The Portland daily press., 1884-02-26

The Argus Is hard driven to ind some
thing to object to Mr.. King, but 1t thinks 1t
has discovered something at last. It says
there is an unsettled question Of taxes be-
tween the city and the Union Mutual In
surance Company, in which Mr.. King is In
terested az policy-hoder and was at one
time director. ''The position of the
President of the Company" says the Argus.
and 1t comedies that the position 10 sound
one, " is that If the tax il honestly due he
is more than willing to meet it, that If it is
not due he cannot In justice to his company
paw it." That is, the managers of this
mutual company, who are in the position Of
trustees for the policy-holders, although
peri city willing to pay the sum claimed If
the legality Of the claim is established do not
feel warranted in expanding the money Of
the policy-holders paying taxes the legality
Of which is in doubt. There 10 no effort to
escape any just taxation, but emily the praise
worthy desire of honorable gentlemen to be
sure they are right before they 20 ahead.
Tse officers of the company have NO per-
sonal interest in the matter; the money win
not come out of their pockets, or diminish
their personal fortunes or incomes.
Mr.. Drummond, their counsel, is of opinion
that the assessment ID not valid and has
given his opinion to that effect. 1t il pure
ly a question Of law for the cour.s to pass
upon. There 10 no dispute about the facts,
no wish to evade any responsibility, and tho
company 10 ready at any time to submit the
case to the decision of the court upon an
agreed statement of facts.
This being the case, and 1t is the whole Of
it, the Argus intimates that Mr.. King ID to
be made Mayor to protect the company from
this claimi This is an utterly absurd prop
osition,. form the first place.she company 10
not seeking protection, and in the next
place the question of the rightfulness Of the
assessment is to be decided by the Supreme
Court and not by the Mayor or the City
Council. All that Is necessary is to bring
suit and test the question, and this Is what
ought to have been done this wear; but APP
parently the much abused Mayor has not
found time to look after this matter.
To avoid the natural inference from the
conditions the Argus goes about hunting .
mares nest 1t says that Mr.. Drummond
controls Mr.. King and City Solicitor Looney,
and therefore that he will manipulate them
to prevent just settlement of the matter
This involves some amazing assumptions,
among them that Mr.. Looney will be the City
Solicitor next year, that Mr.. Drummond Is
capable of soliciting public officers to violate
the conditions of their oaths, and that Mr..
King and Mr.. Looney are not only without
honor, but fools. Except on these assump-
tions the suggestion Of the Argus is mean
ingless and stupid. But no City Solicitor can
control the decision of the question by the
court, and the Argus has not yet suggested
that the court is in league with the Insur-
ance Company to defraud the city, or that
Mr.. Drummond controls the court.
So far as Mr.. King Is concerned the Argus
article is both puerile and disgraceful. he
has nothing to do with the decision OF the
matter in any way, and the board of asses
sors Ia its action is independent of either the
Mayor or the City Council. If this is all
that can be objected to Mr.. King, the conf
dence OF his fellow citizens, earned by along
life of probity and fidelity, Is not likely to be
withdrawn. They will take care that he
does not suffer by such attacks.