Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1917-04-04

months old. What are we doing here If
we pass this bill todays You are taking
away the first boon you ever handed out
to the farmers in the world in the score
of taxation. The farmer is taxed more.
he pays a higher rate of taxation on his
property than any other class of property
in the State of Maine. His farms are
taxed nearer to the full value than any
other real estate in the State.
You may go into your towns and viii
lagos and cities and you see a set of
buildings that cost from ten TO fifty
thousand dollars, and how much are they
taxed forl Ten thousand dollars may BE
taxed for four or five thousand and that
will be the limit. Your fifty thousand
dollar house will be taxed ten or twelve
thousand and that will be the limit. Take
your farm that is worth twenty thousand
dollars, and how much will it be taxed
for? 1t will be taxed practically for
twenty thousand dollars. and then your
assessors will hunt around and find every
little calf every hen and turkey ana
pig and colt and heifer and steer. and
they will put a valuation on of practi-
cally the full value.
What have we heard about the intangt-
BILE property in the State of Maine dur
ing this whole session? We have heard
that not one-tenth or one-twentieth part
of it is taxed
say not only was that bill passed for
the purpose of encouraging the farmers
to raise more stock, to raise more sheep
to raise more hogs. and better their
farms. but it was passed for the pur-
pose of evening up a little. if possible
with these men that have this intangi-
BILE property and do not pay mill on it,
Mr. President, and fellow Senators, |
hope YOU viii see that this motion of
the Senator from Somerset, Mr.. Walker
prevails.
Mr. BARTLETT: Mr.. President, as a
member of the committee on taxation
tw" years ago. I was in favor Of this
bill which took the tax off this class Of
property and the only reason that ! re-
call before the committee was that it
might encourage the agricultural inter-
csts to that extent. although we all felt
that it might be to only a small extent
in view of the small tax. AS stated by
the Senator from Franklin. Senator
Butler the information l get at the
present time is that it has not had the
/ effect to stimulate this. as it seemingly
would. but it has had the effect to OK
empt herds of few large breeders. In
other words, it exempts those people
who are doing a large business of that
nature, whereas in a large business on
other matters they have to pay taxes.
and l feel that it is wise to repeal this
bill.
Mr.. WALKER: Mr.. President while
| the tax is small. yet l know the farm
ers in Maine appreciate the fact that the
Legislature of Maine two years ago re-
membered them even in a slight degree.
And If they repeal that law they will
also remember that the legislature of
Maine remembers them in this legisla-
ture.
/ Mr. BUTLER: Mr.. President, it has
been stated that more farmers are so
ing into sheep raising than perhaps
have been going into that business for
a few years. The price of the product
has much to do with that. Wool is
bringing something, and sheep and
lambs are worth something today.
/ ! started into business in 1902, and
! paid farmers in the locality where
was % cents a pound fOr wool in 1902.
! Twenty-Five cents seemed to pay for
The product fairly Well, and there were
many sheep in the locality where |
was. The next year we paid them Use
a pound for wool. and the next year
after that in 1904. we paid 16c. In 1908
we paid 12c for first quality wool and
SC for second grade.
/ You can all remember the situation,
and that after that date the sheep in
dustry ceased in Maine. There We're
no sheep except in isolated places. and
there have been none up to the pres
ent time. OF course prices now will
guarantee keeping sheep. and possibly
farmers may maintain f1ocks again as
fast as they can produce them, but this
amount that is exempt from the aver
age farmer as | met them, they con-
sidered it more as q joke.
If you can help them in any way. in
a way that would have some money
consideration to them. and exempt all
neat stock. would not oppose II meas
urc of that kind l do not think for the
average farmer over the state that the
amount exempt pays for the bother Of
sitting it out in making the assess
mentS.
I have no objection to the principle
of eXempting neat stock to benefit the
farmer. and l would be favorable to
exempting it all, but this hits in such
a small way, and you have to sort it
out in assessing and I think it is OF
but very little value
Mr. WOOD of Hancock: Mr. Presi-
dent / am not a candidate for anything
except to come back here again after
two years, if I have good luck for
have made so many friends, that | want
to meet them again | am not a can
ddate for anything more important
than that and l attach due importance
to that position SO that I am not say
ing what I say to get the farmers
votes. but in listening-I do not pre-
tend to know anything about farming
but in listening to Senator Walker and
to senator Merrill. their arguments ap-
pealed to me as perhaps being disinter-
ested in a way, not claiming to have
any special interest, and l believe prob
ably they are right and if we can extend
any encouragement TO the farmer in
this small way-as has been said by the
OPPOSITION it does not amount to very
much as matter of taxation but some
times these little encoura gements held
out to the farmer. while he is proper