Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1923-10-01
SEN, EATON IN Error
ON STATE FIGURES,
WORD GOV. BAXTER

An interview with Senator Fred
eric Q. Eaton of oxford, chairman of
the committee on appropriations for
lhe legislature. in which he criticised
Gov. Baxter, Saturday, brought forth
from GOV. Baxter reply making
public statement from Cecil c, CLAY
the official "tenographer of the
House Of Representatives. which al
leges that certain remarks by mem
bcrS made in the lower branch of the
legislature, We're eliminated from the
official records by direction of the
speaker.
Gov. Baxter further states that
Senator Eaton did not have the
states financial situation in hand.
and had his program been adopted,
the state would not have been able
to pay its bills
Gov. Baxter said;
state Senator Frederic O. Eaton
OF Rumford not only criticizes me for
having added one quarter of a mill to
the state tax rate, and says he wish
es there was some way to stop this
telling of half-truths' and that this
putting whole lot of bunk is tire
some
In view Of the comments of SEN
ator Eaton | propose to tell the whole
truth about his financial ACCOMPLISH
ments, and his connection with the
APPROPRIATION bills and state tax rate.
l dld not intend to do this, but he
has made it necessary.
"A majority of the S1st legislature
was lavish in appropriations and
thoroughly enjoyed passing them
over the governors veto. They did
not seem to realize that a day of
reckoning must come and that large
expenditures 90 hand in hand
with heavy taxes. When it came
however. some of the members
We're not willing to father rate
that would bring in money enourh
to pay the bills they had incurred,
notwithstanding numerous vetocs.
Sena tOlFEatOn was Senate chair
man of the committee on appropr;a-
ions. Early in the session | told
nm of my desire to economic. and
said wanted to cooperate with his
committee in every way. / asked
him to keep me informed as to the
dis that were passed. and on sever
al occasions called him to my office.
lie never furnished nc tabulatcd
statements or figures that would be
helpful, but occasionally would ask
me about some particular item. He
consulted the state auditor lust once
and the auditor is the states expcrt
ON figures, and could have helped him
and his committee great deal.
Representative Phillips of Orrington.
House chairman of the apDroDria-
ions committee, was ignored by the
senator, and was not taken into his
confidence. Senator Eaton seemed
TO feel that he solely was responsible
for the states finances.
Il became disturbed at the outlook.
and on the last day of the legislative
session, April {. having nothing de-
finite from Senator Eaton, at 8 a. NJ,
l called him, President harrington
and Speaker Holley to my Office.
told them | had never been given any
figures by the appropria tions COM
mittee and was in the dark as to
their plans.
Senator Eaton assured me that
everything was well, that he care
fully had tabulated all the figures
and that an overlap of S250,00O per
year had been provided for He ad-
mltted that in his estimates of in
come he had figured the state would
receive from Inheritance taxes S275.-
600 year more than the budget COM
mittee expected it to receive from
that source.
I'm state finances it is extremely
dangerous TO over estimate what the
states income is to be, and it is lust
as important to make accurate eSti-
mates of the income as it is to be
prudent in expenditures. 1t is easy
to guess that the state will receive
S215,O00 a year more than the budget
gave 1t, and that is a comfortable
way to strike balance on the states
ledger l protested against making
'guesses' in state finances. but SEN
ator Eaton definitely said that there
was to be an annual 'overlay' of at
least S250,000. He was positive as to
the correctness of his figures, and l
began to think he knew about them.
After this conference. Senator Eaton
went to the Senate and an
nounced with pride that the tax rate
would be seven mills for the first
year and six and three quarters for
the second. The Senators were de-
lighted and gave him vote of thanks
for his excellent work, and he was
much elated.
"At 1l.30 o'clock the morning of the
last day of the legislature, the ap-
preparation bills We're handed me.
and l called the state auditor to tab
ulate them with me. VIC found that
Senator Eaton had not figured cor
rectly, and that even by allowing his
estimated increase OF income OF