The home journal. (Winchester, Tenn.) 1858-188?, 1869-08-26
COMMUNICATION.
70 CORPORATION TAX-PAY.
EltS.
A Card from the Mayor.
EDITOR HONE JouaNAL!

y
I newspaper to make itself q vehicl
for the spread Of communication
that ought to be paid for, you will COZ
fer a lAYor Oh me, and, perhaps. upo
the people Of Winchester, by publisl
ing II few words ! have 10 offer, tc
wit:
The streets Of our town are sadl
out Of repair. The cross ways, o.
plank culverts, are rotten and danger
Gus, and the bridges across the dee
cut Of the Railroad are in such dc
| plorablc condition that ! would not b
surprised to hear, at any time, Of los
Of life in consequence, The plank
are rotten and out Of place, and the sill
are rotten also. Indeed, il is YER
hazardous for even a pedestrian to at
tempt to cross them. And gu
Town Constable has blocked up On
bridgc--thc one mostly trayclcd--il
order to prevent accidents or probable
loss Of life, This is surely Il bad STATE
Of affairs, and il arises from efforts tc
break down the corporate laws by those
who pay little or no taxes, and care
nothing for the town.
Well, there is no money in oul
Treasury, and hold the Corporation
in debt to me now for cash advanced
to hclp pay the pitirul SUN allowed a
Town Constable, and to fix the streets
in few places. Under these circum-
stances men refuse to pay their assess
mcnt OF taxation. One says he will not
pay unless certain amount OF work
be done in front Of, or about his prop
rrty, Another says he has claim
against the Corporation, and he will
not Fay. Now, in most instances
these are mere Subtcrlugcs, urged by
men whose love for mummon cEcccds
their desire for obedience to law If
The claim has been presented to and al.
lowed by the Board, either heretofore
~ during the present year, such claim
will be taken in payment Of taxes. As
% the other objection, it is Supremacy
Idic"(oaS. ! pay myself twenty-five
dollars corporation tax, and not one
ent Of this amount goes to pay for
work. in front Of my property, and yet,
low, or why, can @rulnhIc> Corpo,
ate lawa are for the Qcacyul, not for
pecioi assistance and ! for one do not
wish to see W"i"jlao, prosperity 1t the
acrlicc Of the pudhc Wr!tare. Public
Welfare can 9, and wN go to ruin,
While individuals prosper. Every stu
lent Of history knows this to be n
ruth. If the indiriduol demands Of
he tax payers of Winchester were
complied with, it would take the
wealth Of several jacobs Astor. But
he Board of which | am Mayor have
lot collected a cent Of taxes, and are
rot able to rcnovatc our diapidatcd
streets. Some honest, but ignorant
PERSONS, talk Of udicting .he Corpora.
ion for failing 10 fix this or that public
rossing, or street, but the threat is
horn Of all its Popcs Ball. ism when
reflect that there is no money in the
'rcasury, and that the Aldermen are
different as to holding on to positions,
'hich pay only twenty dollors per- an
um, in addition to q cargo Of unmeri.
ed abuse and misunderstanding, and
IRE am l that WW dollars and tie
omar { y which the Mayor gets, will
OF compensate for the annoyance and
busc which result, and generally from
hose who pay least and grumbIe most.
Now, the last General Assembly
assed a law giving this Corporation
over equivalent to that Of the State
/ County, for collection Of taxes. and
udcr the sanction Of this law the
oard, at its last meeting, resolved to
i've twenty days notice to tax payers
come forward and liquidatc. or the
own Constable would proceed at once
, di5train upon their property. Some,
DHe, at least, say they will stand u
rs nit. Re it so, and let it be seen if
crc be any power or truth in law. |
llv wish to add that the present Board
e getting sick land very naturallyD
their ''labor of love-" and il the
tizcns of W inchcster want to maintain
Corporation, and have an officer to
rest offenders, so that school girls |
I'd other ladies can walk the streets
ithout fear; if they rant schools al all
n femaieS if they want nuisances
,ated, or if they wish any Of the re
Its of corporate government, they
ust cease to try to break down and
the efforts of elected officers
I,o pay taxes as well as they do, and
h. are doing their whole duty AS hon
tly as they knoy how, and without
e hope OF fee or reward? I am
'nstraihed to believe they will rally to
If support | am certain that the