Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-01-02
orr Iaxap.

The New Age, IN its last issue. , 18th start
ling headlines, has an article headed ssOur
Taxes," claiming that large amount Of
taxes remain uncollected under the admin
ntrstion Of Mr.. c. N. Hamlen, the late city
treasurer ard collector. The article asserts
that il the matter il not attended to 1t once
the city will find itself in very embarrass-
ing position '.caused entirely BY this officers
gross neglect Of duty"
II one reads carefully the article he will
discover that it is simply the old stale cry
Of ''stop, thief" Two very signincan,
paragraphs appear in this article. an
other words the city will be compelled to
create temporary loan" Yes; this is the
sist of the matter. This is the milk in the
cocoanut.
Now it is true that quite An amount Of
taxes for the years 80. 81 and 92 up to
this date remain uncol.ected, as follows
Taxes for the year 1890, $3,464.S6. A
large amount of this sum rem lining uncol-
lected is involved in two law suits now
pending. For the year 1891 there remains
uncollected $s,505.Ss; for the year 1892,
S7,0i3.24.
Undoubtedly If harsh measures had been
resorted to, and our poorer citizens had
been arrested and their little property seized
and sold under the sheriff's hammer, more
~ thoso fayas mioht bova haav colIaotoJ
But it has been the policy of the Republi-
cans not to resort to these extreme meas
ures upon that class of our citizens
who are not especially favored with
an abundance of this worlds goods,
until every persuasive remedy had been ex-
hausted II would seem that the New Age
does not believe in Il il policy, for it asserts
"that these delinqueDts be brought up with
a sharp turn" We do not believe that the
citizens of Augusta will justify, especially
in these hard times. the resorting to these
extreme and harsh measures, unless abso-
lutely necessary, to collect the taxes YET
remaining unpaid. We concede that every
effort should be made to collect the taxes
We believe it is the duty of the late collec.
tor, and of the present city government, to
see that due diligence is used in order that
these taxes may be paid.
The New Age admits that the present
city treasurer ill be compelled to create a
temporary loan, and we are amaz d that il
should have made this admission. All
thoughtful and obstryAnt citizens have
known for sometime that this would have
to be done. They have known that the
great flourish of trumpets, blown at the in
coming of the pre- eat Democratic admins
traton, promising &c nomy AMI reform
were all sham and subterfuge. They
have watched the expenditure of the
ciys money, they know how much
has been wasted on the highways
and they will surely hold the Democratic
party to an account for its reckless admin
istration of the city agency. They neet
not think they can escape the con lemnatior
which i. in store for them by cryi & "stop
thief" oe attempting to throw dust in any
body's eyes.
If they want to inaugurate the policy o
declaring that the poor men of this town
those who pay only n poll tax,and those WIFI
have little home, shall, in the mi!st o
this hard winter "be brought up with &
sharp turn" and PLACED under arrest, ant
under the control of the sheriff's hammer
we do not agree win them. We repeat tina
we believe due diligence should be exer
cised ia the collection of these taxes, ant
every forb -arance shown thu Sc poorer peo
pie.
We very much doubt if Collector Fulle
has been any more successful in collecting
the taxes this year, than was Collector
Hamlen, in the years he faithfully ad
miuistered the duties of that office. W.
think that If the New Age examines thu
records it will find that for the year 1898
Treasurer Fuller has not yet collected al
the taxes c ,mmitted to his care.
We advise our neighbor not to commence
the city campaign too soon. He will have
enough to explain and answer before thu
campaign closes without rushing prema
turely into print with such silly charg a
his article of this we, k contained. The cit
liens of Augusta are IN intelligent people
They have watched the present Democratic
city administration ith care. They know
what they have been doing, and at thu
proper time they will render their verde
upon their conduct.