The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1888-09-20
GAS AND WATER.
A TAX PAYER HAS SOME OBJEC.
TIONS.
He Prefers Free Public Schools.

oA' 80 A'-'hL " al yOu dI-
low me few lines in your valuable
paper? Now and then l hear some
one talk about gas and water works
being a necessity. A necessity is
something that you can't get along
without. Marietta seems to be.get-
ting along very well without gas
and water works. Our streets are
well lighted, about as we'll as gas
will do it, at less expense than gas.
AS for water, our wells and wind
mills are supplying every family
with the purest and best free stone
water in the world. A system of
water works could not give any
purer water, but they could give us
water less pure at greater cost.
AS for fire purposes, we have
steam fire engine that cost our citi-
zens good deal of money. Is this
to be abandoned for few hydrants at
$4,000 per year? People will in
sure their property at any rate, and
water works will not perceptibly de-
crease the rate as you can ascer-
tain in any town where they have
water works. 1t was said that if the
town gotta steam fire engine it would
decrease the rate Of insurance, but
it didn't, as the rate has been in
creased nearly every year since.
One of the things we need in Mari
eta more than water works or gas,
is free public schools, This would
draw people here to educate their
children. When people from the
North talk of locating in Marietta,
the first thing they ask have you
free public schools. They don't ask
about water and gas. And nobody
is coming to live in Marietta just to
see hydrant turned on fire or a
street lighted with gas. Five thous-
and dollars a year expended for free
schools would benefit the poor, but
it seems to me that water and gas
would be a luxury, not a necessity,
that only tine rich could enjoy. |
know that the poor mans home and
furniture would have to be taxed to
help pay for this supply of water
and gas, and yet he would have to
still get his water from a we'll and
light his humble home with kero-
sene, tor he has to be economical in
his expenses of living, therefore he
would not be benefited particle
by this increase of taxation, but in
jured; whereas a free school would
give his children an education to
make them useful citizens. | know
that there are enthusiasts in all
communities who act hastily and
precipitate burdens of debt upon a
town with the best of intentions.
but caution is necessary and our
council had better go slow about in
volving the city in debt to the tune
OF $4,000 per year for 20 years,
which is practically incurring
bonded debt of one hundred thou
sand dollars. The rich can afford
to pay this double tax, but the poor
widow who owns little home, or
the laboring men, white and color
ed owners of a house and let, find
it already a hardship to meet the
taxes, State, county and city that
annually must be paid or be sold
by the sheriff or marshal.
Low taxes is what makes it desir-
able to locate in q town. This is
one of the questions asked by
home hunters, what per cent is your
tax, if it is cheap it is an induce
ment, if it is high they go to some
other place. AS an humble citizen
l protest against increasing the
taxes. The farmers are kicking
against the "bagging trust" and
this is "trust" our citizens should
kick against. 1t will be taking
five thousand dollars a year from
them without giving anything in
return worth anything to the tax
payers. Unnecessary taxation is
unjust taxation" says President
Cleveland in regard to the high pro-
tective tariff. This proposed gas
and water tax is certainly unneces-
sary, therefore unjust
A TAX PAYER.