The daily Republican., 1903-03-30
Wilmington, Del. March 80 1903.
A Bad system Exposed.

of reiterated senSationalism not at
all justified by the facts disclosed.
First and foremost the report shows
what everybody knew, that our mu-
nicipal taxes are assessed and collect
ed under most abominable system.
Any man who assesses and collects
our taxes under the system and re-
mains honest is proof against the
most invidious and powerful temp
tation. But the community knew
as much ten years ago. The report
of the alleged experts discloses many
errors in the books of both collect
ors, but!none that shows intent OF
guilt. OF course no one believes
that either Mr. Lewis or Mr. Sayers
would divert dollar Of publicmon-
ey to his personal use.
The worst thing shown is that as.
sessments are being changed upon
the verbal order Of this or that mem
Der of the Board of Revision. If
there has been any fraud, it will be
found at the door of the Board of
Revision. But the collectors made
a serious mistake when they chang
ed the figures upon their books up
on the say-so of a member of that
board. These expert accountants"
found many erasures and the sub.
stitution of other figures. Erasures
never look honest and they hardly
ever are honest. They are never
tolerated in the public service of
the country. In this case the eras.
ures are due to the system. Even
the books used are primitive and in-
sufficient to pitiful degree.
Assessments must be changed,
b3u proper book would have q
sepur..u ,an 81 ptUuns, nader tas
head of Corrections, or heduc-
tons and Increases for the new
figures, both the amount of the as
sessment and Of the tax. 1t is al
most unthinkable that men of sutti-
cient Calibre to reach the City Tax
office or Council, should be content
with a ledger that compels the eras.
ure of figures in order that others,
entirely correct and honest, can be
substituted As stated before eras,
ures always look dishonest upon
their face.
The fault for this condition OF
things in the tax Office undoubtedly
rests with Council. That body is
supposed to supervise the levying
and collection of municipal taxes.
That body is responsible for the
Board of Revision, Mr. }. pierpont
Morgan Kane of the Fourth ward
may resent and dispute this. but
most of this trouble goes back to
him and ls due to his well known
ignorance and iucapatity. lie is the
''fnanCler' Of this Council and the
public looked to him III his preten-
siOns for correct accounting The
taxpayers now know that he and
probably other members OF the
Board Of Revision conducted this
important business by word Of
mouth, perhaps 10y telephone, tell
ing tins or that HS-nsS,l' 10 reduce
the amount Of John Smiths proper.
ty by so and 50 much or to increase
Samuel Brown property BY soaud
SO much. Aud Ii appears that the as.
sesspr- OlrycI y system that per
mlts such mcth0d, is IutaIerabIe.
Mr. Savers nIaJa Reductions upon
these verbal orders t. the eXtruord- |
mary amUuut .. $642, $40, Or about |
per cent of lis total ussessn"ut |
Two powerful aud wealthy corvo.
ratlOns were each rcMttel moro |
than S., uuO III taxes. Such a result !
Is mOnStrUUs.
w" -" informed that the leason
e.. je go - the publication Of this
report was that the Citizens As5o. |
citation wac seeking to have some
public body like Council the Lagis-
lature or the Grand Jury assume
the responsibility OF its publication
Obviously none Oi these bodies wish.
ed to take up the trouble and OK.
pense OF putting the report out and
thus forced ii body Of private citi-
zenS to bear the expense of 1t.
We are not surprised that Coun-
ell should have refused to publish it
for it is a record of its own shame
and incapacity. There were terhni.
cal reasons why the Grand jury
could not do it; but the repVrt
should have been taken up by the
General Assembly. We are us,
founded that the Citizens AssOcia.
tion was not able, having these
facts, to induce the Legislature to
take up the whole question Of col