The Portland daily press., 1883-08-25
A White Horse Argument.

"Lo0ker On" again puts In an appear,
Ancs, In the Argus. to extol Mayor Deer
ing's administration. He says nothing about
the fact that the appropriations this year are
greater than those of last year by the sum of
$s,SS2.eO. He says nothing about the fact
shat the State tax is less than last year by
$lo,2lS.74; or the fact that the county tax
10 less by $9,445.76; or the fact that the in
terest to be paid on the city debt is less by
Sa,SoS.O0; 80 that the actual appropriation
FOR current city expenses is greater under
this administration than under that of May
or Libby by the sum of sSs,S65. These fig
ures are much more significant to tax payers
than the assertion that the Mayors old
white horse may be seen standing anywhere
where job is In progress, which We pre-
sumo Is quite true.
There are some other things "Looker
On has nothing to say about. BE does not
mention the extraordinary resources availa-
BILE for the city expenses this year, (but by
no action of Mayor Deering) namely, the
amount Of the judgment obtained against
the Grand Trunk railroad by Mayor Libby's
administration, $102, 456. rs, and the interest
Tor this year which the road, because of that
judgment, no longer withholds, 4T.220.00
more, making together $l49, 676.75, of which
&o6, 564 equal to almost one-eiehth of the es-
tmated expenses Of the year is expected to
be used for the payment Of current ex-
penses. With these extraordinary resources
flor which We repeat, no credit is due to
Mayor Deeringl If the rate Of taxation were
not lower We should have an extravagant
city government and no mistake
LOCKER On" also forgets to mention,
that liberalization upon which assessment
OF taxes is made has been increased about
100000 This wealth was not contributed
TO the city by Mayor Deering. These are
the reasons why the rate of taxation can be
reduced, and the larger appropriations, for
which this administration is responsible, are
not the reason.
In Mayor Llbby's administration the sum
of Isl ,s69.97 was carried to the sinking
fund. How much will be carried to that
fund this year?
In Mayor Libby's administration the ac-
tual expenses were $27, 2s2.s7 less than the
appropriations, and there was, besides, a
surplus cash income of s16,65S.s2. These
are the items which tell of careful and eco
nomical administration. What will be
shown In place of these items in the next
auditors report cannot yet be known, but at
the rate at which this administration is go
ing on - favorable a showing cannot be pre-
dicted. 'sLooker ON speaks of loans made
in Mayor Libby's administration. No loans
were made. City debt to the amount of
$22S, 900 became due last year, $4,000 was
paid, and s153, 900 was extended. This year
only $4,000 becomes due. This admins
tration ought to have a large surplus.
The way in which the correspondent of
the Argus looks on at all the proceedings of
Mayor Deering without seeing anything that
ID questionable, taken in connection with his
readiness and laboriousness in the Mayors
service. and his antipathy to any new inn
portations create dreadful suspicion that
LOCKER On" and the Mayors old white
horse, who is standing anywhere where
city job is In progress, may be identical.
The only thing that seems entirely unrecon-
cilable With this hypothesis is the circum-
stance that "Looker On" seems to lack
COED horse sense