Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1916-07-22
The Governor Proves IL.

the figures put out By the Governor
and then compare them with those
put out by the Democratic press. and
you will become convinced, as we are.
that they don't know where they are
at"
And again, in explaining away one
cause for criticism the Governor
makes the reason for another entirely
plain. That is, in doing nothing for
four years except pay for the good
work done by Governor Fernald, Gov
ernors Plaisted and Curtis each had
much larger tax assessments than he.
and cant help" the unexpended bal
ance piling up-why? Because they
don't seem to have the faculty Of do
ing things.
Let US look at the matter from a
business angle and from the fair and
non partisan point Of the average
taxpayer. Let US suppose Governor
Fernald had been reelected. as he
richly deserved to be in 1910, and hal
served in 1911-12 in place Of Governor
Plaisted. Suppose he had had s4,521,-
1852 in State tax as Plaisted had.
(the same being $1.091,915.50 more
than the years 19o9-1O yielded) does
our present Governor pretend that
Governor Fernald would not have paid
all the bills contracted, redeemed as
many bonds and left the treasury in
as good condition as did Governor
Plaisted? Does Governor Curtis pre-
tend to say that Governor Fernald
would have carried away any Of tho
peoples money in his pocket, or that
he would have refused to settle for
the extraordinary amount Of perma-
nent improvements which he put
through for the State in 19o9-10?
Governor Fernald. in tho light of
developments. is now regarded by the
people as one of the most efficient
executives the State ever had. That
he did not have money enough to
carry out all the desires Of the people
was not his fault, but that of the
Legislature. Even Governor Curtis
must admit that no constructive work
for the State has ever been accom-
plished with such economy, so COM
pletely within the appropriation and
time limit as was the rebuilding OF
the State House.
1t was not Governor Fernald's af-
fair; it was the peoples affair. They
wanted the enlarged and remodeled
State House; it was theirs when done /;
| it was none of any party's business
other than to go on and complete the
contracts. They demanded that Gov.
ernor Plaisted do that which any 9th =
er Governor would Rave been elected
| to do. And Governor Plaisted did it.
did precisely what Governor Fernald
would have done ha6 he been re-
elected. If the people had been taxed
more, Governor Fernald would have
had more with which to pay for what
the people had ordered.
But right here is all the meat in the
nut:
Governor FernaId DID something!
He did NOT hang back and refuse to
act as the people had asked and the
Legislature had failed sufficiently to
provide, because he foresaw that all
the bills could not be adjusted before
the following Jan. l. Governor Fern
aid went ahead and did the work
Governor Curtis. in a pretended an
swer to the Kennebec Journal gives
an amazing tumble Of school tax and
mill tax adjustments that prov:
everything except what the people
want to know--if nothing is to be
| done with these five and six mill tax
es every year. why are they assessed
| And here is a solemn conclusion
which the people have reached:
| If the same kind of Governor had
been elected in 1914 as was elected In
1908, Maine would have secured some
thing besides talk at the State Prison
where improvements are needed; al
Skowhegan when a woman's reform
atory is to be built (when a Republi-
can Governor is elected); at the State
Asylum in Augusta, where the Legis-
lature ordered and provided for ex-
tensive improvements; up in Somerset
where the Jackman. lockwood high
way was provided. appropriated and
assessed for.
The Governor says:
| Isn't it ridiculous and childish to
say that there would be any political
significance to the cash balance
1889?
Who would have known the differ.
ence If we had not explained it?'
A cash balance Of even sI,632,70s.2s
is highly significant, to the people,
when State improvements for which
that large sum Of money was provid-
ed have not been made. none Of them
more than barely started land that
under the sting of criticism) and some
| of them not ovep 1AoLoA