The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1903-09-24
mun,c,pa, ownersh,p OF pub,,e U,,li,,.

Municipal Ownership OF fubiac Uftitttos
10 the Editor of the Journal and Courier:
Will you not generously permit me to
reply to the numerous misrepresenta-
tions and misstatements of the Rev. Mr..
Irvine in your issue of September 20 in
reply to mine in your issue of September
10. The first misstatement that l call
attention to Is his opening one in regard
to the use of the words seriously con-
sidered." I claim that no one reading
my statement and then reading his
would find the least similarity In the
two, and therefore it is unjust, unfair
and unworthy any person, especially a
clergyman.
Let lis in this apply to him his own
statement that a person should know
something Of that which he writes
about" His ignorance of what my state
ment was shows not only gross and cul-
pable ignorance, but determined malic-
iousness alsos as he must have had my
article before him. which makes it en-
tirely inexcusable. Another misstate-
ment / desire to call attention to is
that statement of mine he claims to
be half truth in the next sentence he
claims 1t to be a whole untruth; per-
haps this should be called an Hibern-
icism instead of a misstatement.
AS to my identity. l will say l was
town born and have lived here all my
lie time. which is more than he can
say. Mr.. Irvine states that much to his
establishment l do not pay nickel of
taxes. Now / cannot claim that for
him. but do find in confirmation of my
suspicion that he is not mentioned in
the tax list also. am self and family
supporting, as well as he, and have a
calling although not professional gen.
tleman. as he is. Perhaps neither of
us can claim a college degree. Mr.. Ir-
vine is right. am not a taxpayer. Hav-
ing served five years in the military, it
exempts me from the military tax and
having unfortunately lost my property
in the hard times of the early nineties
(after many years of prosperity pay
no property tax. Although l consider
there is a balance to my credit from
over-taxatton, in my case for years, I
returned my entire property for taxa
ton. whereas many paid on but from
Is per cent. to 66 2-3 per cent. of theirs,
but in the wisdom of the then board of
assessors they increased it and would
make no allowance for losses and
shrinkaGes which swore to, but my
business failure later on showed who
was right. My wife is taxpayer on in
herited wealth, but owns no gas stock,
and it is her interests in particular, as
well as the public good, 1 am striving
for. IT is not a sin to be poor; under
the above stated conditions it would be
sin to be wealthy, for it would have
been at the expense of my creditors.
Every dollar that / had in the world
was lost before anyone suffered loss
by me- Those who lost by me do not
ness. nor can they. NV purpose was
right. but could not control circum-
stances. Il harrows up my feelings to
have this referred to publicly, as it is
the great grief of my life that anyone
should have lost anything by me- But
a failure OF a business man does not
commence with that of Christian min
lister. as the latter. as in his case. in
wolves the welfare OF a church of
Christ. Shame and woe to the minister
who divides or weakens one.
AS Mr.. Irvine published the letter
from Mr.. Bennett after he was dead,
and referred to it after he was dead, /
do not see how his position in the mat
ter is any different from mine. ! cee-