Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-08-31
From the Boston Advertiser.
Mr.. Tilden'S Income Tax.

i
The facts in respect of Mr.. Tilden's in
come, which have been brought to light
by the New York Times stagger those Of
his supporters whose prejudices lead them
to suppose that reformer should himself
he an honest man. There are number
of them, however, whose consciences are
not squeamish. and they, without word
of contradiction or any apparent sense OF
the significance of the word "perjurer,"
proceed to rant about the charge as a "re-
publican SANDER This kind of talk will
not serve this year. The allegation OF the
Times. if it is not shown to be without
foundation, not only establishes Mr.. Ill
denis unitness to be President. but in
lures his character as man and patriot
1t is no republican SANDER. Neither the
facts nor the proofs are invented. They
are matters of public record. made such
by Mr.. Tiden himself under oath. If
there is any SANDER Governor Tilden
ISLANDERS himself He is the responsible
person and the democratic party is the
responsible party. The whole matter is
in a nutshell.
Ia 1868. Governor Tilden made re-
turn of his income, in which he certified
under oath that his income from all sour
ces, "whelher derived from any kind of
"property rents, interest. dividends. SAL
'ary, or from any profession, trade, eE,-
"ployment or avOcatiUn. or from any 9th.
ser source whatever" during the year
1862. was S7.ll9. On the 9th day of Au-
gust last, in his answer as defendant in
case before the United States circuit court.
h. made oath that he received rs counsel
fees from the St. Louis, Alton and Terre
Haule Railroad Company $4,000, in two
payments of $4,000 each, at specified
dates during the year 1862. 1t isn't the
New York Times that affirms this, but it
is Governor Tilden. The Times has only
brought his two sworn statements togeth-
er. They cannot both be true. One Of
them is certainly false, and the falsehood.
in whichever statement it is, is Of such a
kind that it is impossible to plead an un-
intentional mistake. On the strength of
these two contradictory statements. both
made under oath, the Times has branded
Samuel j. Tilden a perjurer. The publ
cation was made last week Tuesday, and
up to the present time there has been no
authorized denial, explanation or confess
sion.
The only suggestion of an explanation
has been one that seems to have occurred
simultaneously to the Governors private
and confidential secretary. a Mr.. Stebbins,
and the ingenious editor of the New
York Sun. Mr. Stebbins. who discaimed
speaking in any way for Governor Tiden,
made the following suggestion to anews-
paper man:
1t would be remembered that a lawyer might
work for long time before he Z OF his fee, and a
conscientious man would of cou,s Sc, consider the
work he had done from year to year Is q case
progres sed, and that the tee. though received in
Que year. WAS not his income for tn year; 1t has
been, in fact, earned each year during the prog
The New York Sun presented with
more elaboration on Saturday a similar
explanation. This is universally treated
by cautious journals, whether republican
or democratic. as wofully inadequate and
damaging. In the first place. the law.
which Tilden knows as we'll as any body,
does not allow such construction. The
courts have again and again decided
against it, In the second place. as Il mat
ter of fact. one OF these payments OF $40,
600 was wholly earned during the year,
the other WAS partly earned during the
year. The World. which appreciates the
terrible effect. the justly terrible effect OF
the charge, II ii is not answered satistac-
torily, bad in lis Sunday issue the follow
IN. refer. nee To the matter:
We have no doubt that Mr.. Tllden In bis own
way and ut bs own tiae will think not ubbe-
coming his posiuon rs the candidate VI giest