The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1901-08-17
TAX RATE :
!. y 81 .3.gH II

=. ~. " VI l,.G.I ~ I
Editor Daily Republican:-Dear/
Sir:-I am glad to have the privilege
Of reading your editorial In relation
to the excessive tax rate. I am also
glad to see that you want the light,
turned on "the Sherltf's BILL" You
cannot say too much In relation to
the matter in hand. So far as the
tax rate is concerned we can honest.
ly say that 1t is out of sight In pro.
portion to the amount OF improve.
ments public) we are receiving.
Tax payers 10y this mean tenants
as we'll as house owners) should not
allow themselves to be lulled Into
lethargy when they hear the ardent
adv ocate Of q high tax rate say:
"What does few cents on the hun.
dred amount tot" They should be
ever on the alert to guard against
this evil, an evil that IL an insidions
toe to prog ress. OF course Tam View.
ing the matter from the standpoint
that would have Viewed it before
l became a Single Taxer. for the sim.
pie reason II cannot get all l want,
l am willing to take all | can get,
aud, while l hold, that the Legisls.
ture, nor yet the City Council, las
the moral right to take one cent Of
my earnings, even in the fosm of tax
es, know the majority WI II 1t to be
SO, for this reason, only acqulese.
But, however, l dqI think that
oven the majoritV lld have the
right to sanction u robbery of the
individual by I Ddbic body; especial.
ly when the money SO collected is to
he squandered.
| "pay rent and in doing SO pay
the taxes Of the property l dwell Id.
Not only the real estate tax and va.
ter rent but Insurance as well t0get tn.
err with decent perce ntage on the
money invested. This my landlord
will admit. But this Is not my only
reason for Directing to a high tai
rate as l will show. =
II an Informed correctly, and I
believe ! am, since 1t was a member
of City Council that advised me, tho
revenue for the fiscal year passed did
not reach $500, 600 and of this less
than $1,000 were obtained from
other sources than the tax on real es.
tate. This Is scandalous!
The fact Is the whole system Of
taxation Is poorly contrived. In pro.
portion to its taxable value, Whining
ton should derive revenue Of at
least 5000, 900 at a tax rate of $3.50
on the hundred. This can be clearly
shown and would show it here IL n
were not that do not WISH inl
trude on your space Such
the case it Is downright shame thai
the tax payers of this city will allow
themselves to be mulcted. | insist
"the reserve can be increased and tho
tax rate reduced" then. as you say
(editoriaily) more houses will be builb
and consequently rents reduced.
Moreover, should jtu.c who have IT.:
destiny Of the city in their hands
feel SO inclined, the expenditure
could be reduced materially. l say,
with you, there is no need Of four
extra assessors; this expense Is un.
necessary and uni just; 1t not only i'm
poses a burden on the public but 10
entirely removes from those who are
paid for doing 1t, the work Of ''re.as-
sessing.'
l do not write this In spirit OF
partisanism, | have been informed
that the assessor Of the Northern
Dis trct has already began the task
Of making a new assessment; from
this l would ask the question "Can
thc assessor of the Southern District
say that be is doing likewise?' II
so we can afford to let them 90 ahead
without assistants with the hope
that they viii 'get through" some
time within the next two years.
Men may differ over National OK
State issues, bot why should men
stand "hide- bound' to any party
when the welfare of the munlclpali-
ty is at stake. lnstancing this I
would say: "The little borough Of.
Rocky Hill, Monmouth County, n,
j., presents d model. l had the
pleasure of campaigning there and
saw the plan worked. At national
or state election the citizens of that
Borough divide on party issues; yet,
when a municipal election rolls
around they demand the Democratic
and Repu blican candidates to come
before them while In mass meeting
assembled and pledge themselves t5
certain reforms; should any, or all
refuse to pledge themselves Oft goes a
"ctizen' 8 ticket and those who are
Democrats or Republicans otherwise,
set to and elect the Independent
ticket, it often being the case that
1t contains the names of some Demo.
Gratis and Republicans who have
pledged themselves.
The politicians Of any community
will give their their constituents any
thing they want, if they only ask
for 1t In the right way. And here I
would say, any man who thinks him.
self too honorable" to be pledged is
only seeking to hide behind tlimsy
veil, this you can look through lfyou
will only try voter Why, ! would
ask should such a candidate be en-.
abled to say "The Office sought me. "
Let men know that they must seek
the office, also that they must DO
willing to pledge themselves to car
~ out certain reforms or otherwise
YOU will defeat them on election day.
Let this be the cry from now until
noxt city election, "a lower tax
rate and economical expenditures.