Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1899-01-12

greatly reduced. This he understood
was not practicable in Wilmington
owing to the fact that valuable fran
chises had been given away and the
opportunity to relieve real estate by o
charge for'the use Of the streets lost
lie read from number of reports in
support Of his statement as to the
methods Of raising revenue elsewhere.
Mr.. Satterthwaite called special at
| teption to portion of the recent
annual address of Mayor Collier of
Atlanta, Ga. In this address the
mayor points out that the business of
| city should be conducted with the
same jealous care that prudent bust
ness man would conduct his own
| affairs, and that the city officials are
but trustees OF the public selected by
| the people TO administer the affairs of
the government for the people on BUSH
4 ness principles, without fear, favor,
affection, reward or the hope thereof,
but with an eye single to the public
good. 1
George w. Bush presented GONE
| figures which touched upon both city
and county finances. He drew attention
| to the fact that in this city there are
| two collectors of city and one collector
OF county tax; that in the county there
| are something like IS collectors for
road tax, He held that it seemed
almost absurd, the idea of expanding
| something like $4,000 to $4,000 for
| collecting the taxes necessary to run
| this city and county government. Some
10 years ago, Mr.. Bush was chairman
of committee of the board which
looked into the subject Of taxation and
which reported that Wilmington and
the county. had four collectors, which
VAS more collectors than most other
cities and counties had.
3, The county expenditures now include
81, 900 salary of the receiver of taxes
md county treasurer and clerk; eight
outside collectors ct $1,000 each and
| two ut $500 each; two for the Adams
Tax, $1,000 each; road fax, 10 col
ectors, at $500. The total Of 20 col
| lectors collect about $4,000
4 Mr.. Bush remarked that conditions
in the county were even worse than
those in the city, and thought it most
extraordinary that such d condition of
things was allowed to exist in
county as intelligent as the county Of
New Castle. Chester county, which is
ms large as Delaware, pays, he was in
formed, only one-fourth as much for
the collection of taxes as New Castle
county and they are collected better.
The whole system should be re-
organized.
i William d. Mullen, a member of the
Municipal Commission which prepared
the city charter, stated that they found
that this city government was being
administered, as they thought, at a
very much larger expenditure than was
absolutely necessary. The opponents
of the charter bill held that the ex-
penses of the government would be in
creased, which was not true, the com
mission figuring on a reduction of
several thousand dollars in the annual
expenses, and saving Of many thou
sands of dollars, through better ad
ministration, in a few years. 1t is
we'll known by some that there are now
employed by the city government men
who would not be employed in ones
private business. ,
4 DIR, II. e, Smith touched upon the
matter Of water rents, asking ques-
tion like this: II the Water Depart
4 ment turns over to the city the amount
4 left over and that goes into the general
fund, and IL the water rate be reduced,
and the general expenses go on, how
would. they make up the amount
formerly received from the department?
\ No attempt was made to give de-
tailed answer to the question, but o.
G. Purdy made a remark to the effect
. that some people in the government
would have to go to work. N e
Mr.. Bush held that no partial
change In the system of city govern
ment would be effective. At present,
City Council has very little money to
spend, but it looks after the hall and
: pays few retainers. 1t has to pay
large sums to the Street and Sewer
Department and the Board Of Edu-
cation. AS to the latter, he thought
the law was defective in allowing a
five per cent annual increase without
regard to the increase in the number
of scholars. Thus the superintendent IS
report shows an increase of 20 scholars,
whereas the appropriation is increased
$50, 600.
The increase was all right when tho
city was growing, but is too great
when the city is not growing. The
, increase of money should be in pro-
|. portion to the increase of scholars. Mr..
Bush favored liberal support for the
board, but said the money should not
be expended reclylessly, and with
proper attention to business arrange
ments.
The needs of all the departments Of
! the city should be carefully calculated
and appropriations made on that basis.
| When t;~, present system of government
was adopted, 1t was u great improve
ment on the old, but was not intended
to be permanent
As to the county, Mr.. Bush held
that the necessary changes would
! amount almost to revolution,
Mr.. Rossell also maintained that
I there was, il possible, more need for
reform in the county than in the city,
7 ] and suggested the appointment of a
committee on that subject.
Returning to the city, Mr.. Rossell
did not favor an increase of revenue,
but an equitable assessment. lie
favored also a new city charter, but
declared that he had no aspirations
. for himself. On the matter of sources
OF revenue he said that some revenue
was derived from taxation of horses,
poles and dogs, and a copy of the city
,, ordinances was once sold for 81 so, but
! all this does not help much towards
raising $500, 600. 1t being suggested
that the city ought to get share Of
the liquor licenses, the answer was
made that any bill to increase the
liquor license or divide with the State
: might be introduced. in tho Legisla.
ture. but would never DO heard OF
! aglip. T-7..{
Mr.. Carpenter had an idea that II
might be possible to run the Street
/, and Sewer Department with the
: revenue Of the Water Department. He
Z favored each property owner doing his
! | own etreet pavin0 instaad of having &c