Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-08-17

the Department was in the nature of
police work, the purpose of which
was 10 keep the food supplies up to
standard, especially in connection with
the inspection Of diaries, samples of
food, feed fertilizer and seeds. Res
taurants and slaughter houses in
more than 400 towns have been in
spected during the year, all of which
work the Governor considers of great
importance. The work of cleaning
up the milk supply is one of the
principal features of the Agricultural
Department and during the present
administration more than $4,000 dairy
animals have been tested for which
more than $4,000 has been expended
IN paying for those condemned. The
hgures for 1916 for this work We're
$4,000. The work Of the Department
in inspecting 10000 apple trees and in
certifying to 1928 acres Of potato
seed as compared with $50 acres in
1916 shows a healthy growth. In
1920. 10000 pounds Of Maine grown
wool were graded and this amount
grew to $4,000 pounds in 1922.
In laying out the program for the
future Of the Agricultural Department
Governor Baxter said that he felt
that the best informed men in the
} state should be consulted, and he was
ready TO be guided by their judg-
ment on the agricultural problems of
the State. The Governor felt that
more encouragement should be given
TO agriculture and that special at
tention should be paid to the mar
keting conditions of the State. In
order to accomplish much in this
branch Of the work it would be nee
essary for the farmers to organize
themselves in groups so that they
could adopt up-to- date methods of
grading, storing and marketing The
Governor felt that it was wholly
wrong from a patriotic as well as
. from an economical standpoint for
. Maine grown farm products to be
shipped to Massachusetts and then
, re- shipped to Maine with all the I'M
. necessary cost added to the price
, charged 10 the ultimate consumer.
The Governor stated that he would
be only too glad TO call conference
of the real farmers of the State if
they themselves thought that such a
conference would be helpful.
= Finances
: Governor Baxter in discussing the
financial condition of the State said
that he believed true economy had
been practised by the State govern
ment during the present adminstra-
ton and by true" economy he meant
, that dollars worth Of service or
goods had been received by the State
for each dollar spent He said that
all the State Institutions hospitals.
reformatories. schools and depart
, ments had been carried on cconomi-
cally and successfully and without
their activities being curtailed. 1t
would have been false economy said
the Governor If any of the institu-
tions had closed their doors or re-
fused 10 meet the expenses incident
TO their normal growth. AS an il
Illustration Of how his stewardship
had been conducted the Governor ex-
, planned the situation as folloWs:--
Our government is n representative
ione. The people select men to rep
present them and send them to Au-
gusta to carry on the public business.
, These legislators are directly respon-
: sble to those who elect them and
they are the ones who outline the
. financial program from year to year
. The people speaking through their
representatives and senators. subject
: to the approval Of the Governor. de
r cree how much money Shall be raised
hv taxation and for what purpose it
; shall be spent. After doing this these
> LEGISLATORS return home and leave the
state government in the hands of the
, chief Executive who has with him
his Council, the heads and employees
of the different departments and the
! State government is in their hands
; until the next session of the I.egis-
ldture.
The people. through their represcn-
itatlves. appropriated for the six
months period January 10 June. 1921,
, inclusive, s2,7600o0 and gave this
money to the Governor and his asso-
GATES. The work of the State was
iCarried on for that period, all bills
We're paid and s2.50S,N00 were re-
quired to meet the six months bills.
From this it will be seen that there
/ was left in the Treasury uncXpcnded
appropriations of $4,000 For the
period June 80 1921. to July /. 1922,
the Legislature appropriated s8S23.
600 and gave this sum to the EXccu
tive and Administrative officers who
l carried on the work of the State for
that fiscal year and expended SS75S,
= GOO in doing so. From these apprO-
; priations a balance of $65,000 remain
ed uncXpended. There has been
saved out of the IS months appro-
priations for which the present ad-
ministration has been responsible
sum of sS11 600 and the work Of
every department and institution has
been carried on in a reasonable and
, proper manner.
Governor Baxter believes that TIE
, legislatures respt visibility should
, constantly 10 brought 20 the front,
and that those who arc left in charge
OF the STATES affairs during the leg
| islativ" recess should always have il
! mind the wishes of the Legislature.
; and should not exceed the legislative
appropriations unless cases Of real
emergency arise Without at this
. time gonC into details Of how The
money was spent. the Governor be
lieves that the people of the State
g.,.z 49, -.