Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1924-06-14
HARRINGTON ASKS

z ARIN11<U 1OIN AOho
Continued from Page One)
the party platform II he is nominated.
or viii he overthrow the platform and
stand for his own views as against
/ those Of his partv?'
Funds and Schools
THAT Senator Brewster Is making
| statements not supported by statistics
/ is evident from information that has
! just come 10 me from the state De-
! partn1ent Of Education. In his speech
/ at Augusta last week my opponent
/ said More than one-third Of the pa
/ Iochi1l school system IN Maine Is today
/ supported by public SCHOOL funds with
more than 600 chtldren in attend
! ance.'"
"One Of my friends interested in my
! candid acy went to the pains to inquire
/ OF Dr. 4. .. Thomas the State COM
missioner Of education, a s to whether
| this statement was correct. In reply
/ Mr.. Thomas said:
"'Permit me 10 say that no funds
! OF the State go 10 any school other
than those OF secondary school Grade,
and then on direct appropriation by
|. the Legislature.
no funds raised by the State or
by the town go 10 any school or schools
not under the management and control
Of public school officials consisting Of
experimenting school committee
erected pN the Town an" quaiIhcd SUI =
peflnlehdcht etctt'd ny JOINT hoard
composed OF the school committee OF
IN" towns comprising the union, ana
approved By the state commissioner OF
education. Such schools. as receive
public funds must teach all subjects
in the English language, follow the
! State course OF study and make proper
reports 81 attendance 10 IN" state. 80
par"chlal schools Shar" IN these funds.
There are no Iega means whereby
any funds can he used 10 benefit a
school aside troM the payment of orig
inal bills for servtc" or materials APP
proved hy at least two members of the
school committee. certified as correct
hy IL" superintendent Of schools. al
. lowed by the sclectmen and paid by the
town treasurer
On regard to matters Of taxation
! and change of laws as to tax exempt
property, may | say that | appreciate
fully the tax burden on the people Of
this State Most of the increase Tor
tho last few years has arisen from
municipal taxation and is attributa-
bile to two main causes. the growing
\ expense Of schools and their opera
\ ton. and the matter of road con-
I struction and maintenance. keeping
always in mind that wages have
4 greatly increases. rs have all other
\ charges, during the same period. II
\ the people want good schools and
\ good roads. and they do--thc money
!. must he found To pay the bills. 1t is
\ probably true that there is an in
n equality Of valuation on both farm
! and city property in some localities.
condition that should he remedied
il possible. in order that all may be
paying taxes on q common basis.
This matter Is one tn be worked out
by the local boards Of assessors. No
property should be exempt from tax
alton except as provided in the law
and. If the provisions Of the law now
existing as to exemptions are too
generous. the laws should he amend
ed. A commission is now working on
this question and I have no doubt
i. that its report to the Legislature will
be illuminating and helpful II any
considerable amount OF propertv is
escaping taxation today under the
. exemption law. I am inclined to be
lieve it is the fault OF the officials
themselves and not Of the law.
The following Is the provision of
the law relating to excmption. 1t Is
| Paragraph V OF Chapter Ten of the
Revised Statutes of Maine:
"Houses Of religious worship. IN
Guiding vestrics. and the news and
furniture within tho same. cxccpt for
porochial purposes; tombs and rights
of burial. and uropertv held by n re-
lieious society as parsonage not
i,xceedjuc, six thousand dollars in
yalue and from which no rent ia re-
roived and pcrsopal nrnpertv NOT
exceeding six thousand dollars in
Line E,t oil other nronorty Of snv
religious society. both real and per-
sonal, ia liable TO taxation the same
as other property
How Spend Less
"The great question confronting us
is not so much the matter Of raising
new revenue, of trying to devise new
ways of raising money TO spend. hut
the question should be How can we
spend less possible. Keeping an
nina Eood business guosmeht ana
huseandtE Larger income aiWayS
means oisEet eAp.n''l II 80 - 80
sohall! l oeiieNe v,''' n,,sos
-. 80, ,o,,rros ~
,sattio,,I ro,e,ne tho wards ~ tho
SEATS ,bn ,,,fortunstcs who can not
tpbt for themselves the battle Of life
must be taken care Of generously.
our educational institutions must be
enabled TO do the best possible work,
and the physical property OF the
State should be kept in good repair.
The State can well afford to adver-
tse its natural resources ana beau-
ties as business proposition hut