Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1901-08-15
what WIN one People po About Itq

what Will the People Do About It?
II has been shown that the sheriff OF
New Castle has been paid by the Levy
Court the sum of So, 202. Sc on..accouni
of Migrants committed to the county
Jail.
1t also has been shown that these
warrants for the quarter ended March
. yeast, 1901, numbered 3.404, an average
8 thf more than 80 per day.
~ In the city of Wilmington when
y Migrants apply at the police station fol
"a a nights lodging, they are accom-.
. modated free of cost, and sent away
j, the next morning. When they apply al
the Jail at New Castle, they are vel.
coined most warmly by the mayor and
the sheriff. The former commits theIu
to the jail and charges the county a
fee for each commitment. The sheriff
sxacts u fee of 50 cents for each com.
mitment and also 20 cents Ter day for
the board of the tramps and yagrants
shus committed" to his care.
1t has been clearly shown that there
rs no law for these proceedings, even IL
there is no fraud in their enormous
number. The mayor Of New Castle has
not the right to commit, nor the sheriff
the unrestricted right to receive, mere
dodgers at the Jail and charge the
county fess and board rates for their
keep. The law plainly defines how
needy deserving persons may be lodged
and fed at the Jail.
SO, coming down to the bare fact,
the taxpayers of New Castle county
fnd that fer the first three months Of
the present year they have paid to the
sheriff the sum Of 81, 2O2. 56 on account
!. OF lodging and feeding tramps. The
,hefayor of New Castle has claims on the
kadme account. and the Levy Court
e. ling paid the sheriff, will doubtless
NJ. a constrained to pay the mayor of
" lew Castle also. The claim Of the
mayor may add at least $1,000 to the
item.
Here, then, we have q total of over
%, GOO for lodging and feeding tramps
at the county Jail for the first quarter
OF the present year. Do the taxpayers
OF the county feel that they can afford
such unexampled liberalityY Do they
think ii is proper charity to expend
such a large sum of money for the
accommodation Of men m ost of whom
are too lazy to do days work In re.
turn for this overfiowing generosity
Here is the fact that should imnress
itself upon every Citizen who paws
county taxes and finds it burdeusome
do SO; The Levy Court has paid
over So, 900 for single quarter for the
board and lodging of tramps at the iail.
With the prospect of making the amount
$1,000 unless halt is called. For the
entire year these claims may reach a
total of sl5,000 at the lowest estimate.
just think Of L.! The idea of a com.
munity financially crippled and groan.
ing under burden of heavy taxation.
expanding sl5, 900 In single year for
the board and lodging Of lazy tramps
at the county Jail And this, too, with
no warrant in law for making these
mendioants charge upon the people.
Is 1t any wonder that the county
taxes are highy Is it surprising that
the Levy Court made fiat increase Of
~ Id per cent of last years tax rate
when 1t came to fixing the TAX rate for
the current year;
Farmers Of New Castle county who
lind it difficult to make both ends
meet, even by the sevsrest Labor, think
OF these figures. Property owners who
have been forced by high taxes to
realize that real estate is no loncer n
profitable Investment, give this matter
your serious consideration. House.
owners to whom paying taxes is rraoti.
cally giving away money and whose
every dollar is the product OF hard labor.
look the situation in the face and rs.
solve to act.
unlsss the people speedily adont
measures OF reform their burdens will
increase. Indifference will but en-
courage the pernioious system winch.
without sanction of law, has grown an
insidiously that its present alarming
proportions were attained before pubIic
attention was challenged. Such illegal
payments constitute system of rob.
berry and the law should be invoked To
stay them.
we have shown the situation to the
taxpayers of the county, and it ia for
shem to inauRurate the reform move.
ment- 1t should originate with the
heavy taxpayers and the influential oiti-
zens. for the average citizen who bas
to follow daily labor for his living can.
not snare the time necessary for the
purpose. 1t should emanate from a
public meeting, at which committees
should be selected for prosecuting all
the details of the reform work.
Unless the people whose concern is 40
great give heed to the necessity for re-.
form the evilwill become even oreater
1t is already sufficient to make itself
manifest 10 exorbitant taxation. II
given the encouragement Of continued
public Indifference, taxation that will
be equivalent to coniscation will be
the PORTION Of the people
---A
We hope the trustees OF the Nav
Castle. County Workhouse, no matter
how honest Their intentions, will mt
attar.int N oopv tba ,lo-..