Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-03-01
The Truth Of Il.
Editors of'the Kennebec Journal !.

Edlt0fS OF the hennetec journal.
l have been somewhat interested in the
frankness with which the New Age, in its
last issue, replies to the sspert:nens cues
tons" of Independent Voter
The editor is either guilty of q wilful
misrepresentation of the facts, or he has
been grossly misinformed. For example,
one statement 10 made as follows: "No!
It IL not true that temporary loan Of $780,
600. is being carried" Now this statement
is absolutely and unqualifedly false. Any
person at all conversant with city affairs
knows that it is true that temporary loans
considerably in excess of O,O0O are being
carried, and that the taxpayers are
paying on these loans either five
or ak per cent. interest. If the treasury il
in funds to the amount of S26, 600 90 would
II not be good business policy to stop some
of that interest.
In another column of the same issue the
New Age admits the fact that there are
S3l ,C00.O0 city notes falling due during
the present month. Why not take up q
part of those notes?
The fact is, that unexpended balance of
set, 100000 exists only in the mind of the
editor. The auditors report, to which the
New Age frequently refers, but which for
some reason has been suppressed, although
repeatedly demanded, shows that several
appropriations have already been exceeded
by $1,000. Could we have a correct state
ment of liabilities and assets, we should
find that most of the ether appropriations
have been exceeded in the same proportion.
judge that the sewer question has been
sufficiently ventilated in your columns, for
the few days past, to satisfy independent
Voter" that there have been some glazing
faults in the management of that Depart
ment during the year. would SIM
ply speak of one case which has
been recently reported. A sewer was
laid throughout one of our short cross
streets. At one end of the street was
tile sewer twelve feet below the surface;
at the other end was stone drain, lying
very near the surface. Instead of digging
down and connecting with the underground
sewer, connection was made with
the surface drain, with the OBJ
vious result that there is not q single
house on the street which can be accommo-
dated by the new sewer.
The administration boasts that it has laid
more feet of sewers than have been laid
during past years. If they have followed
the same general plan, as indicated above,
1t would have been as well to lay them on
the surface altogether, and thus save all ex-
pense of excavation.
The New Age in replying to question 5.
tries Intellectually to show that the city rum
shop has been a paying investment. Will
the New Age relieve the city next March of
the stock of liquors now on hand, at the in
voice prices! The editor does not state that
when the new city government decides,
Which it undoubtedly will, that it does not
care to continue in the retail liquor
business, thera will be on hand worthless
stock of good for which the taxpayers have
been obliged to pay several thousand dollars.
The city auditor told US that the agency
account was in arrears 500 90 on Feb. l.
On April /, we shall make the pleasing
discovery that one year in the re-
tail rum business has cost the taxpayers of
Augusta $4,000. Truth is mighty, but the
New Age tells its readers only half the truth
and leaves them in the dark as to the exact
facts.
1t is claimed that legacy of $ll 900 was
left, by the last city government for this
years administration to pay. 1t is not
stated that the other side of the account
showed up to the tune of $500. 1t must
have been tremendous strain on the
trains of the economical admin -tration"
to take care of $4,000 liabilities with
only SIT 900 in assets. If the editor owed
his school-boy fifteen cents for weeks
work, and had twenty-five cents in his
p ,cket, we presume he would ask the boy
to compromise at fifty cents on the dollar
From some of the alarming statements
which the New Age is continually springing
on the public, it would seem that good,
bright boy would prove an acquisition to
the editorial department.
In closing let us for a moment take
birds eye view of the situation. The Re-
publican administration of 1892 gave
US the following improvements all Of which
we're paid for in .fuH: Fire alarm service
costing over $1,000; stone crushing plant,
costing $4,000; macadamized roadway on
Grove street. costing $500: several thous-
and feet of sewers properly laid. trapped
and ventilated; total of nearly $4,000
worth of improvements, every dollar of
which was paid for, besides living strictly
within every other appropriation made for
the years expenditures. =.
The much boasted economical admins
tration of 1898 has absolutely nothing to
offset to this, except a slight reduction in
the rate of taxation which was more than
M de up by increase in valuations. And
when the years business shall be finally
settled, 1t will be plain to see that what hs .
been "saved at the Spite has been wasted
at the bung hole" Comparisons are
olious. SPECTATOR.