The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1872-11-26

Oasv AuaaSss
A anse.ej r,eetine Of the Board Of Aldermen


was held last evening.
The following named persons were drawn as
traverse iurymen to serve at the next term of
the Sunerior Court: Edward Mason. Stephen
Marsh and William G. Mitchell Henry En-
earl was appointed special policeman without
pay.
A petition was presented from the committee
of the Board OF Underwriters, praying that the
Chief Engineer of the Fire Department shall
devote his entire time to the duties of his Office.
The petition was referred to the Committee on
Fire Department
The order establishing fire alarm bell on
the India street church was given passage.
| A petition of William Walker for sewer on
| Deering street was referred.
The petition of James Sheridan for 500
damages for overflow in Pine street, was refer
| red
The petition of Messrs. Farmer, Coyle and
Hersey for the abolition of the tax on alien pas
| sengers was then read, and Mr.. Farmer gave
his arguments in support of the petition. He
gave q complete resume of the history of immi-
grafton, saying that the major portion of it had
gone to the West The great void made vacant
by the war must be filled up. and New England
| must retain her share of immigration. The
question is, will not Portland derive more from
the industry of immigrants than from the tax?
Mr.. Farmer then explained the subject of pau
perism.
Hon. G. j. Morris followed Mr.. Farmer, say
ing that he came as a representative OF the
| Board of Trade, having at heart not the inter-
ests of individuals or corporations, but the good
of the city He then stated that the total
amount collected from the tax since 1861, at So,
was $685. 452; since 1871, at 81 head, $5614 the
yearly aver age being $5642. He objected to the
| law because it injured the industries of the
city by discouraging immigration; because the
| manner OF collecting it was odious; because the
| law is unjust inasmuch as it discriminates be-
| tween the several lines of steamers because it
is restriction unworthy of the spirit of the
community of business men, afford to continue
| this law in force, and thus show an illiberal
| spirit toward the stranger? $50
Il. w. True, Esq, followed, asking that the
| city should do away with practice which had
obtained for many years of collecting tax of
| one dollar from every alien stranger that lands
at this port, because it is unjust aud unfair. 1t
is in reality stopping the immigrants as they
| step on our shores and calling upon them to
stand and deliver. 1t is estimated some 900
tons of shipping win be built in our State the
| coming year. Our harbor is one of the finest
in the world and will admit the largest ships.
With all these advantages we can bring the
stream of immigration to this port if we do not
station keeper at the gateway with orders to
| collect dollar from every immigrant Mr..
True then read the law bearing upon the sub
| ject, showing that the imposition of the tax
was not therein rendered imperative.
Mr.. True Zone of the Overseers of the POOR
| then spoke, saying that the annual sum requir-
ed for the maintenance of the poor is $40, 900, a
large portion of which is derived from the tax.
Arrangements must be made to supply the
place of that
Mr.. c. e. Jose suggested that the petition
| ers should bring forward some practical points
in favor of the abolition, and not confine them
selves to sounding generalities.
| In reply to a question from Mr.. Farmer Mr.
True stated that some of the immigrants be-
| come burden to the city.
| Mr.. Jose remared that if the city became re-
spopsible for the pauperism Of immigrants it
| should have an equivalent New York receives
| over million and half dollars from similar
| tax, and the sum is applied to the protection of
aliens and relief of passengers.
! c. P. Kimball, Esq, thought the risk of abol-
| ishing the tax was no greater than many. risks
the city had incurred in developing its indus
tries. This fear of pauperism is like the fear
! expressed year ago when the tax on manu-
| factories was done away with, that the city
| would be overrun with manufactures. New
York retained the tax because she didn't want
| more immigrants; we do want more. This tax
| is as sensible as it would be to exact tax from
| every person that crosses behring's Bridge be-
cause of the liability the city incurs of having
to pay damages for accidents on the slippery
| sidewalks. A4
| Mr.. Mliken contended that the object of the
| tax was to relieve the steamship companies
| from the burden of giving bonds
Gov. Washburn said the law upon which
the tax was based was not passed in reference
| to aliens, but to provide against the evil form
| erly arising from town sending its paupers to
this city for support. The practice of sending
| paupers back to Portland because they landed
here is entirely without authority of law. The
| owners of vessels have no right to commute
the bond; that rests with the city. If the city
| takes the bond a sum is provided larger than
| our whole pauper expenses SO the city is amp
| ly provided for without the tax. The speaker
contended that not one tenth of the foreign
| paupers in the city came here in steamships
| Most of them came here from New York, Hal
flax and other places. But 5000 year is paid
| steamships. Besides the head-money the
steamship company is obliged to pay the ex-
penses attending the sickness of any of their
passengers. You are willing to exempt the
manufactures and railroads from taxation, yet
the railroads bring in ten paupers to one
brought by the steamships The steamships
carry their paupers back gratis Do the rail-
| roads? The tax il not constitutional, because
| Congress; otherwise any State might tax our
| foreign commerce to DEATH Judges Curtis
and Mclean have decided against its constitu-
| tionality. The tax must be abolished in order
to retain the steamship lines here There is
already sharp competition among the Maine
cities for them. The city of Portland and the
| State of Maine want men, They are indispen-
sable to the prosperity of the city. Let us not
discourage their coming
| Mr.. Jose objected to the repeal Of the ordi-
nance, because it freed the steamship COM
panies from all responsibility whatever.
Ex-Gov Washburn stated that all the bills of
sickness incurred by passengers by the Allan
line have been paid by that line, and $4,000
in addition. If the city of Portland can in any
way be made liable for the pauperism of pas
sengers landing at this port, it is because she
has collected the tax and thereby made he rself
| their trustee. EsLA
T.C. Hersey, Esq, didn't believe in the pro-
cautionary measure of girdling the city with
stone wall in order to keep out paupers. The
continuance of the tax was manifestation of
illiberality on the part of the city. His steam
| ship line had never refused to take back pau
| pers whenever requested.
| The further consideration of the subject was
postponed to future meeting and the Board
adjourned. a.
ENocH ARDEN-The high testimony which