Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1907-03-18
Portland Attempts to Deceive the PEG

Maine from whom we have published
letters in the Journal in a frantic en-.
deavor to get them to change the posi-
ton there taken. To influence them te
this course he incloses three circulars
which reek with misstatements. In or.
der, however, to avoid the necessity OF
directly fathering these misstatements
he puts them in the interrogative form
introducing each Of them with "Have
they told you In our issue of Satur-
day morning we pointed out some of
these misstatements, but we will brief
| ly recapitulate.
1st. That the building Of a new State
House will not require the slightest in
crease in taxes. but can be met from
| the surplus when every intelligent man
who has kept watch of legislation
knows that the surplus in question has
| been wiped out by appropriations al
ready made and that any further ex-
penditures Of the peoples money can
only be met by increasing the State
debt or the State tax. Furthermore Mr..
Milliken knows very well that the plans
for new State House prepared by a
leading Portland architect call for an
expenditure of $4,000, 900 and that the
lowest figure Portland representatives
named at the hearing was 81, 1000 O0O
Their present low figure is simply an
entering wedge, an attempt to get the
State committed to this unnecessary
and uncalled for extravaganza.
I'd. An attempt was made to
convey the impression that $780,
600 had been called for to re-
pair the present State House.
whereas that building is in an excellent
state of repair and not a dollar has
been called for or is needed for that
purpose.
This is fair type Of the misstate-
mcnts contained in Mr.. Milliken's let
ter with its SO enclosures" sent out to
NIIteIS VI TIE JOuTIldl SJl ltll6IS
ard what is the result? The Portland
Express prints 10 letters. Two of them
were from parties who originally IA
vorel Portland in the letters printed
in the Journal. One is willing to have
a referendum. And seven relying on
that statement in Mr.. Milliken's cir
culars were willing to favor Portland.
This is certainly a meagre return for
Mr.. Milliken's expenditure of postage
the devices resorted to by him will not
win the people of Maine to his stand
ard. There was no attempt in the Jour
nails letter of inquiry to mislead the
public. 1t made no statements and con-
tanned 10 enclosures" The public
through the newspaper reports of the
hearings, and editorial comment was
fully informed as to the question at is
sue. The Journals letter of inquiry was
published with the first lot of letters.
There was no concealment about it.
Every member of the Legislature was
afforded an opportunity to read it. In
spite of this fact the Portland Press.
which is on our exchange list and had
ample opportunity to know the truth
published an entirely different letter
il an anonymous communication and
declared it to be the Journals letter of
inquiry. We promptly called its atten-
lished no retraction, explanation or
apology. We simply mention this fact
to show the method employed by the
Portland papers in their handling of the
capital removal question.
1t will be recalled that the Journal
published S97 letters from 456 towns in
IA counties Cumberland and kennebec
being omitted) These letters were sent
out without any knowledge on our part
of the sentiments of the parties to
whom they were addressed. OF the an
swers received. SIC were against remov-
lhI, and Il in favor of it.
At large labor and heavy expense Mr..
Milliken has succeeded in converting
seven of these writer's to his stand
ard-certainly not a notable achieve
ment under any circumstances, and in
view of the methods employed in bring
ing it about. distinctly discreditable.
No matter how much money Port
land may spend in advertising space
and circulars-and she is putting it out
with a lavish hand-the plain fact Is
that the people of Maine have never
asked for capital removal and if their
| wishes are complied with the measure
now pending before the Legislature viii
be defeated by a decisive majority.
The petitions for capital removal re-
ceived by the Legislature have just
6526 sisners, and Of this number o19s
live in Cumberland county. The re-