. Our BIZ
ennial volume of acts and resolves
becomes larger with each succeeding
Legislature. The last session passed
221 public laws. PA private and spe-
eial laws and 81 resolves. You ex-
claim at the number. You hear oc-
easional remarks that we have too
much legislation, and yet 1 guarantee
to you as long as we move forward
and progress, develop and improve our
conditions, so long will our biennial
output of laws continue to increase.
We say that we are governed by
public sentiment, and public sentiment
biennially finds expression in. these
changing statutes.
Our State is large; our interests
are greatly diversified. One portion of
the State may know little about what
another section is doing. Yet, when
and section of the State is present and
represented. Every one of these meas
ures has had it's friends, it advocates,
its witnesses, it's hearings, before ii
has. become law; and it is remark
able with what unanimity and grace
every section of the State and every
interest submits to that which seems
to be the concensus of public opin-
ion. You hear very little criticism
of our statutes. In other words, you
may say that the government of
Maine, which is its laws. are observed
and respected and honored by all.
The States Affairs.
Now, / want to go a little further
with our State government and show
You what we are doing. l do not
mean what the Governor is doing or
any of the heads of the executive de-
partments of the State. but what the
people are doing for themselves
their laws / do not know
of a better way than to show you
just what is being done during the
year 1914, by our people for themselves.
their civil government. l
cannot go into every phase of it, but
I do want to refer to its finances and
fiscal affairs, which perhaps give ex-
preston as well of what the people
are doing for themselves as in any
other way. / do not think 1 can do
any better to bring this home to you,
than to review and analyze Chapter
243 of the Public Laws of 1918, which
is the appropriation bill for the ex-
pendtures of government for the year
1914, and which raises and appropri
ates for that year the magnificent sum
of $4,s79074a16. Now, / want to show
you what the people are doing with
this money, because that act provides
of it by their legislation.
Before I finish speaking, I want to
call your attention to what a small
portion of it goes for the purposes of
government, strictly speaking. And at
the risk of firing you, / am going
somewhat into details. Remember at
the outset that the State tax for 1914
is only four and one-half mills, as
sessed against the property of the
State and that this assessment pro-
duces less than half the sum appropri-
ated by the aforesaid act; that the bal
ance is produced from corporation
taxes and other sundry resources. Re-
member also that what is equal to a
three mills tax against the property of
the State goes back to the towns and
cities for the common school fund and