The Republican journal., 1915-02-18
r,xation Of Live Stock.

T,yation Of Live Stock.
:. co, It's Exemption Before the Legsla
''D Relieved 1t would Boom the Sheer
Industry cuoo;.,,
nidespread demand for the ex-
ipe, If sheep, swine and neat cattle
'pP10 tbree Years of age from taxation
Gat. among farmers all over Maine,
'S'% nIainIy brought out before the leg
va sommjttee on taxation in the SEN
ssu ,s.onber lupsdayafternoon, Feb. 9th,
De p' tbq three bills dealing with the
sa s;..t came up for a hearing, continued
npl'' rte week before. The proponents
llv~ rtrsted their arguments on the ex-
@ stior Of sheep and neat cattle, al
e alpnS livestock is also included in the
llY .5no measures. So strong an impress
ls, p III they make upon the committee
~" '.bsrs that favorable report is now
s Di1 freely predicted.
p' ~, P. Bass of Bangor, who ex-
, ny3 his views at the hearing last
E t's55 again addressed the committee,
l' rssntinp strong and logical arguments
(, ,,, Encouraging the raising of sheep and
,Wioe in tee State.
SHEEP DECREASING
N j. evident that something should
!. iors IN the NATTER" said Mr.. Bass,
", The raising of stock and sheep by
49, farmers shows pronounced fall
~ a-' of The report of the State asses
We w. ior 1893 shows the number of sheep
The State that year to have been 1856, :
~ In 1909 it had fallen to 24S. 140,
rsas in 1871 b there were but l20, 722 sheep
si-b An assessed valuation of but $371, :
II; IL
M Bsss then referred to the bill ex-
.nntiog poultry from taxation, which he
rcreaded in having passed by the legis-
Bp said that the report of the State
hard Of assessors for 1918 showed that
fq value Of poultry in this State had in
vase little more than 81, 900, 900 since
hat tine
III YOU exempt sheep and swine you
viii see even a greater increase than you
.E in poultry" Mr.. Bass declared. ut
Vas called a hen cackling bill at the
ne ii was presented. but the figures
nov The herefciaI effect 1t has had. The
/ geraga pgrcentage that sheep are taxed
Maine is a small one and the revenue
derived from taxes is comparatively
.nal. If the exemption is granted,
TIER is no reason why sheep raising can
Dot be increased as has the poultry pro-
Duct since the passage of the bill in 1897,
aemptng poultry from taxation"
The pending measure, which calls for
Ia%0G0 appropriation in 1915 and Sc, 900
| ID 1916, regarding the marketing of pro-
duets Of Maine farms, was referred to
By 5iG. Bass who said that when the
Name farmers produced the best of
Herytrl they had no trouble in finding
A tte best markets and that the summer
totes at The various summer resorts in
Asiae made one of the best markets for
pt0-5a-7 farm products that there is in
this e0GIt ing.
Ih-ngr-y derived from the exemption
q taxes luld improve and increase the
Ho1lct that the marketing PROPOSE
| Ton would take care of itself.
Me- Bass told the committee that he
advocated going farther along the line of
Exemption Than to limit it to sheep and
swim.
But | realize that you must go at
these things by piecemeal," he said,
and not expect to do too much at one
tmt would be willing to guarantee
HAT the exemption of sheep and swine
VII |och out in the same way that the
Exemption 1f poultry has. We have the
market right here in the State. 1t will
heiP The farmers, the railroads and the
Sumner resorts-all In former years
a0out all the profit the farmers got from
lIaeA sheep was from the sale of wool.
iaaJ is a small part of it now. One of
NE State assessors-John Dearborn of
0MRblrgt told me that he sold ten
e 1iord Downs-last springs lambs-for
Mh Bangor last fall. That shows a
stty far profit may be made out of
IN closing, Mr.. Bass said he felt 1t
ulg1I be biting off" too much to ex-
snpt cattle from taxation at present,
W. that he believed the Legislature
IOuid al least make a beginning with
hl897.
,. certainly. myself" said Mr.. Bass,
Il Inc committee do not feel like rec
.Iimending the exemption of neat cat
W would ADVISE that the legislature pass
na ~ oHerlng a bounty or premium up
s II iaI cattle Of certain age, to be de-
aDsu In the act"
Hsp. John H. Mckinley of Jackson
JIM syoAe briefly in favor of the measures
s ..n ne said, were strongly favored by
tnalsFs IN Waldo county. He read let
W., MY from Deputy Sheriff W. L. Gray
S am IRON Charles C. Clements of Winter
N.Y., VINO was for two years master of
S sM Waldo Pomona Grange. Mr..
Nr.e'L Is wrote that the industry would
h. s,eaIly simulated if neat stock I'M
And tgo Years of age could be exempted
p is 'uat all tie armers he bad talked
'TS were stro" " ~ favor OF it.
ssr : not y often that farmers
eys sr nefe to thu legislature and ask for
HpF4;PtSllon on their property" said Mr..
q 'nHlnley you never hear of farm
III $Hng onto an abandoned farm and
ns 's Ine town to let him off from pay
ftson axes on 1t. But towns and cities
ne9 5DSll'y vote to remit taxes on some
abIi,bh anutacturing enterprise that es-
Nh ~ itself within their borders.
atsD4 shouldn't the same exemption be
tcpI tuso to farmers? The basis of ag-
Aet % 1i Is stock raising of some kind.
neDts "iseiy and hold out some induce
hdast,,'o open up something better for the
N'fy here in Maine.
FARMERS FAVOR 1T.
h bsI S 5Oi Leary of Hampden said that
| Alter ~ IItlVen through Penobscot county
b h.S ue primaries last June and that
llsg W.. talked with many farmers.
b s, we're all interested in stock raising,
stnIs and agreed that something
4 r. 4