Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-03-01


resolves that come before them.
we are dependent upon the good faith
OF the committees, and when a commit
tee has held a hearing upon an act or a
| resolve, ! ask you how any member of
tnis legislature, or the Governor, when
the matter comes before them is going
10 exercise any judgment in regard to
cutting resolve from $500 down to
sl0O. and get something worth thirty
cents if, in the judgment of the commit
Tee that heard all the matters connected
with it $3.50 was needed to rebuild a
bricge Or repair a highway and make it
passable. l ask you how the Governor
in his superior wisdom can say that a
thousand dollars is enough to do the
JOB. and if $500 would do it. spending it
Juclciously, and you get $500 worth of
benefit from it, ask you if it would
not be the height of foolishness to throw
away thousand dollars which will not
half do the JOB and would be ultimately
Z wasted?
Now what is the Governors intention
On these appropriations that are held up
here when they finally appear? Does he
intend to slice them down and take off a
certain percentage on each bill and make
-'N- OAAO oOSoIAlCiN WI dIlO 0sc-
less so that the expenditure cannot COM
plnte anything. or does he intend to take
out those which suit his discretion and
wisdom. and veto the others and leave
this legislature stranded? There must be
one method or the other. II he says he
is going 10 cut them down pro rata ne
puts his judgment above that of the leg
islatu-e. He must either veto them, one
n oil
! him.
What benefit will 1t be 10 hold these up
until the closing days of the legislature
and send them all to him at once? now
can he judge what he should veto or
pare down and il he does how can he
D., get at it? How is he going to do it?
! What power has he to change any ap-
preparation on a resolve that goes
through the legislature? 1t may be that
he says that a resolve is not a resolve,
as he came in and told us in his wisdom
here the ether day. If a resolve is not
| a resolve, what is il? Perhaps he has
found ont by this time that a resolve is
something that has the force and effect
of law. He told US in his wisdom he did
not know what resolve was. He may
have found out by this time for he has
! paid some attention 10 it.
! If there are no politics in this matter
/ want someone here III. interpret the
remarks OF the gentlemen from Houlton,
Mr.. Pierce. yesterday in the House. If
II is all fair, clear blue sky and if abso-
Lutte fairness is the only thing the Gov
ernor wants, and if he is willing to do
anything for peace and harmony. and
if ne wants TO treat everybody fairly and
does not want any craftsmanship in these
questions. and is not playing politics at
all, and if he is attending to his duties
as other Governors have attended to
their duties, and as the Constitution de-
tines his duty. l would like to have some
one explain what the member from Houl-
/ ton meant when he said this:
The Governor Of this State in law. in
fact and in the eyes OF the people is
charged with the responsibility for its
financial affairs for the next two years;
! he cannot escape il and he cannot dodge
il. and he cannot shoulder the response
bility upon the Legislature: the respon-
sbility in regard TO the financial condi-
ton Of this State for the next TWO years
is upon the Governor. and is largely be-
cause the people of this State thought he
was the proper man for that that he was
chosen Governor, and the Governors be-
fore him have been chosen Governors
In all campaigns the speakers Of all
parties have advocated the election o!
their candidate. because they said that
( their candidate in the case Of Governor
+ Cobb. Governor Fernald and Governor
Haines. and these different men were
good men and competent TO look after
the general financial affairs OF the State
The Governors idea is that none of these
matters should be passed until they were
uIl in and the House and Senate knew
what amounts were asked for and re-
ported out of the committee on ways
and bridges. Then the House and Senate
can pass upon them intelligently, and the
Governor and the men in charge OF the
financial affairs CT the State could have
some assurance that the expenditures OF
the State would not exceed its revenue
for the next tWo years.
Mr. President. these two statements put
together simply show that il is a matter
of politics, looking to the next two years
campaign. and not for the next two
years benefi, To the State Of Maine. An
alyxinS that still further l want to ask
you who the men in charge of the finan-
P CiGl GIdIS OF TIE Skdlc al { " az l4CeA tiiS.
assulan nee that the expenditures Of the
State will not exceed its revenues! Be-
cause if understand the making up Of
the appropriation bill, after We have
made all OF our appropriations here. and
the proposed taxation hill is prepared.
all these matters are added together and
an estimate. as honest as can be made Of
! the amounts to be received from indi-
rect taxation, the income OF the state
etc. and then whatever is NEEDED more
to carry out the appropriations OF the
legislature is then taxed directly TO the
people Consequently there must be
/ money enough. if the appropriations
are not exceeded by the departments Of
state,-brought into the state by direct
and indirect taxation, to carry on the
state; and plenty of revenue is supplied
/ by the legislature.
! But that is not the point at all, Mr..
President. it il matter OF low party pol
itics starting in at the beginning OF this
/ legislature, so that the Governo- aSd
his party may go out and tell the people
( that he has saved them half mill o.
a Quarter Of a mill in their tax rate
1t is a matter OF cutting down taxation,
q great political bugaboo Of the future,
that he has a half milT less than his
! PREDECESSOR It is not for the benefit of