The Portland daily press., 1898-02-26
ANNEXATION.
PROGRESS.
70 the Editor of the Press:

To the Editor of the Press:
In the discussion of this question we
hear a great deal about the business men
who live in Deering and do business in
Portland. Why should they not? They
have in nearly every instance determined
doing business in Portland finds Deering
a more congenial place to live in than
Portland, why should he not come here,
and if there are any who find it incon-
veniences them to do business in one
place and live in another, would it not
be much fairer for them to move into
the city where their business is located
rather than vote to join their neighbors
that city who prefer to remain as they
a B. and who do not experience any dis
.iyantage from having their homo in one
place and their business in anotherS
1t has been urged that the territory OF
Deering would be entitled to receive, and
SO would, of course, receive from Greater
Portland the benefit OF the money paid
in taxes by citizens of Deering on their
business in Portland. But it is we'll to
bear in mind that taxes are in the main
paid to protect and improve property
not the individual, and that in general
taxes are pretty sure to be expended
where the greatest property value is.
Because man who pays large taxes on q
business in Portland happens to live near
Riyerton, for instance, it does not follow
that the community in which he lives
has any right to expect that any more
money would in case of annexation, be
spent in that community than the pro.
portional amount of the tax burden which
it's property shares 1t would be quite as
sensible to argue that because man who
pays taxes Oh property in Deering, lives
in Boston, that the money which he pays
as taxes should be expended in Boston.
One is as much q case OF taxation with
out representation as the other.
If the matter is of so much Importance
rs the annexationists claim and there are
such a large number of business men in
Deering paying the larger part of their
taxes on their business in Portland. and
therefore their greater interests financial
IL are in there, in what sort OF position
should we find ourselves if annexed? We
should have the entire interests of the
residents of all the Portland wards CEN
tired in there, and larger part of the
interests of a majority of the residents
of the Deering wards, the business men
would also be centred in the territory of
Portland, who would have interest
enough in such case to look out for Deer
ing's needs.
When the point is raised that Deering,
if annexed, will be at the mercy of the
Portland wards, we are lold: "Oh, the
two DeerinR wards will hold the balance
of power. as it were. and by combinations
and scheming can get anything she
wants. In other words, what We get is
going to be purely case of political
manouvering and it will be necessary
for us to send as councilmen and alder
men, not our upright and successful
business men. but our shrewdest schem-
ers who know how to trade and borter IN
votes, and the disposition of the public
funds, politicians zone who would cir
cumvent God"
1t will then be question not of send
ing men of reputed good Judgment and
sound common sense, but of sending