Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1874-03-13
THE SANBORN CONTRACTS.

The introduction of the Sanborn con-
tracts into the House debate on Tuesday,
was the beginning of action which we
trust will result in demolshing the sys-
TEN under which they were made posi-
BILE. Mr.. Butler, who appears as the
only defender they have in the House, sus-
tains them on the ground that the gov
eminent received more under the contracts
than 1t would without them; that is, the
taxes farmed out to Sanborn to collect
were in the nature of bad debts, difficult
to collect, and would probably have been
lost to the government entirely had not
the course pursued with Sanborn been
adopted.
In opposition to this defence by Mr.
Butler appear statements which go to show
that portion of the taxes in Sanborn s
contracts was paid through the usual rev.
enue officials. Why they could not as
we'll have collected the whole as Sanborn,
is not readily seen. The government
ought to be as powerful to enforce collec-
ton by legitimate methods as an indiyid-
ual. Farming out its taxes to collect rs a
business man would his poor debts is not
a method that COMFORTS with its dignity
or honor. 1t affords fair chance for sus
picion to fasten upon the government, as
it has in its connection with Sanborn,
and it furnishes men like Sanborn with
means which they turn to base use,
however correct the design of the gov
eminent may be in employing them.
Such a system should be abolished at
once, and without doubt will be. 1t came
in surreptitiously as the debate in Congress
shows, but if permitted to remain there
will be no excuse that will shield Congress
from responsibility for its continuance.
Congress must strike boldly at the in
EQUITIES brought to light in this and other
cases if it would retain the conf
dence of the people. The debate on Tues
day is one of the most refreshing events
of the session. Let the good work go on.
The Standard in endeavoring to be wit
ty over our new republican city commit
tee, makes the following remark:
"They say the new committee will adopt
prayer as the chief element of party tactics
in future and that we may expect to see them
assaulting democratic strongholds next au
tumn at the head of praying bands just as the
women of the west attack cider and beer
looms"
The comparisons introduced in the above
paragraph are no great joke after all.
While the republican committee is invested
in decent garb as praying men, the dem.
Ocratic strongholds are likened to cider
shops and beer saloons. As representa-
tion of both parties from democratic
source this is not bad, but the joke is of the
left-handed order. Praying men are gen
orally republicans, and who does not
know that the grogshops are the "demo-
cratic strongholds" of the land?
Among the hard hittcrs at General But
Ter in the melee on the Sanborn contracts
was Mr.. Hale of this State. Mr.. Hale
dashed him for his threat to the House that
if the members replied to him damaging
revelations would be made, and said the re-
suit of the Sanborn law had simply fulfilled
the prophecy, and he remembered with
perfect satisfaction that at the time of The
passage of this law he had opposed it with
all his power, predicting then the eX ct re-
suit now manifest.
4 FIELD-U1 \ IN THE HOUSE.