Waterbury evening Democrat., 1904-11-22
THEY GRIN AND BEAR IT
laea Who Can Bring Absut Equitable
 Azsussasns of Taxes.

The inequality of the rate of taxa ton in Waterbury is apparent to ev. erybody, but because 1t Is the work or good republicans those who are in q position to bring about such changes as would make it equitable prefer to suffer rather than run counter with the powers that be. It Is like the tar if. Some of the best citizens in the community admit that the tariff as maintained by the republican party { works a great hardship to the masses, still it is a party measure and they dare not pronounce against 1t. 2 Not long ago Commissioner Goss of the board of public works said that the rate of taxation in the outside dis trict with reference to the water ques- tion was due to an oversight when the act of consolidation was passed and that he supposed 1t would be rectitied. It is not likely that there was any mis- take about 1t, else the thing would have been straightened out long ago, and the fact that it has gone on with out protest shows how tamely people submit to imposition and how folks who profit by such tactics stand ready to defend them. A man who would nor cheat his neighbor out of five cents ill a lifetime will rush to the defense of q law that gives him an advantage over others, and people who would go into the courts over a few dollars or ten turn deaf ear to a system of tax ation which compels them not only to pay for what they get themselves, but also come down handsomely for their neighbors, and so 1t goes. There is . lot of talk about new laws for Water bury, but not a whimper concerning matters that pertain@to the we'll being of the whole people, the end in view, 1t would appear, being to secure per manent positions for few regardless of how such course affects those who are to pay them. Why should one part of the town be taxed for water and teachers salaries for another dis trict, and what justice is there in charging citizens nine per cent on mon- ey when the city can borrow for three and a half per cent? If properly arranged the rate of taxation in Wa terbury would not be high compared with what they pay in other COnnecti- cut towns, but the system is so one sided and manifestly unfair that more than half the rate payers are constant Iy finding fault and with good reason, too. Remove the source of discontenr and then nobody except those who don't want to pay their share of the public expense will have anything to say about municipal burdens. A law which confers special favors upon one portion of a community is bound to make trouble and Waterbury is noted for legislation Of this sort. Even Judge Coweil and few other nabobs of the republican party were not able to defend themselves from charge to this effect aimed at them in Hartford not long since by Attorney Ely of New Haven, republican, but yet when his toes were trodden upon he let the cat out of the bag and explained some of the vicious legislation enacted for Wa terbury at Hartford at the instigation of some clever fellows from the Brass City. 1t was hard shot and the only defense offered was a humorous joke from Judge Cowell to the effect that if the New Haven fellows didn't keep quiet Waterbury would dump its sew age onto their oyster beds. The alder men should take hold of these ques- tions instead of allowing small set of men who have axes of their own to grind, to grind out new schemes for their own special benefit and then rep resent to the legislature that public necessity and convenience demand them.