will render the unoccupied territory in the vicinity of our timber lands, most desirable for locations; as the lumbering operations would cause a ready demand for all agricultural products. If our timber is exhausted before our settling lands are opened and taken up, and thus the new settler deprived of the advantages of this market; the most favorable opportunity that could possibly exist for effecting this object, will be lost, and the progress of sale and settlement, ever after, extremely slow. Our timber operations may be made instrumental in the settlement of our lands; and the improvement of our lands would enhance largely the value of our timber, by reducing the cost of supplies for those operations. The two causes should be made to act and react upon each other. ཟླ We cannot safely regard these lands as a source of revenue, but may soon make them wealth and strength to the State by filling them with a thriving population. The wisdom of existing laws regulating the management of our timber lands, is evinced by the fact that for some years past, the State has derived a large income from that source. In making appropriations for roads, or for any other objects connected with the public lands, it would be well to make such appropriations directly chargeable upon the land department, that the annual Report of the Land Agent may always exhibit the net income which the State derives therefrom. The fact that for every dollar appropriated for any pur pose, an additional dollar must be assessed upon the people, should exert a constant influence upon legislation. The tax payers feel, and perhaps justly, that appropriations are frequently made without due consideration of the additional burthens which they necessarily impose upon them. The history of the finances of Maine for a few years past, will show in a striking light, how soon and imperceptibly a State may change its position from one of freedom from debt, to that of deep indebtedness. At the close of the year 1835, our whole debt was less than $100,000; in five years from that time, it had increased to about $1,700,000. As large a sum was required to pay the mere interest on that debt, as was necessary to defray all the ordinary expenses of the government, without taking into the account the loss of interest on money necessarily accumulated and retained to meet with promptness the principal at maturity. The next five years, (from 1841 to 1845, inclusive,) exhibit in a light quite as striking, how slow and burthensome is the process of extinguishing such a debt. Within that time, the treasury received, in round numbers, $900,000 from direct taxation, $300,000 from the land department, and $600,000 from the general government, in all $1,800,000; and yet, so much of this sum was required for the payment of interest, that the debt was only reduced to about $1,000,000. In fact, before the whole debt is paid, nearly as large an amount will have been absorbed in the payment of interest, as the original debt. I make this review for the purpose of presenting more distinctly than I otherwise could, the excessive burthens attending our public debt-the consequent importance of its early extinguishment and the wisdom of hereafter avoiding one. Our debt at this time, after deducting money in the treasury, and that invested in United States stocks, is about $1,000,000. The people will, willingly, submit to taxation for its payment, but will hold their servants to a strict responsibility that the avails of such taxation are not withdrawn from that object, by extravagant expenditures or unnecessary appropriations. I believe it is our true policy to continue a State tax of $200,000, until the State is freed from debt; at the same time using the utmost vigilance that the largest possible amount of such tax is applied to that purpose. A provision requiring the Secretary of State to prepare and publish at the close of each session of the Legislature, an abstract of the appropriations made, and their objects, distinguishing between ordinary and extraordinary, would have a tendency to satisfy the people of the necessity of the expenditures, or aid and guide them in their efforts to reduce them. 1 herewith transmit the Reports of the Land Agent, Bank Commissioners, Adjutant General, and Trustees and Superintendent of the Insane Hospital. The Report of the Treasurer is already before you. To these documents I would refer you for detailed information relative to the several departments under their superintendence. I cannot close this communication without calling your attention to the great evil resulting from frequent changes in our public laws. They should be so permanent and unchanging, that the public may become familiar with them and with the constructions which our courts may have given them. Without this there must be constant uncertainty and litigation. It is not sufficient that a proposed amendment has no objectionable feature; the change itself is objectionable, and should be resisted, unless it will obviously produce a positive good. The shorter the time and the less the amount of your legislation, the more sure and unanimous will be the approval of your constituents. COUNCIL CHAMber, JOHN W. DANA. |