Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1919-02-08

should be approved and provided for
by direct taxation, the increase il,
State tax for the various countie:. q
the State for 1920 over i31,-,s
would be not less than the folio"
ing sums:
Androscoggin .............$ 1l6sS2.s'
ArooStook Observation-Disclosures. $685.,
Cumberland NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. ,O4l
Franklin ........................ al ii'.tt
Hancock OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. i3 S39.,.A
kcnDCDcc ....................... % i1o..c
Knox NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 245, 5Si. 10
Lincoln ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 103,G.U.ac
Oxford NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 4l5,1S u:
Penobscot ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 9904Sa.tl
PlScataQu1S ................... ooo -. -
Sagadahoc ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. go 163. IS
somerset ....................... '''et
Waldo NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 1S).c2- Is
washington .................... 3Vo,oJo-os
York :. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. 74s,5So.p2
In Committees Own Towns
The increase for the classes Of towns
represented by the House members Of
the committee on ways and bridges
would be:
Lisbon. represented by Mr. Cla-
G ay. New Gloucester and
Raymond. represented by Mr.. -, .,
Boothbay. Alma. Edgecomb.
Newcastle, Southport and
Westport. represented by Mr.. :. -. -,
Peru, Buckiield and Sumner.
represented by Mr.. Stanley. Il. o3s
Harmony, St: Aioans. ri kipiGsy.
naan, represented by Mr.. Fat
tee ...................... ol,'So.3-
Perry, Pembroke. Meddybemps.
Cooper, Alexander, Robbinston
u, H1r.tt rDn
Nv Washburn .....>............ 1s.a775occi
Wells and York, represented by ~ :.
Mr.. Williams .................... s3''oo0a
Means Los-Rol'ing
Nobody supposes, Of course, that al
these projects would be approved by
the Legislature, but the serious point
to consider is that any such program
as that proposed by the commltte2
must Of necessity involve various trades
of the time honored give-and-take varle-
ty. In other words. it is the entering
wedge for an old-fashloned l"S-roliihf
program, the total result ot ~hich
would be somewhere inside the tgure5
mentioned above. but how far inside
10 one could now foresee.
While such program is in progress.
careful consideration of important gem
eral legislation is difficult, if not i'm
possible. and such projects if consi!-
cred at all are sure to stand or fall,
not on their own merits but ACCORDING
to the relation which they chance 20
bear towards various private and spc
cial resolves carrying appropriations.
/ am slow to believe that the impulse
expressed in promises made by lner1-
bcrs of the Legislature in advance Of
opportunity for full study Of the facts
will finally represent their mature judg
ment, hut if the program Of the COM
mittee is sanctioned by you, and that
committee, with the assent OF iuf1i-
cient number of members, has assume
the task of proposing the financial pro
gram of the State for the next two
years, then it is manifestly superiuous
and a waste of time for myself and the
budget committee. in consultation with
other committees who have to do With
appropriations. to continue the intricate
and laborious task Of trying to frame
q budget which, will meet the mos. urc-
ent necessities of the various depart
ments and institutions without unduly
increasing the tax rate.
The Budget Held 10
| shall therefore defer presentation OF
any budget proposal until it becomes
apparent whether the Legislature def
nitely wishes to return to the old meth
Cd of making appropriations. In the lat
ter event there would. of course. BE no
purpose in presenting the budget at all,
except later in the session as matter
of form to comply with the statutes. il
would then become my duty merely to
fulfill my constitutional responsibility
Of approving or disappearing every in
dividual proposal as circumstances
seem to indicate, and should be com.
PEELED to contine myself to the stric.
necessities Of government and decline
to approve appropriations not strictly
necessary, no matter how meritorious
they might be.
This course would be plainly i'm
posed upon me by a due regard for
the public treasury, in view Of the
possible total Of appropriations Sc
cured by the process which the COM
mittee proposes to follow.
The unfortunate result of this pro-
cedure would be the failure of most
Of the new proposals involving the
health and welfare of the people, the
condition of workers, better care of
dependents and unfortunates, prog
ress in education. and relief of
crowded conditions at state institu-
tiol..s. Most of these projects require
money beyond the actual minimum
I'm which the business of the State
could be run. The various commit
tees concerned have devoted a great
Gea. of time to the study of the prob
lem of meeting as many Of these
needs as possible within 4 reasona BILE
tax rate, but it is impossible to ap-
prove in advance those not actually
Indispensable without some assur-
ance regarding the total amount of
appropriations likely to be author
lied. Without the budget, no such
advance estimate is possible.
Pork Barrel or Budget
In short, gentlemen. the plain fact
is that the pork harerl and the bud
get cannot live together in the same
Legislative program. Whether You
wish to continue the budget method
or return to the old hap-hazard way
of making appropriations, is for You
to determine. I shall do my best to
adjust myself to either plan You may
see fit to select. but ] sec no advant-
age in proceeding with any budget
making plan while there is any un-