Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1893-02-23
uERonAvr AND MANUrAcrURER.
It Looks as If the Merchants Recognize
That the Greater Burthen is Upon the
Manufacturers.

1t Looks as If the Merchants Recognize
That the Greater Iinrthen is Upon the
Manufacturers
1t is understood that the business men of
this city are ready to make a movement
which will be heard Of very early in re-
gard to some change in the tax known as
tie merchants and manufacturers tax.
This enactment it is understood the mer-
chants concede bears harder on the manu-
facturers of Wilmington than it does on
the sturekeepers.
Talking with some OF the latter only
Thursday the sentiment that inspired
them was we don't object to paying tax.
Everyone knows that has to be done But
We think that the law should be changed
in some way to modify or dOaway with
| that disagreeable spying into our private
business and asking us to swear to what
the figures on our books for the past year
are
THE objection is not an objection to
| taxation III itself. IL is to the mode of
| collecting.
no reasonable man but knows that
taxes must be paid. And besides, this tax
| is not large. If | made purchase of
| 5000 worth of goods the taS would be
only $50. That, with a 50 fec as a state
| license, is not very exorbitant. The sum
| of 81 on s 900, or one cent on 500, that
| is not anything.
| "lhG objection so far as the merchant is
concerned is the requirement making him
reveal every figure OF his private business.
| That is the cause of all the howl.
Il am not speaking for manufacturers,
but tor merchants, think fairly repre-
sent the sentiment Of % per cent of the
store keepers of Wilmington in this.
As TO THE MANUFACTURERS.
Now as to the manufacturers. The tax
as il is laid in this state | understand does
not exist III the neighboring common
wealths of Pennsylvania and Maryland,
except in the merest nominal form.
The tax of II on 81 900 prevents new
manufacturers from coming to the state
of Delaware. They calculate on very close
margins and this IL enough to be in the
way of their locating here. We want that
tax taken off. But still n manufacturer
expects to pay u reasonable tax on his
personal property, his machinery stock, &c,
From the peculiar bearing Of the tax il
is very obnoxious to the manufacturer
here. 1t should be cut down at least one,
half. Some of our manufacturers pay as
high as 81 800.
"rhe merchant is all right because he
lives off the manufacturer, and can well
afford to pay the tax. The law in Penn.
sylvania, as ] understand it. allows the
manufacturer or merchant To make alli.
davit according to some 10 classes These
are graded, say from 81 900 to 5000, from
5000 to 5000, from $4,000 to SS,OOD and
50 on III classes without any exact liinninp
down to precise figures except in the limit
Of the class.
NOW why we storekeepers are ali
safe when the manufacturers are un
hindered is on the old principle of doc
eat dog The manufacturer brings the
people here whom the merchant lives and
thriVes off. The latter could not exist il
Wilmington but for the thousands oi
workingmen in the daily hire of the biz
manufacturing firms and who every week
spend their earnings in the Wilmington
stores.
"lf the storekeepers of Wilmington am
the other citizens, and in fact of the whole
State don't get around lively and aid thu
manufacturers at this critical point they
will wake mp some morning and find they
have killed the goose that lays the colder
egg.
"rhe question may be asked, how is il
} going to help the people down State ?"
: III is in this wuy-offer an inducemen
J for manufacturer to come in, or NOR,
exactly tell him you will take away the
, great weight of the obstruction of thu
I State tax. Then cannery establishment
! opens up. The crowds of idle hands o
the neighborhood are given employment
! probably spending 81 900 Il week in a 10
Z cality which has never before seen such {
! sum. Now comes along the farmer witt
: his load of tomatoes which he sells at
good regular price without the cost o
freight rates, which he knows to his cos
have too often before eaten up prett,
i nigh all the profits. Take off this tax an,
r the farmer will bring along his turkey
and ducks to be bought up by the Gamers
Then he will not get his quarterly lette
!. from his commission agent in Philadel
I phia or New York telling the unluck.
, farmer who has sent the little stock 0
goods there Christmas or spring, that tin
= market is flat, there were no prices. Their
!. Is small enclosure in the letter Just
few pence the margin over the freigh
: bill. This is the too usual story. Tha
could not be were there home market 70
i the farmers fowls