Evening journal., 1890-04-10
MR.. WIER'S FACTS.
TAX RATE REDUCED TWENTY PER
CENT.

Mr. Wier,s Address Before the Young
Mems Demecratic Club on the Subject
of Reform In County Governmsnt-The
County's Wealth.
at the meeting of the Young Mems
Democratic Club last evening, William
Wier, member Of the Levy Court from
Christiana hundred, spoke he said:
The chief point Of attack by the news
papers of the county is on the Levy
Court. While we are speaking of this
court l think a few words about the
origin Of 1t would not be amias. The
first time we find any mention of such
court is in the reign of George III. The
counties were divided into hundreds and
commissioners were appointed to levy
taxes. They had the same method of
collection and disbursement of money,
and same method Of hearing the griev-
ances of the people.
| saw an old bill the other day for work
done on bridge and one of the items
was to six gallons of rum furnished to
the workmen. l introduced bill into
the court to change the methods OF 1t.
but for some reason it did not pass One
reason wished this to pass was, because
| thought the accounts should be audited,
and another is that am honest and that
| think the people ought to know how the
money is spent. The county has good
bridges and roads and do not think that
any more money should be expended for
roads.
There are roads built which accommo-
date two or three persons, and 1t is an
easy matter to get commission now.
think that before road is opened. the
location, damage and other expenses Of
1t should be printed in the papers.
Another expense is the county jail
There are some citizens of this city-I
suppose you call them citizens-who go
to jail four or five times year and cost
s1.52 every time they 60. Would it not
be better to pat them in the cells of the
City Hall or Court House.
The sheriff gets SO cents for every time
he opens the door TO let in either drunk
ard or murderer. And cannot'see where
there is any chance for reformation in
persons who are put in there for minor
offences, because they are crowded with
bad people, and they come out 100 per cent
worse. Some persons want peniteR-
tiary, but this would only shift the
burden from the county to the state.
But the state should pay for some things
which are now borne by the county. The
money which comes from the liquor
licenses should be divided into three
parts, one each for the state, county and
schools, and we would thus get back
some of the revenue they get from this
county.
had hoped to have been able to give
I N.~1I - - Al.
Of the county for the last year. but the
treasurer has not yet got his accounts
audited for last year. The assets of the
county are 81, 156, 600 divided as follows
Court House, 100000; jail. $50, 600
alnshouse, $500, 600; grounds Of aims
house property, $9e,00Oi state
bonds, S75,000; bridges Brandywine,
$50, 600; Pencader, S26, 1000; Christiana,
$50, 900; Wilmington, $3.50, 900; New
Castle, 1885, 900; Red Lion. $22, 900;
White Clay Creek. $s7, 900; Apo
quinimink, $26.000 Mill Creek,
$54, 600; st. Georges, $33 600; Blackbird,
&45, 000 total, $l.156, 900. The bounded
debt Of the county Is $490, 100, which
leaves the total assets over indsbtness
$685., 100. There has been received from
the old almshouse property = total of
WA@Sf0Nps AAI NN41cW6Jn VI lLG COuuhN
aae constant sourse of expense.
As / am q member of the Levy Court,
it is hardly right for nae to speak of a
reduction Of the members. but | think
FIVE members could do the work, If given
enough salary to let them devote their
whole attention to the court. think a
change in the terms of the assessors
would be beneficial. If they were elected
for four years, two years previous to
the general assessment, all of them be
required to meet at the county seat in
October, each year, and then meet at the
Court House and compare their assess
ments and make them as uniform as pos
sible think that the limit on the poll
tax ought to be abolished, and that bond
and mortgage owners should be made to
swear to the value of the same, and that
the tax should be paid on them. l think
the judicial system could be improved.
The Levy Count tried to cut all ex-
penses, but Third street bridge had
made this impossible. They would re-
duce the levy 90 per cent. next year on
each person, so that person who pays
500 this year will pay only $50 next
year. Mr.. Wier said that one Of the
speakers had placed the blame on over
production, but that the only overpro-
duction was of trusts. A vote of thanks
was given the sneaker