Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-09-11

one. He said that he had told the
people about their government, its
institutions and departments, and
had impressed upon them the need
of every good citizens taking an ac-
tive part in the States affairs.
He referred to the prominent posi-
tons which lKennebec County occu-
pied in State politics and said that
it was only natural that this should
be the case. He expressed the wish
! that the citizens Of other counties
would take the same interest in gov
eminent affairs as the citizens of
Imperial Kennebec"
| The Governor said that in so far
as he and his immediate associates
were concerned the campaign had
been an unusually clean one and that
no unfriendly references had been
made to other parties or candidates.
he hoped that every campaign in the
future would be as free from objec-
tionable features as the past one had
been.
He made especial reference to the
part which the women had taken and
was much encouraged to find that
the thoughtful intelligent women of
the State were reilly taking hold of
public matters and We're using their
influence to interest all the women of
the State in them. The Governor
made special reference to the vice
chairman Of the Republican organiza-
ton. Mrs. Guy p. Gannett OF Au-
gusta. who presided at the meeting,
and said that she and her asso-
ciates in the State, county, city and
town committees stood for everything
that helps along the cause of good
government.
Financial Situation
The Governor briefly reviewed the
financial situation in Maine stating
that the State was in a sound finan-
cial condition, that it paid all its
hIiis promptly and discounted those
where discounts were allowed. The
bonded debt Of the State Is small in
comparison with it's resources and
the Governor said that the people
should be careful about increasing
TINS Tor it means that succeeding
generations would have to pay it. He
regards himself as the head Of a big
business organization, the assets of
which We're $685.. 100000 it liabilities
$l2,5o0,O00 and it's yearly expenses
about $S,000,O00.
Education in State
Governor Baxter made special
reference to his deep interest in the
schools of the State and emphasized
the Importance of having proper
schools in the rural districts. He said
mat we could not expect agriculture
to prosper in the State unless the
children Of the farmers were given
an opportunity to get a good educa-
tlon. Today there is no excuse for
any child in the State Of Maine not
receiving at least the fundamentals
OF an education and that all children
in places however remote could to-
cay obtain reasonably good school,
ing. Even those in the unorganized
townships and plantations We're pro-
vided for and special appropriations
were made for them. THE people of
Name, said the Governor, ARE gem
erous in their school approp1ia-
TONS" and he believed this was the
pest investment they could make
with their money. The Governor
showed that the salaries of the school
teachers had been increased material
~ In six years, elementary school
teachers formerly averaging 1858.
now average SOB for annual salaries.
ana nigh school teachers formerly
averaging to receive S110 now aver
age S1S43, 80 per cent. increase in
both cases.
The Roads Of Maine
The governor referred to the roads
of the State and said that he apollo
gized to no one for them because. ey
crything considered, the people of
Maine had handled the road problem in
satisfactory manner. The governor
said that he had travelled over most
of the roads Of the State and felt that
the hardest part of our road problem
mad been solved. He referred to the
severe climatic conditions, our compar-
ativcly small population, our limited
resources. and the enormous mileage
or our road systems, and said that he
doubted If any states in the Union had
road problem quite as serious as
ours. He urged the people of the
State to look at the road situation
from broad viewpoint rather than
to judge it by the condition of any
particular piece Of road near their
homes. Special reference was made
to the governors policy of properly
maintaining roads and he said that
whereas in 1914 6SS miles Of road
were maintained by the State, in 1921
1905 miles were maintained.
Welfare Work
Special reference was made to the
welfare work. the mothers aid and the
care Of dependent and neglected chill
dren. all Of which had been developed
during the past five years and consti-
tuted a very important branch of the
States activities. The governor spoke
of recent visit he made to the State
prison and said that the work now be-
ing done by the State meant that in
the years to come there would not be
as many criminals. for every child
that was taken out Of unwhoIesome
suppornudings was much less likely
to go wrong and later become a State
charge.
Tax Rate Less
"The activity of the State are con-
stantly widening" said the governor,
but notwithstanding this. by prac-
tice of true economy the tax rate for
the present administration is less than
it has been during the last two ad-
ministrations, even though the pur-