The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1898-08-17
Taxpayer Strikes Back.

| EDITOR HERALD
Can tresspass on your space for few
words in reply to Councilman" who
admits that the position took in regard
to the water privileges of the people oi
Somerset is the only equitable one.
Councilman" might as well argue
that the borough authorities should ex-
pend the money Of the taxpayers in inn
proving township roads as to contend
that the owners of tho new suburban
hotel should secure borough water for
that establishment at less rate than the
people who are compelled to pay for the
construction of the water plant, because
they are residents of the borough. He
might with better grace urge that they
be compensated for their borough taxes
in this way for the reason that a large
share of the borough revenue has
been squandered % in scattering stones
over some of the streets instead of max
ing permanent repairs TO them. Again,
if the owners of that enterprise are to be
favored by the town council because they
have seen fit to erect public house out
side of the borough. why was not the
same consideration shown to the owners
Of the Hotel Vannear and the Somerset
House, whose capital has given Somerset
two of the best built and best conducted
county scat hotels l'E tue stapel Coun-
Gilman will not deny that the owners of
the two properties named are compelled
TO pay water tax approximating 500,
which does not entitle them to use drop
Of borough water.
The other reasons assigned by "Coun-
Gilman" for the unwarranted liberality of
the town dads are too trivial for
consideration. However, the people of
Somerset did not go begging for
the franchise through Mr.. Tayman's
property which we believe is now
the property of the Somerset Hotel
Company-but if he, as an individual and
a taxpayer of the borough, dealt lenient-
ly with his fellow citizens, he is entitled
TO their thanks, and If he was compen-
sated therefor, however meagerly, be is
far better of than the people of the town
who have seen their valuable franchises
utoLOHcA iD4 liz dshAuS. II tue NlS ul-OA-
way of our streets Is of value to corpora
tiOns the privilege to dig them up aud
set poles in them is worth just that much
in dollars and cents to the town. The
acton of our council in this direction
during the past few years has been little
short of criminal. The corporations en-
joy monopoly of our thoroughfares and
do not contribute a penny of municipal
tax, and it now appears that eouucilmen
are willing TO supply corporations with
a marketable commodity at less rate
than the poor property holders who pay
the taxes.
Councilman" fails to throw any light
on the additional cost TO the borough en-
tailed by supplying water to parties liv-
ing in an adjoining district, but il is safe
TO say that if he is no more successful in
reading meters in outside districts than
he is the one at the Court House, the water
works will not profit sufficiently TO pay
for the oil used to grease the pumps.
Meanwhile the poor people who pay
the water tax will be kept busy laying
the dust in front Of their homes with
sprinkling cans. while their more opuleut
neighbors will continue TO reap the bene-
tit OF municipal favoritism.
TAXPAYER.