Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-08-18
kennebec County Finances.

The manager of the Democratic
party in kennebec county has seen fit
to attempt to make the financial condi-
ton Of the county an issue in the pres
Of his paper, the New Age, there APP
pears in big type upon the front page
series of statement and mis-state-
ments beginning Three years ago
there was a surplus of $35, 600 in the
treasury of kennebec county; today
there is not one cent" Although the
whole Democratic campaign is tissue
Of deception this is one of the boldest
pieces of misrepresentation in which
the Democrats have INDUCED. There
vas not a surplus of $4,000 in the
treasury of kennebec county three
years ago, and there has never been
such a surplus in the memory of living
man. The surplus in the county treas
ury Jan. l, 1903, was $16,S11. which is
less than half that stated by the New
Age. II IS True tildl THERE WAS 93I,OUO
cash in the treasury, but there were
out standing bills of over $4,000, so that
s16,S11, as stated above. The attempt
of the New Age to make it's readers
believe that cash in treasury" and
surplus are the same thing is on a
par with its other attempts to befuddle
and bambocZle the voters.
To-day there is not one cent" de-
clares the New age. And what basis
has it for this assertion? According
to the treasurer's report, the resources
above liabilities Jan. l. 1906, were 1862.
This sum of course is not 50 good a
showing as the $16.S11 surplus at the
beginning of 1903, but it is much better
than that at the beginning of 1902
when the county liabilities above the
resources were s1.121. Thus the
county is s1,700 better off than it was
in 1902. But of course it would not
suit Democratic purposes to compare
the condition of the treasury this year
selected three years ago when the
county had the biggest surplus in its
history, and then multiplied it by two,
after a peculiar Democratic mathenat-
zeal rule.
Not content with declaring that the
county had n surplus Of $4,000 in the
treasury three years ago, when as
matter of fact the surplus was less
than half that sum, the New Age goes
on to say that next year when the fees
Of the Sturgis deputies and the debt
have been paid the county tax will be
nearer 81, 900" This is another piece of
euess-Work and bluff to deceive the
voters. The county pays no fees to
the Sturgis deputies. Whatever fees
are involved in their work are paid into
the State treasury and these fees are
fully offset by the fines received by
the county treasury as a result Of
liuuOr prosecutors. AS ldi tS tHt
debt is concerned, only $4,000 falls due
each year, and it is puZzling indeed to
discover how the payment of this
amount of bonds which falls due year
ly-only $4,000 remembcr-will increase
the county tax from SAT 900 to $4,000.
The New Age also pretends to be
seriously grieved because Of the county
commissioner have been borrowing
money to pay the current expenses Of
the county. AS a matter of fact, this
Is done every year. not only in this
co,,nty. but in every county of the
state. The county tax is SAT 900. and
ona-half OF it is due Sept. l and the
remainder Jan. l. Thus not q single
cent of this years county tax has been
raid into the treasury. and Of course
,emnorary loans must be made IT, give
the county money for its running cX-
nanses. There is nothing Unusual in