The Union and eastern journal. [volume] (Biddeford [Me.]) 1854-1858, 1858-02-26

Indebtedness OF the City at the c,m.
uiencein, nj II the city 10 m oi gov
ernm.ui IN, luding The suIn IecoSeI-
ed b, Wmkley aud vile, s2O,24i ~
Purchase vf Poor Fam $500 %
Repairs upon buildings,
ana Stacking Farm, $500 90
Rebuilding springs bridge, I,e4 s6
Purchase Ut Pest House, 200 2-9,i2o IL
SIS. $40 81
The indebtedness OF the city when the
last annual report was, as appears by the
report, s35,O62,03, s9,l25,ls Of which
was incurred for these permanent matters
before mentioned, deducting this the city
debt is reported about the same as it was
when the city was organized.
That there is well founded apprehen.
sion that the expenses Of the city this
year will be more in some directions than
they have been in previous years, is adj
mitted, but it i'll becomes men who have
contributed to the causes which are ope-
rating to increase these expenses to find
fault, or labor TO throw the responsibility
of the increase on to the form Of organi-
zation. The city form Of government
makes no paupers. 1t does not tenant
the poor house with foreigners or does
invite class Of people here to add when
ever business is de PRESSED, to the pau
per expenses, nor does it contribute to
the support of policy which makes 1t
necessary to. fill our streets with police
men to be paid from the pockets OF the
public. Individuals alone arc responsible
for this, and we 90 for holding such re-
sponsible, not by advocating any return
to a town form Of government, but by
continuing the power in the hands Of the
party that has governed since the city
was organized. The allusion which we
have made to the probable increase in the
public expenditures will be understood.-
We learn from correct sources that the
amount paid for the support of the poor
MP to February l, 1858, is S4,Os2,lO,
and we learn also by the overseers report,
that the numbers OF persons who received
help in January WAS AL, Of which sixty.
four only were Americans the balance
373 foreigners. These facts will Proba-
bly, indicate to the tax payers in what
direction to look for increased expenses.
We are told that the pauper expenses
this year will be doubled, or nearly so
rom last year. II so, the amount will BE-
near 10000. We hardly think the at
tempt now being made, to make the city
form Of government the scape goat to
bear of the burdens which justly belong
to those who have, by the persistent pur-
suit of their policy added to the expendi-
lures Of the city thus largely, will meet
with success.
We have shown by facts and figures
that up to the present year, there has been
no increase in the current expenses
And no man has, up to this time, had it
in his power to show, that the expenses
the present year give color to the idea
that city form Of government is more
expensive than town.
The reports are not out, and therefore
there is nothing to sustain the broad as
sertions that are made. 1t is manifest
that the psuper expenses will be increas-
ed, and it is equally manifest, that the
reasons for it have no connection with
the question of whether town or city
form Of government is better. We have
lived under city form Of government
three years, it has added nothing to cur