The daily morning journal and courier., 1902-01-07
Local Tasa,ion-The Water Question

Locai 'hxaFion-Ihe water Question.
 To the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
 It may we'll be said of this, "It is not ! a theory, but condition that con-
 fronts us." There are two things that
 we cannot avoid death and taxation" Important as each of these are to every one of us, with many people,
 they have but little attention till they
 are confronted with the end of life, or when we have the annual reminders | by the inevitable tax bill. Then the in | nocent tax collector Cor assessor) is
 cursed without stopping to consider | how far the fault lays with those from | whom the curses come. The writer, on whom this burden comes as we'll as others, has for some time been study ing this matter carefully, with view in due time to give his views in a public way, and aside from the order proposed. takes up the water question, because this is now having special at- tention, and must soon be settled one way or the other. I shall now leave out much that may have an indirect
 bearing on the matter (which I may
 refer to at later day), I wish to con slider carefully, and aside from any
 selfish interests, the principles involved.
 One thing encourages me, the general
 interest that is being taken in regard
 to a new contract with the Water com
 pany. The writer would have been a
 the public hearings to express his
 views, if the state of his health would
 have permitted. All honor to those
 who were there, much was said that
 was wise, and some things that were
 not so wise and some plans proposed,
 that were impracticable, but all this is
 better than nothing from those who are
 utterly indifferent to those things
 which pertain to the general welfare.
 As might be expected, there was that
 unselfish unrewarded public servant, Anthony Carroll who sometimes car ries a good thing too far, and another who I am glad to count among my special friends, W. Trueman. I do not agree with him in many of his views and the remedies he proposes for exist ing evils, but I honor him for the time he has given and the money he has spent and his intense zeal for what he | honestly believes is right We all l know how unpopular the late special | eassessment of the property of our c1IY IS, 1lblY lHluhitS liity WClG | wronged thereby, and that great dam | age was made to the interests of our l city If this is so, perhaps after all it | may be worth all it has cost in awak- | ing the taxpayers to what should have had their attention long ago.
 Now, l seriously ask on what grounds | is the New Haven Water company, 1 either legally or morally, in duty bound | to furnish the city water for nothing? The few answers thus far given do not seem to me to fully answer the ques- tion Is it because the company is able to pay large dividends to the stockhold- CTS and can do this, and still have rich returns on their investment? If this is I so suppose that the company, by the | strictest economy, was able to pay only from three to four per cent, should they then, under such conditions, furn-
 sh free water to the city, which might reduce the small income being received? 1 If water free, then we should have gas and electric light free. Perhaps, also, rree trolley rides should be given to 1 every one in any way connected with the city in the way of official position, ]r as labOrcrs for the city. But, it Is said that in the past the city has given away valuable public franchises, and we are suffering for their folly, and it S astonishing how many readily fall nto this error. The city did not give way any valuable franchises, because here was no value to these franchises \ when they were granted. That they iave since become very valuable is mother question. No one at that time ould foresee the changed condition the uture would bring forth. There was the lverage amount of wisdom displayed, according to the light then possessed. f no one could have been found a that inc to introduce water into the city |
 Continued on Fifth Page)