Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-12-30
Those Appropriations
oath TimeS

There is no question but that the in
coming legislature is going to have to
meet some Of the most troublesome
problems which have confronted any
Maine legislature for many years.
Some OF the greatest questions which
it will have to face Will be the appro-
priation, or non-appropriation, Of
funds asked by various departments
and institutions. Just now, the public
Is demanding a reduction of expenses
OF government, lower taxes and a
general program of retrenchment from
that which has been pursued for a
number Of years. Gradually the ap-
preparations in the federal, state, city
and town governments have been
growing until today they have reach
ed such figure as to become almost
unbearable. Add to these the war and
revenue taxes, and various other de-
mands which people have to meet, and
1t Is no wonder that the public Is
calling for halt. Since the days of
the war departments, institutions and
officials have become habituated to the
FEELING that all that is necessary is to
state their wants and receive favor
able consideration from whoever is
holding the purse strings. 1t has not
been case of what they can get
along without, but get all they can
and that is one reason why taxes are
so high. In the old days it used to be
case of economy and careful man.
agement. Today it is one of extraya-
gance and unreasonable demands in
many cases. There is no reason why
a state, city or town should not be
like an individual or corporation, keep
their expenses within their incomes and
not spend money as If it grew on trees
and could be gathered as desired. All
the public money which is expended
has to be taken from the taxpayers
and much of 1t is earned by laborious
| toll. long hours and saved by self
denial that it may be ready when the
taxes fall due.
There must be an end to all of this
or the people will rise up against it's
continuance and insist that no official,
legislator or anyone else. shall hold
office who does not stand for old
fashioned economy and careful inyes-
tigation before appropriating or using
want our legislators. federal. state or
city, to be niggardly. We do not want
| to sacrifice safety and efficiency but
there are a great many trimmings
without which We prospered for many
years and without which we can pros
per again.
That the various departments, insti-
tutionS and individuals will 20 before
the members Of the legislature and ask
greater appropriations than ever be-
fore there Ii no doubt. That each will
,, believe his cause just is equally adj
mitted, but II the financial standing
Of the State Of Maine is to be pre-
served. In as fine condition as it has
been In the past, some of these re-
quests must be turned down, others
pared down and some. perhaps, grant,
ed in full. Which Of these three meth
DDS Of treatment they will receive will
be up to the members Of the incom-
ing legislature but each man Of them
! should go to Augusta next week with
the intention Of doing his best to re-
lieve the Taxpayers of the state Of as
great a portion Of the burden as DOS
sible without impairing safety and
efficiency. The man who does this may
not win the appreciation and plaudits
of some Of those against whose re-
quests he may vote but he will have
the satisfaction Of knowing that he
has done what was for the best inter-
ests Of his state at large and the good
of the people.