Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1915-09-15
DEFICIT NONSENSE
PROVES BOOMERANG
FOR THE DEMOCRATS
Out of State Papers Laughing
at the laundering Attempt at
a Political Submarine Cam
paign.

An Augusta dispatch in the Bos-
ton Herald says:
1t is probably true that figures in
themselves do not lie, but in the
hands of governors, auditors, poiiti-
cal reporters and other professional
jugglers the inoffensive figures, are
put through such grotesque perform
ances that the innocent bystander
soon becomes willing to believe any
thing evil about them. What, for ex-
ample, was the financial condition Of
Maine when the present Democratic
administration took things over from
the keeping of Gov. Haines' Repub-
lican administration last January?
Was there surplus Of about 100000,
with the bills all paid as the report
Of the auditor showed? Or was there
a. deficit of $4,000?
Win the truth, trampled in the
dust and lost in the clouds, ever
climb back to the throne and spread
its rays over the land? The meta
phor is not half so mixed as the peo-
pie Of Maine become when they
study the tables. proclamations. de-
that Gov. Curtis and former State
Auditor Callahan, with the help of
editors and State House reporters.
have been hurting at each other dur
ing the past ten days.
To begin at the beginning. In the
campaign year ago the Democrats
insisted early and late that the
Haines administration was getting
Maine into financial hole! 1t spent
about sl.500.0O0 more than the previ
Gus administration. largely on public
institutions. and yet reduced the tax
rate. All this must mean a bad de-
felt, the Democrats argued. - But
when tine year closed and the books
were turned over to the Curtis ad-
ministration, there was a surplus OF
100000 instead of the expected de-
felt. 1t was very annoying, and the
new governor devoted four columns
Of his inaugural address in an at
tempt to explain it from the Demo-
cratic point Of view.
Then he apparently forgot the mat
ter. and the people have been happy
in the thought Of that comfortable
surplus. But the other day. after
eight months had passed, Gov. Cur
It's. at a meeting Of the executive
council passed around typewriter
statement that put emphasis on "a
deficit in current assets of s75.7S1.64
at the beginning of the year. The
State House reporters rushed the
table along with their copy. The
next day the Kennebec Journal inter-
viewed former Auditor T. F. Gala
han. now in the field for the Republi
can nomination for governor, and the
things that he did to - those Curtis
figures were sight to behold.
Whereupon the governor told the
sympathetic Portland reporters that
the table was not meant for publ
cation. but only for the private use
of the members OF the council.
He declared that it was "a mean,
contemplate. cowardly trick to take
the figures that l made for the guild
ance of the council and play politics
with them
You see. the heat of the belated
dog days has its effect: Well, there
was very vigorous come back from
the former State auditor, who is
very much at home with those figures.
and with all matters of State finance.
The situation is as full of embar-
easements for the Democrats as that
of last winter when the Governor
had the habit of vetoing a bill one
day and ordering the Legislature to
pass it over his veto the next. The
Democratic Legislature last winter
raised the tax rate and are like to
squirm a lot in the next campaign
when state finances are mentioned,
but they only lose ground by draw
ing the fire of Mr.. Callahan or by
trying to discredit the splendid busi-
ness administration of Gov. Haines.