Delaware state journal. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1870-1883, 1881-01-20
rAY-PAYERs IN ooUhoTL.

| Meeting Of Prominent Citizens ut
| Nexsark-Re arks OF senator W.
Cooch, Representative John Psii-
Ing. william Dean, r. A.. Cur,I.
md Others OH tine Question OF TAX
atiOn-A Mas Meeting Of fax
Payers Of ihe Ncighbortng Hun
dreds Invited
| Special Correspondence OF State journal,
NEWARK, Jan. IL "A meeting of the
prominent citizens of this town and
vicinity was hsld in tho Grange rnop.
Exchange building, on Saturday evening,
to discuss the question Of taxation. A J.
Hassipgsr waa elected chairman, aod John
STARK secretary.
William bome1ood compiahiei u h,
inequality OF taxation, and said nuw WA
the time TO agitate such gnestions when
the Il gisators are in session. The farmers
we're taxed for their live stock and also
for their estate. II he add j one COW to
his stock he was assessed xtrs. while rail
road companies only paid nominal tax.
The Philadelphia, Wilmington and Bait
more Railroad Company, running Though
this hundred, nsd more thun doubled ila
stock valus in he last ien ser., and no
extra assessment, bad been made on II.
John Piling, the Representative of this
hondted. said he was glad 10 met bis
constituents in this way aud discuss any
question pending before the Legislature
He thought he could answer Mr.. Home.
woods question, although he was not pre-.
pared to say whether tbe P, W, & B.
Railroad Company wes taxed to its FULL
value or not. The company paid tex 10
the State Treasurer independent of the
assessment made by the assessors. Our
system Of assessment was very defective
ard he thought ii would be very difficult
to tax all property and satisfy the citizens
of the county. He thought that board
Of ASSESSORS would be more satisf factory
Take Mill Creek, White Clay Greek aud
Pencsder hundteds' assessors after
they had made Il cir assessment, and
let Thorn meet and examine their work
together Special exemption of taxes
and appropriations was Troublesome
to deal with, The Legislature OF 1879 had
exempted any enterprise or manufactures
OF any kind starting liz New Castle city for
ten years. An appropriation had been
made BY the members Of that Legislature
to make road between Port Penn aud
Delaware City that had been washed away
by storm but the road is not flushed al
the contractor is trying fer another appro.
priation to complete 1t. Another bill will
shortly be brought before the Legislature
to encourage emigrants 10 settle in this
State and to cultivate waste land. The
bill proposes to exempt them from tsx4s
for number of years Upon such bills as
those be wished 20 hear tbs voice Of the
people.
j. ". Cooch, State Senator, defended
his position as Legislator from some re
marks that were made in reference to
special legislation, in such an able aud
clear manner as to make very favorable
impression among those present. The
position he took was fully endorsed by
MIR. William Dean in his remarks, particu.
larly in regard to eIcmptiug property in
the city of New Castle, to be used for
manufacturing purposes. Was 1t lot
better to bring $780, coo into the city and
put 1t ON some lot of land that probably
was not worth ST. .0n0? 1t Was not loss
Ii the manufacturer was SUGGEST nj, before
the 10 years expired, he had doubled The
amount of taxation, Property had en-
HANGED all around the place. New Castle
had lost its court house, ne rejoiced that
he was instrumental in giving her thai
privilege.
George Medill said tea. the ooupsel of
bed of a railroad could not be taxed He
also showed some of the inequalities OF
taxation In the different hundreds where
the assessor was Inclined to keep every
thing down TO the lowest possible point
In an adjoining hundred the assessor was
determined TO put the highest valuation
upon everything and make it appear he
was doing bis duty. MIR. Medlll also
referred to the large amount of properly
OF churches other than the church build
Tugs and cemeteries, that ives exempt
from tax, which, in his opinion, should
moi be exempt.
John A Reynolds favored taxing every
thing OF value, no matter what it consisted
OF, whether churches or psrsonsges. He
did not believe In making fish of one ana
flesh OF another. As things now stand
the taxed property holders pay more than
their just share.
f. A. Curtis claimed that his manufsc-
turing interests were overburdened II.
was taxed 81 on every 81, 900 expanded
for material and labor In his establish
ment This ne urged was unfair.
This brought cut William Dean. MIR.
Dean said that when he went to the LpgiP-
lture In 1869, "greenhorp, he was
made Chairman of the Committee of Ways
and Means State bonds were selling at
from 10 to so cents. The Governor Laa
stated In his message that provision
should be made to make good the credit
Of the State and to meet The interest Oh
the bonds. In committee various ptopo
sitions were msds. The majority OF ,hts.
amounted to placing the burden on the |
already heavily burdened farmer. This |
he considered unjust and told the COM |
mittee.
He then had property of large value
that was exempt from county tax. He |
therefore proposed to put the burden If |
the State debt upon property then exempt |
and was willing to lead IF hy imposing a
tax on wooden manufacturers. He thought |
this right was willingly paid HIS share
The OF ject was secured. The de BIT has
been diminished and the States credit |
preserved
Mr.. Dean said he had urged upon the
committee the wisdom of taxing the |
learned professions Ha succeeded In |
convincing them IS to lawyers and doctors
but failed on the parsons The opposition
was too strong for him 10 that direction.
One member said you surely would not
tax the preachers, they are too poorly |
paid 2" l replied that eff ne were a |
preacher and his congregation did no |
give him enough to eat when he YVES try
ing to save souls he would send them all /
to the devil"
Nessrs. Cooch and Pillipg reiterated |
their readiness to meet their constituents !
and discuss questions of public interest.
A resolution was adopted unanimously |
calling for a mass meeting OF tax pay ers |
OF @ill Greek, White ulsy Greer aud Pes- /
csder hundreds at the Exchange building, |
on the evening Of Saturday the 2id inst
and inviting the representatives, to attend. |
The following gentlemen were 9, lected |
as committee to take charge OF the meet
ing, viz William Dean. George Medili, /
John A Reynolds, William Il. Reese, F. /
A. Curtis and j. A. Hassinger.