The Portland daily press., 1898-01-19
"ASTI-ANNExATIoN.' ;.
10 the Editor of the Press:

| We have been reading great deal of late
on annexation and, judging from indica-
| tons, vote will decide favorably to that
proposition but this should not be, there is
no sense in it. We have been warned against
entangling alliances by George Washington
himself and here we are getting right into
it, but the surprising part of it is to ind
men of the highest order of intelligence
championing the cause. a cause that bodies
nothing of good for our people. To be sure
there is everything to be gained by the
Aterritory'' and the "people' to be annexed
but what is there for US, the people repre-
sentfng the one great whole. Then who and
| what are these people who are knocking at
our doors for admission. S1xty-fiye per cent
of them are natives, about two per cent
| are of our own blood and the balance, 33 per
| cent, are made up of foreigners, English,
| wish German, Portuguese, Japs and Chin
esq., Now, what are we seeking union with
such motley crowd for? If it were our
| nearest neighbor the circum stances would
be altogether different but there is big
pond of water between us. Then the people
are unlike us in taste, heathenish in the eX-
IRENE and it will be simply impossible for
us to think of affiIiating with them. 10 be
sure we might allow them TO come in as o
territory like Alaska but we do not want
them under any condition. See Carl schurz
| IN the Christmas number of Harpers Weekly
| on the subject of Hawaiian Annexation to
| the United States.
| But the annexation of Deering to Portland
is another matter and there is no argument
against union of the two cities; even the
highest paid official in Deer.ng (the treas
urer who is for very good reasons opposed)
failing to furnish single good reason for
such opposition. But suppose our friend the
| treasurer (Ann T., Great Scot and hey should
give us statement that the common peo-
pie could understand showing what the tax
es would have been the present year if the
property were assessed to pay it now in
stead of raising the money by the issue of
bonds? Here are the figu res, and the facts
| if furnished by the trea surer will prove 1t,
$3.50 per 500, $4,000 per $1,000. How does
this strike the farmer? Then they tell us
that Portland valuations are higher = than
Deering but what are the facts? Ask the
state assessors. Portland was actually six
per cent lower than Deering. Facts count
and in this (Which has been one of the stock
arguments of the antis) in favor of annexa :
| ton. Oh no, the annexation of Hawaii to
| the United States is not to be compared to
Deering and Portland. Deering has great
many natives but no. many of other nation
| alities, a single Chinaman only recently
having Joined us. Business men of Portland
resident in Deering, when in Boston, New
York or Chicago invariably book themselves
from Portland for when asked where Deer
ing is they dislike very much to be put into
a box like the one a new resident of Deer
ing found himself in when at Montreal a
short time since. When asked where Deer
ing was he tried to explain but being I'M
able and the people never having heard of
such place looked up an old map of Cum
berland county and 10 and behold no Deer
ing was there but Sacarrappa was there al
right Moral: Book from Portland hereaf
ter. This man who had been strongly op
posed before has since become strong
/ ne1ationist and he has found plenty of
company. The question of annexation and
it is becoming an accomplished fact is no
longer mooted one. 1t has simply SIM
mered down to how much of majority.
| One prominent citizen who has been one of
the most radical opponents for years has
| stated today that there would probably be
$50 majority in its favor. But with the
voters tumbling over each other to get into
| the band wagon as they are it looks now
|
votes all told that will be opposed. The re-
port of the commissioners has removed
every argument OF The ants and a more de-
jected, long faced crowd was never before
OH public exhibition. But not SO the an
nexationists, you can tell one as far as you
can see him; they are brimful of good
nature, the success of their cause being
foregone conclusion If you do not believe
10 h.
zionist. He is no longer the lonesome and
jeered at individual he once was. Deering
citizens are rot such fools as to fight against
their own best interest and oppose annexa-
ton. Portland is beautiful city and its
future has not been dreamed of. A liberal
policy viii give her :. population in 1910 OF
1000 and quadruple her wealth as WELL
The water and railroad advantages are un-
surpassed by any city of its size in the Unit
ed States, but the limited area of Portland
prevents her broadening out TO greater use
fitness and people who interpose obstacles
against greater development just because
they want Office are assuming grave respon-
sibiIitics that VIII some day react upon
them. Portland needs Deering but not one
thousandth part,as much as Deering needs
Portland. There are hundreds of advant-
ages that Portland can give Deering that
will cost neither city an extra penny and
the prestige of Portland as a greater city is
what Portland gets for her part of it, 1t
will be a pride to all of Portland's citizens
! to take their visitors to the Western or to the
Eastern Promenade and say, "Portland to
the east of lis, Portland to the west of lis,
Portland to the north of us, Portland to the
south of US as far as eye can reach"
! (Signed) Anti-AnneXatlon1st
CHOW Are Ye.''
ANNEXATION OF DEERING.