Daily Republican. [volume] ([Wilmington, Del.]) 1874-1890, 1890-03-19


Unproductivs Taxnbies.
A taxpayer at Middletown writes as
follows to the Every Evening. not
only approving the saving OF s., 200
by q cutting down of the price OF
prison board, but Of what he knows of
''unproductive tsxables:"
s'i am glad and it 10 . proper measure
TO save some $1,000 to this county on
ieeding prisoners; l know OF y leak
double this sum. am sure and cannot
think but you are aware Of &c of from
1000 to 600 Democratic voters who
vote every year In this county and do not
pay one cant tax, and nearly this num-
Der Of Republicans who cannot pay their
taxes. This strikes political chord and
will not vibi ate; but 1t 10 fact, ut Ioss
Of from &, 900 TO $4,000 to the county.
Men here vote who have not paid 81 tor
the last 10 year,, and have voted every
time, and whose tax was not paid by
any one else for them. can tell you,
and you know how 1t Is done. I've
been on collectors bonds for three years
snd these facts come to my knowledge
and the only thug to be learned ia, how
mary"
We regret that our able contempt
rary did not unlimber his lucid pen
and give the public some extended
thoughts upon this prolific subject.
The effort to save 81, 600 in taxes to
the county in prison board 10 q good
one, and is appreciated by a tax
ridden people, but it's advocacy of
farther saving of from $4,000 10 $10,.
QUO year, In an honest collection of
the taxes that are levied, but which
are lost to the county, would have
peen still farther appreciated and
would have given It more the chsrac-
ter OF real economist, without the
tuspicion OF a qualification OF revenge
for loss of the Sheritl's printing.
Bill we are heartily glad that our
neighbor is In the field battling even
for one item of economy
The correspondent has struck too
rich theme TO let pass without some
remark OF encouragement, and to
bring 1t more prominently before the
people We have clipped It and have
given it q prominent place In the RE
PUBLICAN. As the correspondent has
been on collectors bonds for three
years he writes In no haphszsrd
manner. but Of things of which he is
Perfectly converssnt. ..=
de knows something, what is it2
Why he knows that men have voted
for the last ten years every time and
have never paid dollar OF tax, nor
was any tax paid for them by any one
else Yes, this Democratic economist,
for that lie what we take him to he,
says, writing TO the Every Evening:
II am sure and cannot think but you
are aware OF II of from 1900 to 3 900 !
Democratic voters, who vote every |
ysar In this county and do not pay one
cent OF tax, and nearly this number OF |
Republicans who cannot pay their
taxes" This is not only hitting the
nail, bnt driving il down 10 the head.
There are in this city alone more than
one thousand Republicans who have
utterly been prohibited from paying
their taxes who would gladly have
paid II opportunities had been offered
for them to do SO. AS for the Demo.
cratic poll taxpayers it was well
known that up to the Sd Of March
very lew OF them had paid their taxes.
About twelve hundred OF them have
been returned as delinquen,s on the
McCloskey patent assessment plan and
ra assessed for 1890. the county, OF
course, losing the taxes they owed.
The Middletown man, whether a
y democrat or Republican, has got
Gow0 10 bottom facts anyhow, and, as
n bOndsnial Tor Democratic collector
oil taxes, he is in position to know
something more than outsiders, who
ere never permitted TO look within the
sacred lids OF tax duplicate We h ave
always made this tax question a par
tisl study, and asserted thsi the county
iost sic, 600 year by Democrats re.
iasing 10 collect the poll taxes from
merely partisan motives and 10 keep
the Democratic party in power. and
we are pleased TO see that others are
finding out that what we asserted was
true, and that they have the courage
NOW TO make the assertion themselves.
This waste OF $4,000 year in uu-
coll, cited taxes has been going ON sine,
. 1873, the year the peculiar laws which
allow such things 10 be done Ner
passed.
For these six,ean years then III
waste has been $l60 coo. No wonde
lie people are complsning OF exces
sive taxation. These losses must b
made up and property must pay them
The Levy Court Is still trying 10 carr
Oh this system of waste and extravs
eance to perpetuate its power, and 3
long as the taxpayers permit them /
do so there will be no change. Th