Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1906-12-19

MAY IL please YOU gentlemen Of the
pearl az county commissioners. In this
me ST important case | should saw at
the outset. in the nature OF Il personal
apology Tor gentlemen who are absent
-hr. Edwards and Mr.. Zimmerman. who
were here until the valuations went off
onto the outside property. Their alb
Hcncc is not due to any lack Of inter-
est. They came here Thursday. made
other engagements 50 that they co1Id
be present, when we got the sudden or
ucr from the law court. | telephonCi
MI. Pratt so that he might telegraph
them. but they We're already on the
train. l speak Of that simply in Justice
to them. and also lest their absence
should be taken to mean any lack of
lnt6 rest i'll this grave matter. for thi;
IS Il grave matter. not only Oh the
amour: of the taxation which amounts
to $4,000 year, but it is grave finan-
cial business problem for them to know
how to handle this property to make it
yield an ordinary business profit.
L think at the outset You will excuse
me for delaying YOU or taking Your
time by occupying it in a personal Gu
logy of the individual members of this
board. If we have not shown by our
acts our profound confidence in this
board, we should not try to make them
think SO by arguments at the close. We
have steadily pressed for year past
to secure the deliberate Judgment Of
this beard. We have pursued that end
steadily, Notwithstanding even the OBJ
st2cles that have been thrown in our
path. through writ Of prohibition; we
rest our case with this tribunal Our
one desire from the outset has been
to expose the merits of this grave mat
ter to this tribunal. Having at last
reached it, we have today shown our
faith and our profound and restful con-
fidcncc by accepting its decisions abSo-
Iutely and irlcvocably. Whatever the
decision shall be We believe it will be
the result Of your Judgment upon the
evidence placed before you.
We have taken no exceptions. We
nave secured no reservations and We
ask none. Having reached this tribunal
which was our desire. we now submit it
without reservation to that tribunal
The property Of the Edwards bill Of
properties, . complex proposition. and
yet, when the true principles of valu-
alton may be reached by you, u fair
and true valuation Will be reached.
When Mr.. Hichborn saw wherein the
true interest lay. that there should no
no antagoniSm between the city and
this company, Mr.. Hichborn came 10
the president and treasurer and asked.
implored that it be settled.
They considered the plan suggested
on the part Of the city and, though they
believed that it differed materially from
what they thought it WAS worth. they
accepted it. twice by the city, twice by
us. The Edwards 60. had stood ready
to do what they had agreed to do. But
on behalf Of the city a different view
prevailed. They insisted that the mat
ter should go before Il legal tribunal.
They declined to ratify the judgment
Of the business men Of Augusta and
avoid litigation, and their case is now
nero not by our seeking but III spite of
US 1t is here to be decided upon its;
merits, upon the evidence.
I'm glad TO concur in the somewhat re-
cent discovery for the most learned crln
sci for the city, that this board = con
Quoting its deliberations properly. 1t Is
no surprise to us. it is no new discovery
to u.s. We are not 18th hour converts to
that suggestion. Now, gentlemen. what
is the problem facing this corporation
at the present time? The business prob
lam reaches back of this case, it probes
deeper than mere taxation. The business
problem is. how shall it preserve its fl
nancial life, pressed as it is by tho ablost
men who have studied the problem.
These men are capable of accomplishing
definite results.
It's one complex, highly organized ma
chine devised by the constantly applied
effort of man to produce the greatest
quantity at the lowest cost and us good
quality as is consistent with quantity.
What does it save in investment iE the
first place? How would it tend to in
crease or decrease the ultimate product?
How would it increase or decrease the
ultimate cost? Those are the ends kept
constantly in view by every manufactur-
er who makes a careful study of this
problem. 1t has become SO complex. 50
, intricate. in branch of manufacturing