The daily gazette., 1883-05-29
4 R,di pnIons Preten.sse.. . !.

a RdtpulouS fretehhe- ..,tl
Nothing could be more ridiculous than
the pretense of the Republican organs that
the present city campaign on their part, is
being conducted on a platform Of low taxes
aud opposition tD the increase of $4,000 a
year in water rates that will be imposed
Is in case the Waler Commission should step
"into power" q.
In the first place, there will be NO ''low
taxes" next year, unless the appropria-
tions are reduced TO such
sum rs to admit OF no public improvements
whatever, and restrict even the important
public work tb the closest margin. That
this will be done, however, is not probable,
as the appropriations will be made by the
present Republican Council, while the indi-
cations now are that upon Democratic
Council will devolve the duty of laying
tax rate to cover them, and the
retiring Statesmen are not likely TO
give their democratic successors an
opportunity of reducing taxation and
the same time throwing upon them the re-
sponsibility for hampering and restricting
the prosecution of important public work.
Low taxes, therefore, have been rendered
impossible by the "model" administration
elected in June last, the inefficiency of which
has been clearly demonstrated in the
GAZETTE, as well as its total inability
TO intelligently control our public
affairs. 1t has exhausted the
annual appropriations, and spent the
revenues of the year go recklessly that a
large deficit now exists, which will probably
reach $4,000 10y the end of the current
fiscal year. This deficit will have to be pro-
vded for in next years tax rate, as there ls
no Legislature in session to enable Council
to fund it, as was the case last year. This
is the "model" Councils record, and
when any paper pretends to base thereon
ali assumption that its claims for a continu-
ance OF power are built on q platform Oi
slow taxes" the utter absurdity OF the ar
gument will be clearly apparent to every
taxpayer who takes his last years receipt
and calculaJeB the increase he will be called
upon to pay in July next.
AS to the Water Commission, the assertion
that its operations will increase the burdeni
of taxation $4,000 per year is an arran
talsehOod that has been too clearly dis
proved to require further denial. Tn
Water Commission act was passed by tn
Legislature ih response to the petitions of
large number of our people, and while
was pending no opposition OF any tharacte
was made against it in this city. The Com
mission experiment, as applied to ou
Water Department, had worked with grea
satisfaction and economy in the past, anC
our tax payers were perfectly willing t
place the sole charge OF the Department
under an agency that alone had been able tC
compl etc cur new reservoir in an economi
cal and bushess-like manner. The gentle
men nam d as the Commissioners are capabl
and Intelligent, and one of them wa
a member of the Commission which com
pleted Cool Spring reservoir after Cit
Council had wasted thousands of dollars Q
the peoples money without accomplishing
any practical results.
The opposition on the part of City Coun
ell 10 the authority of the Water Commis
sion is purely revolutionary, and is actuate
solely by d desire to retain conrrc
oil the Department for the benef
OF the oiheials they have place
In charge. The members comPrisin
the majority presume to set their persona
wishes above the sovereign power OF tn
State of Delaware, and if they are sustaine
by the people they can just as consistentl
oppose other laws passed by our Legislature
anu by encouraging contempt OF the Law
making power of the State do incalculabl
mischief aud incite spirit
lawlessness that will seriously imper
the public and private interests of our peopl
The Republican platform in this local col
test Is, Therefore, a fraud aud a humbuj
and every citizen who respects law and d
sires good government should vote again
the candidates of this law-defying politics
organization at Saturdays election.