The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1899-01-19
BUSINESS MEMS OPINIONS
ON EXEMPTION OF NEW ENTER-s
PRISES FROM TAxATTON.

Expressed ut Hearing Held by Chan-
bcr of Commerce COMMITTEES In civ
Hall Last Night Exemption From
Taxation Strongly Opposed BY seyernf
Men.
An interesting hearing was held Jast
nlght IN the aldermen's chamber Iii city
hall by the chamber of commerce com
mlttee on municipal affairs on the mat
ter Of procuring legislation exemntinr
from taxation, for period not exceed
ing ten years, the manufacturing plants
of new enterprises locating in New Ha.
ven number Of prominent manufac-
turers and business men of the city. to-
gether with other citizens, appeared be-
fore the committee, and the sentiment
generally expressed was that no abate-
ment of taxation for the purpose speci-
fled should be granted. NJ
In the absence of George D. Watrous.
chairman Of the committee, who had
been called out of town, General George
H. Ford, president of the chamber. was
asked to preside. General Ford in an
nouncing the object Of the meeting stat
ed that the officers of the chamber or
commerce have always been theoreti-
cally opposed to the policy of the remit
ting of taxes to new industries that
might locate in New Haven provided
concessions were made them. On the
other hand the competition from other
cities who do offer inducements to those
enterprises has embarrassed the com
mittee on new enterprises in their ef-
forts to secure the location here Of new
enterprises that were influenced to To-
cate elsewhere.
General E. E. Bradley was asked to s
give his views on the subject Of the
hearing, and in response said that be-
fore he served on the committee on en-
terprises he had always been opposed
to offering chromos to or exemptinE
from taxation manufacturing plants
which came to New Haven but had al
ways favored reducing the taxation on
enterprises already located here He
said that finally doubt came to his mind
as to whether or not he had pursued
the proper course in opposing the re-
mitting of taxes or giving factory sites
to new enterprises, especially in more
than one instance where because Of a
failure to offer these inducements de-
sirable manufacturers had passed BY
New Haven and located elsewhere. He
said that he gave up with reluctance
his old-time prejudice. But" said he,
there is fact from which we cannot
escape-that some advantages, direct
or indirect, are always offered to man
ufacturers by other places-usually
freedom from taxation for a certain
number of years, a factory site or SUBJ
for capital stock. Seeing this
the thought came to me as to whether
or not it wasn't necessary to use such
to induce new enter
prises to locate in New Haven. 1t is SO
much a matter Of course that induces
ments are offered that manufacturerS
are sure to expect them. We all desire
to see New Haven grow and prosper, to
see our manufacturers meet with sue
cess and to get other manufacturers to
locate here. l believe that we should
see that manufacturers about to locate
in some city have the advantages OF
New Haven presented to them, and the
fact that there are here advantageous
locations for them, and that we should
see that taxes are as low as possible,
and stop there have not been in fa-
vor of remitting taxes
Benjamin r. English opposed exempt-
ng new enterprises from taxation. He
said: Merchants deserve exemption
rom taxation as much as any one. The A
pest way 1 know of to deal with this
natter is to elect to the city governs
nent, to executive boards men who pay
is much attention to city business as
hey do to private affairs. When out-
ide manufacturers hear that the city
S governed economically, and that the
ak rate is low they will say that the
ity is governed rightly and that it is q
rood place in which to locate I think
~ that we could get more of them to
ocate here than by remitting taxes one
vear or ten years"
Joseph Porter of the firm of Sperry &
Barnes opposed offering exemption from
aXation as an inducement for manu-S
acturers to locate here. Colonel Rolin *
!. Woodruff of c. S. Mersick & Co., who
S member of chamber of commerce
ommittee has corresponded with man
facturers who were looking about for
place to locate, said that he corre-
ponded last year with about fifty man-
facturers, and of these ninety per cent.
sked what New Haven could offer in
he way of inducement, not saying that
hey wanted rebate of taxes, but gener-
lily asking the chances of getting an
ddition to their capital Colonel Wood
uff said: "At the present time am
OF at all in Favor of giving rebate OF
axes. I favor some other means II
re have not natural facilities for man
facturers I do not think that we could
ct them BY offering O rebate of taxes.
.ecently a firm of publishers in the
est wrote me concerning locating in
'ew Haven, and asked if the printers
MON was strong in New Haven.
rote back that it was not strong and
i'd not amount to much and that firm
still considering New Haven with
lew to possibly locating here"
Charles F. Bates of the National Var
ish company also opposed exempting
ole ri