The Portland daily press., 1898-02-16
INFLAMMATION.
TO the Editor of the Press:

We were somewhat. astonished that oul
friend Progress in his recent article
which appeared in the PRESS OF the o1l
inst, should descend from the high plane
| of fair and candid discussion OF tnis
question to the low level of slurring IN
situations and charges of questiohapie
methods pursued by his opponents. als
FREQUENT pleas that this discussion shoulo
he kent free from all semblance OF pef-
sonal abuse or derogatory 1nslnuatiohA
seem to have been wasted-on hlmsel1, az
least.
| Tn fact the whole tone of the article
| seemed to indicate that he had nob iouhu
the position of the annexationlst so tena-
BILE as he had anticipated and tha1 0here
was something ranking in his MIND
which made it difficult for him 70 carry
on a calm and unimpassioned discussion
His arguments from the beginning sug-
eest the labored efforts Of an attorney
whose client has the weak SIDE OF tne
case. rather than the results OF sincere
conviction of citizen advocating what
he believes to be. for the best interests OF
the community in which he lives.
We considered ourself highly, honoreo
last week on receiving in pamphlet form
q compilation of the serial articles on 1nls
onestien which have already appeared in
the columns of the PRESS over the sig
natnre of Progress. 1t would ssem as
though new arguments and modes OF ex-
Dression had failed the author and we
have the old matter rehashed and served
M in pamphlet form under appropriate
We have also been highly entertained
recently. by being permitted to read some
of the arguments pro and con on the
question of annexation when it came up
for settlement in 1890 and 1891. Surely
There is nothing new under the sum-.
The snme arguments were used then
that we now hear SO ardently urged on
either side, although in many cases the
advocates have changed positions. MT.
Progress says, that noarly all the argu.
ments then used against annexation car
now be used in its favor, but 1t would
seem to us far nearer the truth to say
that nearly all the arguments then used
in favor can now be used against. The
town business had got too large to be ad
vantageously handled under the town sys
tenn. and since Dsering has become 6
CITY. rapid progress has been made IL
supplying all those things which were
then lacking, and the lack of which wal
then so strongly urged as an argument
in favor of annexation. Inc nre alarm
and fire department, sewers, Sidewalks
| electric lights, better water service, ar
now no longer lacking and further thar
| that we believe that greater advance VII
be made along these same lines IN thu
next ten years, if Deering remains an In
dependent city and manages her oWr
business, than If she becomes the suburbs
of Greater Portland.
| The financial condition of the two citie
was then as now the subject which re
ceiyed the grestest share of attention from
both sides. Portland's financial condi
| tion then as today furnished exceptiona
opportunities for the mathematical.e expert
to prove all sorts of confounding PROPOSE
| tions. ,
That same comparison Of Portland
debt of the present with that OF Ten year,
previous was made which in 1891 showed
a decrease from that of 1881 Of $4,000, O0t
or as the enthusiastic. annexationis point
| ed ont q reduction of 5000, 009 a yen1
which if continued for ten years more
would wipe cut Portland's debt and
behring's too, if annexed.
But notwithstanding such proof OF the
rapid manner In which Portland was ther
reducing her debt enough SUN remalns
seven years later for the annexationIst'
to make another ten year forecast The
showing today is not quite SO good at
in 1891, as in the last ten years the an.
nexationists can only show reduction
of 81, 700. 900 or $4,000 year, but il
answers their purpose quite as well, FOL
they say If that rate is kept up for ter
years longer Portland will be out OF dobt
which no one will deny, but to in any
way imply that such will be the case II
| 50 manifestly unfair. and such gross
ueryersion of what the facts actually
show that when we find person making
such q statement, we must be allowed t(
draw the inference that he either lacks
common sense or else he wilfully intends
| to deceive and mislead.
| AS matter Of history the Inference
that the annexationist of 1891 would have
had us draw that Portland would con
tinue to pay Off her debt at the rate O.
$500, GOO per year, or any where near II
that ratio, has been SO entirely dfsproveI
by the history of the past seven years tina
we wonder that the annexatlonist O
| today had the courage to seriously 40
| vance similar suggestion.
| Setting aside the increase in the narke
value of the gas stock and p. and y
stock, the printed reports OF the City O
| Portland show that since 1891 Portland
debt has not been reduced by payments
| from her tax receipts and other ordinary
| income but litslo over s2C0, 600 in si1
years, instead OF $200, 00O per year.
Our friend Progress suggests that
will not be denied that Portland DURING
the present year has reduced her deb
| $50, 600. Will MIR. Progress deny that tn
reports of the city of Portland show al
increase in her gross debt from March BIS
| 1896 to March 31st 1897 of ga, 500 and tina
this reduction of $4,000 of which n
speaks, was only made possible BY carry
| ing over to next year sos, 900 OF the cost
building Tukey's bridge.
| The annexationist of 1891 said, look q
the tax rates of Portland and Deerint
since 1884. In that time Portland has re-
duced hers from $500 to $1,000 Will
Deering has increased hers from sl4.0 w t.
$500. This will go on, they said, ant
in few years behring's tax rate will ia
exceed that of Portland. But what hav'
been the facts? Since that time Portland
tax rate instead of further decreasing ha
gone up to $40. 80 while behring's instead
of increasing has dropped to 81. 90. A
a prophet, the aunexationist OF 1871 ma
not proven shining success.
The annexationist OF today cries. ~
the end OF next year Deering will be with
in $685. of that dreaded per cen
limit" put they have never suggested
that when she became city in 1889, sh
was within $4,000 of that same per cen
limit, and that when she became town
%l<.A r~r1r,o Y<-f--o AHn