Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-08-30
THEY % NOT EQUALlzE,
SAY BUSINESS MrS WHO MEET TO
DISCUSS IN.
iIa~ty Measure oacrcd and Success
fully Opposed by the. Mayor In a
Speech HinRins With Patriotism
and Good sense.

tpicuously the 0blcst mayor In the
great Southwest He has a roveranco
for that ancient tenet. "union to
strength" lie believes In the Identity,
whether applied TO a modest business
enterprise or the great elements that
make up thrifty and progressive city,
lie displayed both his ability and his
belief yesterday. He likewise made a
speech ringing not alone with this wis.
dom. but with patriotic love for Fort
Worth. He showed himself eminentiy
the right man In the right place.
The Board OF Equalization. to begin
Mt the beginning ia not an effnlgent
success as AN equallser. think come two
dosen OF capitalists who met in the
presidenta rceeptIo.. room OF the First
National bank yesterday afternoon.
Thore are others who think the same
way possibly, who were not present.
Those who were present. however,
represent the financial back bone OF the
city Practically. They were X. A. Van
Nant, j. j. Roche, H. NJ Chapman.
Heno Ross. w Il, Hoax. A c, Edrlug-
ton, y }. Lynch, ]. H. Ellis. S. Nj. Fry,
w. w. Dunn. j. w. Spencer j. ..
Lord, NJ. y, Loyu. w. @, Turner. j. u.
Mitchell. u. c, Bennett. Newton I.asai.
ter u, w, Tcmpel, ChRs. Schcuhsr. Jno.
{, Harrison. Il. II. keller. Paul Maple'
il. G. Holloway Il. NJ Clark, II. c.
Edrlngton and T, a. Tidbail, Mayor
Paddock was present, Fry and I.asa-
ter are members OF the finance commit
toa of the city council.
II Q. Holloway presided aud John
c, Harrison acted an recording secreta-
~ OF the meeting. A body OF business
men or tho Same personnel practically
h0d held executive meetings twice be-
fore, but the present was the largest
meeting, ana 10 1t had been invited the
bead OF the city government and 4.
OF It's committee on finance
This body at the beginning repre-
scented various degrees OF feeling over
the board OF cduRlizatianH work Tho
more bitter eleinout were 30 bitter that
they offered u resolution at frat which
IN their Weldon they blew 10 the winda
ON u momcntH reelection ana aftOr tho
mayors ringing speech
The motion was that they make 4
purse 60 employ counsel 10 bring pro-
cocdings 10 onjoin the board OF cquall-
cation from making excessive an.
praisement OF property. 1t was ox-
planned tlat from the arbitrary APP
~ niaementa OF the board there wac no
appeal While some properties were
ratod too low, others wcro rated TOO
high. and from such mistakes whence
the redress? Tost the authority Of the
board 10 be arbitrary, demanded the
resolution.
Several OF tho gentlemen spoke nj
lgnKth upon the propoeod measure.
Mr. Spencer advised caution. No atop
should be taken that should place Fort
worth IN false light to the eyes of
the world
Mr.. zono c. Ross expostulated that
there should be fixed basis on which
the appraiaementa OF property values
should be made. Tho appraiaement Of
one piece OF property should not be
lowered and that OF another Increased
capriolously. There should be some
basis, some Intelligent plan OF the
work.
Mayor Paddock aroEo and sSid, In
part; 81 am glad, gentlemen. that l
lave the honor 20 bo present at this
meeting glad because II Is OF deep IN
forest to me both IN my private capa-
city, as citizen. and IN my public, aH
mayor. In the latter 1 am deeply IN
tcrcsted, because Ds mayor 1 am the
direct object OF all complaint, whether
blanc conoB upon mo directly or indl-
reotly. Az 4 citizen, gentlemen, / too
may fancy In fact do fancy, that some
OF my property is appraised too high,
while other property is not Appraised
high enough. / have raised no kick on
the latter Inconvenience U4auRhte) and
II may be possible that, like soma OF
you, l am n little biased IN my Views
on the former point Ganghter)
"But. gentlemen. consider what thie
revolution before US, II passed mcnnH.
L. Is 10 raise a purse and employ coun-
ael 10 cnioin the board OF equalization
from raising the rate OF taxation on
taxable property nhovo Just yRlua-
ton. Do you reflect how that would APP
pear TO tho eyes OF the worid7 DO You
not sec that means they are raising II
beyond it's autunl value? DO you not
sec the immediate consequences? A
long train OF litigation. The city un-
able 10 collect It's revenue, 20 pay Its
debts and run ita departments The
machinery Of city government entirely
blocked during the tedium Of law
suit. Our excellent fire department dis
banded and Insurance out OF reach OF
wealth. The police department dis
banded ard She tbpRn from everywhere
hearing the good news. hooking hero,
iropardizing life ana property. Most OF
ALA lost credit. a credit lost. not for
day or month or year, but for nifty
yeare--a credit which n today as solid
ana proud ns that Of the bank OF Eng
land. a credit which should make every
Fort Worthian's breast swell with
pride. An honest credit, This, gentle
men, we pfopose to ruin by placing
ourselves before the eyes Of the world
in false light IL II poEalble that In
what we want 10 daY Consider the re-
sulfa 10 ourselves. Consider our pos
terity. Our Offspring win hardly zee
Fort Wprth's credit rcRnincd-that |
credit which would be lost without de-
sert
you say there is no redress for your |
grievances against the board. sew, is |
It not fact that three Rontiemcn pres
ent have made rnecessful kicks and |
had their grievances rfEhted7 Are |
we pursuing the right couTso7 Wouldn't |
the proper thing be for US 70 appeal |
to the finance committee IN cases Of |
excessive rating, and n they DO not |
right the matter. 10 our representa- |
tlves. the city council7 IL there a need |
for the courso we are pursulng7 Let's |
reflect on the matter "a little"
Attorney Tempel. who hal a Frlrv.
nnca for a client againHt the board, |
advised with Mayor Paddock He said |
that the result OF the proposed action |
would entail a litigation possibly OF
years.
The contemplated resolution was
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