Middletown transcript., 1893-09-02
rne date ON the label ON your
paper shows the time to which
your subscriptin Is paid to
rHE COUNTY, TAxEs.

the day previous, working day, ana
called at the county tax Office at the
Court House Ia Wilmington for that
purpose. The amonnt of the tax was
more than fifty d liars. Imagine bis
surprise when told that he could not
pay his tax; that Receiver of Taxes
Dickey was "now sitting in the coun-
try,' (for taxes presumably and that
the tax payer must call again. The
clerk or spokesman present could not
tell when Dickey would sit in that city
again, but whenever he did, and the
tax payer by some chance or another
should discover it, the tax could then
be paid. This is>tte nineteenth CEN
tury and we live in what is popularly
said to be the greatest country on
earthl
We may add that New Castle County
is one of the richest, most populous
and in the things that make up a
community one of the greatest counties
in the Union, but it is subject to the
most puerile and the most contempti-
BILE system of tax collection that man
has ever devised, and it goes without
saying that John T. Dickey is pecu-
liarly and entirely worthy Of filling the
tax Office and of executing its policy.
In this great county, from whose
people is annually levied over quarter
OF a million of dollars for alleged
public purposes, a citizen of Whining
ton is constrained to sit at the Court
House and watch for an opportunity
to pay the county's representative
fifty or sixty dollars in taxes. In this
town il the collector of the taxes for
school purposes could possibly afford
1t he would open an Office and hang out
a sign, declaring bis willingness, nay
bis anxiety, to receive the district
taxes. There is not a man or woman
doing business in this town, however
modest in its proportions, but has
opened store or an office, has adver-
tised his business, has made every
legitimate effort to attract trade,
which is money, and has religiously
kept open his place of business every
day in the year except Sundays. To
accommodate their customers some
have even opened their stores on Sum-
day. From the earliest hour in the
morning until the latest in the evening
these business men and woman are
at their posts, despising not the small
est sums and working hard to get the
larger amounts. No pains are spared
and no efforts are too great to get into
hand few dollars. This statement is
perhaps truer to-day than ever before.
The times are harder, the customers
more careful, and the profits smaller.
What is true of the business men of
Middletown is true Of every business
man, be he farmer or tradesman or
professional man, throughout the en-
tire county and country.
Men who wish to do business in
variably have place 10 do it in, and
they keep that place open every work.
ing day in the year. If they cannot be
there personally each day, they employ
an agent or clerk to do business for
them in their absence. This rule ap-
plies not only to private business, but
everywhere in the civilized world, ex-
cept Delaware. does it also apply to
public business. Even here it applies
to all public business except the col
lection of county taxes. For example
in the collection of municipal taxes
the city of Wilmington employees four
capable men all the year round. These
men work from 8 a. m., to 5 p. M,
with one hour at noon for dinner.
For eight hours each working day in
the year business can be transacted in
the city tax Office in Wilmington. At
the court house the well paid county
officials work from 8 a. m., till 5p. M,
daily, and if business is pressing they
are glad to remain at their desks until
after 6 O'Clock.
Why is business conducted differ
emily in the county tax Office? All ouI
readers know why. Three or -four
years ago an agitation was started tc
get rid Of the old system of tax collect
ing and its infamous tyrannies and de-
falcations. The late lamented Ma.
thaniel Williams was perhaps the
leader of that reform. He and many
OF his co-workers were as honest a:
they were earnest. The present sys
tenn is the outcome of the 'sreform,
and it is even worse thau the old sys
tenn. In its application thecollector ha:
but one purpose-the disfranchisement
of political opponents. For this pur
pose he makes it impossible for a per
son to pay tax in Wilmington when ht
/ is s.sitting in the country" For thi'
dishonest and unmanly purpose h'
keeps.but one county seal and compel'
the tens of thousands Of taxabies ant
tax items to pass under a single stamp
For this purpose is the great city o.
wilmington confined to three months
d year In the payment Of its taxes and
the rest Of this great county only two
months, for no certainty is found in
paying taxes to delinq collectors
Who, rs has been expel In v u
nington, in Mill Cree| othel
hundreds, hssemany tes d
the old-tim elIectoz The tax
payers a fh|s 81 der that
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