The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1898-01-26

Inc meeGlng aQJOurneu W inoeo AVE-
day evening, February 1, in the city
council chamber.
AN ANSWER TO ga. STONE. :"
To the Editor Of the Press:
. Please allow me to answer the oommu-
nication in yesterdays issue anent an
nexntion. The identity of "a Stone" is
not known, but il he is sincere IN MS
statement that he is open to conviction as
to the benefits of annexation 1 trust he
will call at the headquarters Of the an
mex people at Lewis hall, and he will find
plenty of information on tap, not for
himself alone, but for any of his friends
who may be as confused as he appears to
be. He treats the tinanoial side of the
question alone and if that is all that
stands in his way he will soon be a con-
vert. He takes the city reports, SO he
tells us, bearing dates Of March /, 1897,
as his authority. There is where he makes
his first mistake, for those same books are
nearly one year out Of date. Nobody de-
MES that the town of Deering became
city with debt of nearly $73, 900, but
the statement that behring's debt Febru'
airy Is, 1897, was $4,000 is incorrect.
"Bills payable were in existence at that
time aggregating about $40, 600, and these
have since been bonded. But why does
ga Stone date his figures February Is,
1897? Because he wants to make as favor
able an enlargement as possible. He
ignores entirely the work OF the past ten
months and goes back and deals with
matters of history. But he Is wiling to
take the assessors report showing q valua-
tion of some four and a half millions. a
valuation which was not obtained until
long after the book he quotes as his au-
thority was printed. In equal fairness he
should have taken the Portland assessors
figures for the same date which would
Approximate forty millions. But it is
way the anti.people have Of mixing
amounts for their own benefit But his
resume of behring's growth, be it accu
rate or not cuts little figure in the argu-
ment. What is matter of history must
remain history. The valuation found in
those years is used today, and is taxed TOT
all it will stand. In fact a source OF Deer
Ing growth ullTluS phsO phiCo VI aSuA
years has been the marking up OF values
from ten to twenty per cent. make this
statement with the knowledge that am
quoting one of her assessors. And A.
Stone says the valuatio II of Deerlng has
increased nearly 80 per cent in the short
time she has been city. An increase
which bids fair to continue indefinitely.
So we are to have a Riverton, power
house costing thousands of dollars and.an
annual increase in the valuation OF our
individual holdings of some Is per cent
each year? No, it is not believed by any
fair minded man that Deering will dupii-
cate her record for three years past, for
some time, If ever.
Your correspondent has taken figures
which suited his side of the argument,
figures that were year old and as
naturally drawn wrong conclusions The
figures which were given the commission
ers and which are up to Gate he can
readily obtain if he desires them. Ii he
is fair minded man he will get them
and then he will see that the annex move
ment is not one of sympathy or senti-
nent. but business. What Deering has
done In her short career as q city is mat
fer of record and cannot he changed in
any particular. It's there and must stand.
What her citizens have to do Is to deal
with the present and the future. The
present is right here, and we must act.
Inc TnUur9 OepenQs upon WHd1 We w.
The future for year OF two is clearly
outlined. behring's debt at this moment
is approximately known. Her expenses
are known with equal certainty and last
year nearly $50, 900 was appropriated, but
in view of the recent developments this
was inadequate. Her extraordinary ex
penditures for the coming year can be
forecast with reasonable correctness, and
it is safe to say that behring's bonded
debt will be doubled within one year from
date. Do you know GA Stone" that the
interest upon this sum will he more than
behring's increase in valuation for the
current year will return to us in taxess
| The cry for annexation comes from men
who have looked ahead few years, from
men who have done that sams thing for
years with their business. They see, ulti-
mately, where we shall land, and are pre-
pairing for it. The difference Of dollar
or two in tax rate at this time is OF
small moment compared with what they
believe is being accumulated
If ga. Stone" is truly in earnest and
| wants information of financial nature
he can find 1t at "Annexation head.
| quarters and he need not make bis
identity known. 1t he will call for it and
ask his questions be will be answered
with facts and figures and he can draw
his own deductions.
CLARENCE W. SMALL.