Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1922-01-26

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water powers be kept in Maine. Sec
ond. that the State of Maine should
have the right to take back any fran
chise granted without paying for 1t.
Third. construction Of storage reser-
voirs as outlined by Governor Baxter.
The first proposition is settled by
Chapter so of the Revised Statutes of
Maine. II yeaSs ago. The second prop
osition, was fist settled by our courts
in 1896 and again in 1901 and 1902 in
the condemnation of domestic water
power companies. Third. the storage
reservoir plan is something based
upon the laws of New York which no.
body knows and nobody in any audi
ence which l have ever addressed I'M
derstands.
About State Finances
In his speech before the National
Republican Club Judge Deering declar-
ed the appropriations made by the last
legislature were the largest made in
the history of the State. They exceed
ed the appropriations of 1919 and 1920
by s1,34S.000. Some people have be-
gun to ask you why it is we are spend
ing in this administrative period ST.
$4,000 more than we had in the last
administrative period of Governor Mil
likcn, and the tax rate can be reduced
The appropriations for the year
1919-19o0 were s15.s61,97o.1 The APP
preparations for the administrative Pc
Rod in which we are now from July
LIST. 1921. to July l. 1928. are $1,000
1871. These figures are compiled by
the State treasurer and these appro-
priations were passed by the last two
legislatures; the last one being more
cxtravagant in the Way of aprropria-
lions by s1.34S,0 600 than the previous
legislature and more money actually
appropriated than ever was appropri-
ated before.
The legislature. however, set ahead
six months the beginning of the fiscal
year from Jan. 1. 1921. to June 90,
1921, and an appropriation was ma de
which together with the money on
hand took care of that period. but
when they set ahead the end of the
fiscal year they also amended the law
so as to make the annual excise laws
on railroads. telephones. telegraphs.
express companies. parlor cars. etc,
payable on June 18th. 1t should also
be remembered that the wild land
taxes are due and payable in the
spring of each year and, therefore,
the budget committee in making a
statement of revenue from these differ
ent sources figured all these taxes
three times. That is. they were figured
as an asset three times during the 80
months period. These excise taxes
amount to s2,500,O00 approximately
and would be about mills on a dol
lar on all the property in the Stats,
and If there had been added into this
administrative period an extra $780,
900 dollars coming from additional as
scssment and collection of the excise
tax it would reduce the tax rate. The
Governor did not do it, the legisla-
| ture did not do it. except so far as II
| was necessary to ratify the report Of
| the budget committee. The reduction
in tax rate is entirely due to the set
| ting ahead of the end of the fiscal year
so that three taxes instead of two
| taxes might be collected in one admin
istrative period. Then again the valu-
| alton of the State of Maine increased
! $50, 900. 900 between these two admin
istrations. The State assessors. did
, this. Neither the Governor. the lcg:s.
! lature nor any agency of the State had
anything to do with it. and so the re-
| duction of taxes heralded from one end
of the State to the other and as a
great credit to this administration IS
not properly attributed to the efforts OF
this administration but is on account
of the collection of the three taxes in
the same period where two taxes were
collected before, and an increase in
valuation.
feel as though 1 ought to correct
an impression that has been going
about the State in regard to the Con.
tingent fund. ] do mot think this
matter is of any Importance as far
as the nomination of the next Gov
ernor is concerned, but l depreciate
an erroneous impression that most
certainly has been given by the
statement made by the Chief EXecu-
tive at the meeting of the Forestcrs
at Augusta on January 9Th. The Gov
ernor said after discussing the con-
tingent fund and advocating it's
adjustment that the Governor and
Council could supply the money in
case of any emergency.
1T may. however, be said that
some real emergency not foreseen
by the legislature might arise. In
such an event under our State con-
stitution the Governor and Council
has the power to borrow $500, O00."
Now please do not take my word
for it but ask any lawyer or judge
of the supreme court, or even read
the constitution ofsthe State of Maine
yourself and you will not find in
the constitution any authority for
the Governor and Council to borrow
the sum of 100000. or any other
sum. In our constitution of Maine
that power does not exist. That
power is not even given to the Gov
ernor and Council by statutes.
1t was proposed in the bill present.
cd to legislature that 100000 be
appropriated for the purchase of the
top of Mt. Katahdin. 1t was esti-
mated that it would take half mil
non dollars to construct roads and
bridges to get to the bottom of the
mountain after the State had pur
chased the top of the mountains: but
II l were going to spend 500, 900 dol
lars Tor the recreation of the pcople
OF the State, before / would buy the
TOP of a mountain, although desir
able in soma recpnctS - ,,,;-t. L,