The Portland daily press., 1897-12-31
ANNEXATION OF DEERING.
70 the Editor of the Press:

10 the Editor of the Press:
In your paper of Wednesday morning
l read communication signed PRO
gress, which argued in favor of the an
nexation of Deering to Portland tand I
| have since heard several persons express
their approval of the letter. But the
author has not used revised figures, and
| while he favors annexation he does not
make as strong case as is possible. His
collection of the reasons given by those
who oppose the movement is quite anus
ing, and while some of them are frivolous
and without weight, even the best reasons
yet given will not stand the test of facts
and figures. In short, the real reason of
the ma ority of the anti-annexationist
for opposing the union is political one.
They may protest that they are out of
politics and do not want to get in, but
there is deep seated hope that lightning
may strike. If they be honest in the be-
lief, it is time they should be shown the
true situation. Progress letter is
very able starter and if every Deering
citizen will properly weigh the statements
therein, he will End something to think
about. By the way, Mr.. Editor, please
induce your correspondents to sign their
full names, for anything worth publishing
is worth signing and there is no need of
concealing identity in discussing this
question.
ments" of the antis and put the facts
against them. First they say "Our tax
rate Is lower" Yes, for year or two 1t
has been-it might have been lower for
we should have been only SO much more
in debt. behring's tax rate has never
been high enough to pay the bills from
year to year. She has run behind several
thousand dollars each!year. This is not
merely a statement, but fact which can
be proven from the city reports. We go
on each year piling up debts and provide
no means to take care of them. Indiyld-
uals who propose to pay their debts pre-
pare for their maturity Why should CITY
atfais tie managed any differently Deer
ing owes today more than 100000 end
has not a dollar 10 pay it with, land be-
sides this she has contracted for at least
SEQ, 000 IN ore during the next year. How
many people in Deering. know that the
new High school building will cost $780,
900 when completely If it costs SIS, 200
to widen one third of Forest avenue.
what will the whole cost2 If; sI2, OoO or
$4,000 worthsof sewers are laid each year,
as in 1897, who pays for the city's third of
the.cost? Yes, the taxes are lower-they
might be lower still, but they will proba-
bly, be higher.
Again they say "Our valuation is
lower Somebody said so because he
thought SO, but the figures tell us differ
entity. City for city. Portland's valua-
ton is the lower. Should any anti doubt
it, he will find upon examination that
Deering is within two per cent of the
state va luation, Portland is eight per
cent under it.
"We are not so much in debt" Figures
again. say that you are. At this very
moment the net debt of the two cities is
practically the same, approximating 33
FER cent but inside of onetyear this argu-
ment will have disappeared. Portland's
debt willgprobably show slight decrease
and that in the face of some tremendous
extraordinary expenditures. Deering on
the other hand will cause somebody to
whistle or the tax rats will go I'D and
that will explode another argument. -
A shigh school building to complete,
Forest avenue to finish, q sewer assess
ment of some four or five thousand dollars
and present debt of $3.50, 900, will make a
total of 1920, goo. Allow an increase of
S3e0, coo in valuation making total of
"a, 800, 600 and the per cent of debt is 4 6.
In one short year the debt is doubled.
Three times in five years behring's tax
rate has been reduced and now we are
reaping the benefit of what may be called
cumulative rate for next year. Deer.
ing's five years rs a city gave US these
figures. What will the next five produce
II allowed to continue During the last
twenty years Portland has reduced her
debt the immense sum of So, 800, 900 and
reduced her rate at the same time.
My intention, Mr.. Editor, was only to
supply some later figures than "Fro-
gress'' gave US. but the subject is so pro-
life of argument that [ may have en-
must beg your indulgence this time.
CLARENCE w. SMALL.