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

Reform in municipal and reform in
county government were the themes of
interesting discussions by the Board Of
Trade at its monthly meeting Thursday
and IL was decided to,have committee
to look into each subject and to hold o
special session next Thursday night to
hear reports. Those present Thursday
evening included: va
President William Lawton, Secretary
Daniel W.iTaylor, James 'B. Martin,
Frank Woolley, David Lemon, Lewis
w. Brosius, Charles E. White, A. r.
Morrison. Nathan 3. Culbert, Harry
Bush, Calvin l. Swayne, Joseph L.
Carpenter, Jr., NJ. p Satterthwaite,
John NJ. Rogers, William d. Mullen,
Jr., Q. G.. Pvrdy, DIR. +. u. Smith,
Joseph Hill, A.. IS. Reed, George b.
Moore and William Berl. XIV
The question Of municipal reform
was involved in the report of the COM,
mittee to consider the question of in
creasing the revenue of the city with
out increasing the taxes on real estate
This committee comprised John S.
Rossell, Joseph L. Carpenter, Jr., and
M. p. Satterthwaite, and the report
was presented by the first named. 3
After thorough discussion of the
cupyects sdlu tilS COfilnlittee = Wo drO
of the opinion that under the system
of taxation long established in this
State, and which regulates in great
measure the exercise of the taxing
power delegated to the municipality OF
Wilmington, it is, scarcely practicable
to raise any considerable portion of
the amount required to support tho
city government from any other source
than real estate. .
"We have found, in the course of
our investigation, that in many cities
of the other States the taxes on real
estate are proportionately lower by
reason of the collection OF large sums
on other kinds of property and the pay
n,ent into the public treasury of the
charges imposed upon quasi public
corporations; but these advantages
have apparently never been enjoyed by
the people of Wilmington. 1t would
be only just to require the corporations
now using the streets of this city, at
large profit to themselves, to pay
share OF the municipal expenses, but
it Is Fashionable whether. under the
grants made to these corporations, u
tax levied against them commensurate
with the privileges they enjoy could
be collected.
1.-THE problem before the board
would, therefore, seem to be not how
to raise additional revenue dsince that
would only add to the already excessive
burden under which our real estate
owners labor, but rather how, under
existing conditions, some relief can be
secured to them and their burden SO
ligbtened and adjusted as to be less
oppressive and more evenly divided.
No intelligent and observant, citizen
can doubt that the chief hope of our
Taxpayers lies in a more complete and
equitable assessment of. property and
in the more efficient and economical
administration of city affairs. While
this matter is, strictly speaking, not
embraced in the question referred to
your committee, yet it relates SO closely
to the real object of our inquiry and
involves SO much of vital Importance
to our citizens that we deem it perth
nent to suggest its immediate con-
sideration by your board. -
Mr.. Rossell supplemented the read
ing of the report with few remarks
expressive of his own views on the
general question of better city govern
ment. He did not believe there would
be any substantial gain to the tax
payers until the municipality should
be, thoroughly and completely re-
organized. One department might be
somewhat improved Independently of
the other departments, but the adj
vantage resulting from this would in
the end be lost through the extrava-
gance and responsibility of the adj
ministration as n whole. He did not
contend for any, particular scheme Of
local government. He only asked that
such laws be passed regulating the
conduct of the city's affairs as would
give every citizen voice and vote
in all matters relating to the public.
service laws that would hold the
officials answerable to the people, and
require them to exercise the greatest
care and economy. He favored system
that would owe it's existence ano
continuance to the consent of the
governed. He did not think ii neces
sary to remind the members of the
Board of Trade that popular govern
\ ment had not for many years eSisteo
in Wilmington. Some very excellent
A people had enunciated the doctrine
a that in this community few selec1
men at long range from the people were
infinitely better qualified to govern
the people than the people We're K
govern themselves. e
He did not think the solution diff
cult. 1t was plain, practical bushes.
IA problem, requiring nothing more thar
NJ good, hard common sense to solve
Certainly the situation could not b,
Al made worse than il is now. Let com
Az prehensive scheme of local government
/, be devised and put into operation
MA during the next two years. If it shoule
not work better than the present system
4 then it could be abolished by the
M General Assembly at its next session
and the old system re-establshed.
Mr.. Rossell said he believed there
was n preponderatlng public sentimen
ST. in favor of new charter, He onIN
realized within the past few days how
X very near the charter bill submitted tc
4 the last Legislature came to passing il
T. the closing hours of the adjourned SEES
SION, and II thu Information he hac
3S1 receiyed was at'all reliablethe failure
tl,s was not due to want of appreciation O
#& the general demand dor tho measure
but to other causes. He believed thor'
was now a better opportunity than q
any tIne' heretofore to secure 'sucl
remedial legislation as was necessary
i and he suggested that the board taxi
mp the subject In earnest and confer
with Wilmington's representatives il
the General Assembly and with TIL
members of the City Council. Th
speakers remarks were applauded
Mr.. Carpenter, OF the committee
held that there ought to be ney
* assessment; and that through prope
assessment and some other method o
doing city work, reduction in tn
2M tax rate MIGHT he tbnupht bn n,atlp