Evening journal., 1899-02-23

Let us take up and dispose OF the
argument OF the Daily Republican
irst and deal with the ratification by
the Every Evening afterwards. We
admit that payers of water tax are
property owners, but we deny that all
property owners are payers of water
tax. The man who OWNS a valuable cor
ner lot; or who owns property which
has not a spigot on it, and who prob
ably carries his water from some
neighboring property, pays no water
tax on that property. There are sew
eral millions Of dollars worth OF prop
erty in the city cf Wilmington which
pays not a dollar Of tax 10 the Water
Department, but which comes under
the general levy with the property OF
the consumers OF water. New, the
water consumers pay their fair share
under the general levy in common with
this property which does not come
within the purwiew OF the Water De
partment. That is just and equitable.
and, II It stopped there, would be all
right; but 1t does not. After exacting
from the water consumers their fair
share under the general levy, the
Water Department, as a tax-grlnding
adjunct Of City Council, establishes
raoas which not only meet AL Of the
needs OF the Water Department, but
leave a surplus of nearly 100000 to
be turned over to City Council and to
be used for general purposes, and 30
keep down the tax rate under the gen
eral levy for the benefit OF the non
consumers Of water, most of whom are
we'll able to pay their fair share under
the general levy. A man who can af-
ford to hold vacant lots for
years and years can afford to
pay his fair share Of taxation
just as WELL II not better than the
man who not only pays tax on his land
and buildings, but also helps to main
tain the Water Department. These
are the only persons who can find fault
with-the Pyle water bill, and their
fault-fnding is actuated by pure sell
fshness.
we admit that when this water sur
Plus is taken away from City Council
that body will have to raise the tax
rate under the general levy; but when
thof fnaraloao fc r,o 10 a. ,,-ii1 f,lf ,,...,t
ly upon consumers and non-consumers
of water. and instead OF the water con-
sumers paying all cf this surplus OF
nearly 100000, now taken and used
for general purposes, they will only
Ipay their fare share of Il, and the
men who now escape taxation because
OF the surplus paid by the Water De
partment win pay the balance Thuf
1t viii be seen that the only persons
who viii suffer thereby will be The
ones who are now permitting the con
sumers Of water to pay part Of theii
taxes, besides furnishing them with
Iyarious other benefits and immunities
When the water consumers compare
their water bills in January and theii
general tax bills in July they will find
that they are doMars and cents il
pocket; and when the non-consumer.
make the same comparison they will
find that they are called upon to mal1'
mp the difference, and down in theii
hearts they will know that the demand
upon them is just and equitable.
The Daily Republican says tina
money is generally more easily raise,
in january than in July. This is
proposition whieh we cannot under
, stand. January comes in the dead o
r Winter when the expenses Of livinl
are at their highest, by reason Of tn
expense Of obtaining warmth, light
food, clothing, and the many other es
, esntials. to cay nothing of the fac
/, that 1t comes. Immediately after tn
holidays, when the pc5loet OF every 10
/ era.ly-disposed person is emptled t.
give his family and friends Christina
cheer. Ju,y comes in the height o
/, Summer, when the expenses Of livinl
/, are at their hghtest When artificla
1 heat and light are ecarcely needed
when food is cheapest; and whe
clothing is at it's lowest mark. w
fail to see how the Daily Republica
can back up proposition to which ma
ture itself gives the lie.
This disposes Of the Daily Republl
can Now we take up the Every Even
ing In the face of the fact that tn
present water rates bring in a revenu
Of S9S.O00 in excess OF the needs
the Water Department.. 1t character
ICES as insane the proposition to rc
duce those rates 40 per cent, a redus
tion which will leave the Water ID,
partment al the money It needs an
about $4,000 for an emergency run,
We leave it to the consumers Of wat5
to judge for themselves whether tn
insanity is to be found in the bill {
a n the editorial utterances Of the Ever
c Evening. We deny the propositio
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