Daily Kennebec journal., 1916-09-01
Editors Letter Box
As It Appears to a Farmer.

AZ Il Appears to Farmer
Editor Kennebec Journal:
We are in the midst Of political
campaign preceding our State election
and later the National election; cam
paign in which every loyal citizen
should be deeply interested and cleo
lions of vital importance to every one.
Both Of the principal parties claim tnat
party is sure to win! But no living
person knows which party will win.
| 1t is an old and familiar saying tnat
history repeats ITSELF" and we nave
sufficient confidence in the intelligence
&and honesty Of majority OF the vot-
ers; there Is every reason to believe
that there are enough voters imbued
with that spirit Of loyal Americanism
TO elect a Republican State admins
tration in Maine, as we'll as in the Ma
ton and prove this saying to be true.
| Champ Clark Is reported as having
| said, in his speech in Augusta recently
that this country has been living un-
der the present constitution 12S years
and more than half Of that time under
Democratic administrations which Is
doubtless absolutely true, for until the
formation Of the Republican party, the
Democratic party was the dominant
party almost invariably, but during
the last Sc years and beginning with
Lincoln's administration 1864 we
have had but two Democratic Presi-
dents, Grover Cleveland and Woodrow
Wilson. Although Cleveland served
two terms as President he did not
serve two terms in succession for be-
tween his first and second terms. we
had Republican President one term,
Benjamin Harrison. And there is ev-
cry reason to believe that Wilson is
serving both his first and last terms
now.
Conditions have been very much the
same in Maine for in more than a half
century there have been but four Dem
ocratic Governors and neither has
served second term! Alonzo Garce-
Ion in 1879 and never has Maine been
cursed by so~disgraceful an act as the
''count-out," or state steal" some
thing that very few Of those who have
become voters within the last rs years
know very much about. If they want
to know something Of the principles Of
the Democratic party, they should read
the report Of the investigation Of that
matter. Harris NJ. Plaisted was Gov
ernor in 1892. Fred w. Plaised 1911
II. and now the present Governor
who will soon be retired to private life.
The principal issue of the Democra-
tic party in this campaign, although
la false claim is the large amount Of
money in the State treasury. and this
may catch lot Of votes, for there are
many who will simply consider the
fact that there is about $1,400,000 in the
treasury and they care but little as
to how there came to be so much. The
Governor and other Democratic ora.
tors have been comparing the present
! financial conditions with those of the
! Fernald administration, but in doing
SO, very carefully neglect to state GER
tain facts and among them the tax
rate Of the two administrations; that
the valuation Of the State has in
creased since 1909, when the tax of
the Fernald administration was as
sessed up to 1915, s72,o25,322. and even
if the tax rate had been the same,
would have given quite an increase in
State taxes. That the Legislature of
1909 authorized the Governor to do
certain work and this was done, thor
oughly and economically, and paid for
promptly and honestly from funds pro-
vided for that purpose.
In the same way the last Legislature
authorized the Governor to do certain
work on some of the public institutions
and provided the funds, though the
State tax, to pay for the same, but it
has not been done, simply to make po'
litical capital by boarding the money
in the treasury and for no other rea-
son. And now at this late hour, there
Is talk Of advertising for bids on some
of those jobs; work that cannot be
done according to specifications and
within the appropriations because Of
the increased prices of material and
labor. Without doubt, in order to get
this work fully completed the next
Legislature will have to appropriate
more money. Even if the Democrats
should win they care but little because
it would be too late to make political
capital for 1918, while If the Repubii-
cans win the Democrats would lay the
whole blame on the wickedly extrava-
CANT Republican administration.
The Democrats too, have made some
comparisons between the Plaisted and
Haines' administrations, but in doing
this have very carefully neglected to
state the facts, that the tax rate the
first year Of Plaisted's administration
was six mills, the second year but four
mills and as the money due from the
State tax Of one year is not available
for use until the next year. Plaisted
had one-third more to use In his sec