The Portland daily press., 1884-03-24
The County Finances.

10 the EdttOT OF the FTeSS'
The Argus of Saturday contains another article
signed Republican relating to the finances of the
county and to me.
My table of expenditures, TO Shich he refers,
taken in conn ction with the table of taxes, shows
how variable is the amount of the receipts other
than taxes, from which the expenditures made.
The receipts from the Superior Court of Cumber
land county and the Municipal Court of Portland
were S2l .27o.85 in 1877 but in 1876, the succeed
ing year, they were only s1O,o2427, while in 1888
the receipts from these two sources alone were
s32, ,633.26 and this latter sum does not include
S9O6.65 received from the Gle k of Courts office.
This variable element must be taken into account,
ard an estimate made, which shall correct it not on
ly for one year but for two years in advance.
Twill again state that the estimates for 1888 and
1884 were required by law to be maize in 1882 aud
if the Commissioners erred in judgment in calling
for too large sum for 1884, they did it in 1882,
very nearly two years before the amount will be re-
ceved into the treasury, andnot as "Repa6icGR" in
timates after the cl sc of business in SS3.
The ii ance committee and the legislature DEEM
ed the es innate reasonable and governed them
selves accordingly.
The legislature might have granted smaller sum
than the commissioners estimate called tor but the
Commissioners eau hardly set aside or nuify the
action or the legislature.
The resolve was passed in January or February,
1888 and The COMMISSIONS are required to dpp0r-
ton or divide The amount among the several towns
in the month of April, 1884, and issue warrants
requiring the assessors TO assess it, and cause 1t to
be collect d.
There is no provision for overlay not exceeding
five per cent. of the amount as in the case of the
assessment Of tax by the assessors but the exact
amount named in the resolve must be apportioued
no more and no less.
The surplus in the treasury, resulting from the
above named causes and from the economical and
busibess-like methods adopted by the Commission
and The courts in transactng the business of the
county Is much larger than 1t was expected to be,
and everybody who knows anything about it, knows
that it is larger than necessary but there does
not seem to be anything that can be done about 1t,
but to wait and suffer, till next December when,
have no doubt lower estimates will be made. For
the next two years, then, taxes will be reduced our
troublesome surplus reduced to a proper sum, and
The great injustice" that we suffer, and the dan
ger'' that thr eatens US will be averted.
Reference is made to what / said about unpaid
bills with the statement that it did not apply to
the matters in controversy. There did not seem to
be much of a controversy, but Argus Republican"
did state that sit appears that $l35.08 paid
where the bills were not audited" which state
ment implies looseness or dishonesty in the man
agement of the affairs of the treasury, while on
page nine Of the Commissioners report, to which he
refers, there is cd and sufficient, though neces-
sarily short, explanation, which is, in substance,
tina some Of the bills audited by the Commissioners
in one year. go over to be paid by the treasurer the
Concerning the statement that the Clerk of
Courts OH Q is charged with stationery and also
another charge in the court h use account for
stationery, can only say as said before that all
the offices enumerated furnished in part or alo
gether with stationery and when the janitor Of the
court house procures box of ink, or of mucilage,
gross of pens OR penholders or lot of toilet pa
per for the closets and distributes the same oc-
casion requires, the bills will come in to be exam
ined by the Commissioners.
When sucn bills are audited there seems to be no
imp opriety in putting them in the "court house
account instead of the 'miscellaneous" and nobody
suffers thereby, as the cost to the county is the
same.
If the commissioners act improperly or dishonest
ly in auditing such tlls the books and files will
show it to anybody who cares to examine them.
As much labor and materials are required to do
the county business now as were required half a
dozen years ago. and such materials and labor cost
as mu h in the market now as then; but notwit h
standing thee facts the county tax had been reduc
ed from S82 900 to $50, 900 in that time.
If this saving of $50,u0n a year, does not con-
vince any man that the bills properly audited,
and paid only when they are audited, ana that the
county business is properly and economically ma =
aged. then words are wasted in talkiog or writing
about it.
/ do not write as "Republican' says in "defense
of the Court of which l am ian examiner or
of any man set of men, but in order To correct
to errors and mis-statements which appeared ia
print and which had tendency 10 mislead those
who are not familiar with the facts.
AS to my ''ungentlemanly fling" and "insidious
insinualion' hin calling hin. argus Republican"
think, in view Of his position and assumed name,
he l. as n cause of complaint.
Had he signed his name TO his article, / would
have used that name with proper and respectful
title, in my communication.
Signing his name Republican" to an article in
the Argus, does not signify that he is Republican,
any m,re Than calling himself John would make
him a saint.
Whether or not my Republicanism viii compare
favorably with his is of consequence, but will
say that whatever the grade of politics may be
l am not ashamed or afraid to sign my name TO any
article write, or to confess that am wrong ii /
make mistake. tEANDER E. CRAM.