Evening journal., 1906-09-15


the interests OF the trolley companies for instance
and who will deliberately vote against measures
designed TO increase the revenues OF the city? We
had such men in the last Legislature and we
shall certainly have them again unless the
dinary citizen and taxpayer arouses from his
lethargy and decides TO defeat at the nomination
plant tools OF these corporations.
The Pennsylvania Railroad Company, ever,
will have sharp eye upon the Legislature II IS
in politics for its pocket 1t doesn't want men
who will make fair assessment OF the property
of the company in this city. 1t would not want
those who might inquire into its preposterons de-
fence that its forty thousand dollars year should
so in lieu of all other taxation. No one but an
economic inibecile for a moment would pretend
that such a method OF taxation should stand,
that the company should pay no more taxes than
II did thirty or forty years ago. The Democratic
assessor that assessed the property OF the COM
pany in this city at higher rate than the COM
pany liked, was defeated for denomination.
A tremendous fight is being waged upon the
Republican assessor who assessed the property OF
the company in his district He will be defeated
it is possible to do so. Some people declare
that the railroad company does not interest itself
in these matters. But there are many examples
Of how men who have done things that the coni-
pany did not relish have been defeated for po-
ltical Office These are simply three different
branches of corporate interests that are anxious
TO see themselves protected by the Legislature.
Their are others, but not so important. A Leg
! islature composed Of representatives OF these
three interests (and how nicely they are all work.
ing together) would protect the corporations
from any interference whatever.
And what is interference? IL is simply a de-
sire that the companies shall pay taxes according
to their wealth as other people have to do. The
man who owns a small house has to pay taxes
based upon the wealth that is represented in those
houses. DO the public service ones do the same?
| OF course they do not. They are not built that
way. So long as the people are willing to per
NIT them TO control members OF the Legislature,
just so long will our methods Of levyiug and col
lecting taxes be mockery and jest.
These interests are scheming to fasten upon
! the State of Delaware bureaucratic and tyran-
nical ring They win goven with an iron hand
And once that ring is established it will be hard
TO break its shaclSles
The Republican party to-day is without boss.
but the nets are being spread for boss that is to
I appear in the shape OF a ring corporate influence
that limits its operations not to single party
but spreads its tentaces into both parties When
the Legislature meets at Dover it will be found
that when measures referring to the three infu4
ences that we have mentionc~ are concerned,
there will be no Democrats and no Republicans,
simply corporation tools and those who are OPP
posed TO corporation influences
We have tried to be conservative in discussing
these dangers but we have t,aiutcd the Dictnre in
dim colors. Any man who knows the slightest
of Delaware politics knows that we have but
mildly stated the truth.
The truth of these matters does not often ap-
pear in public because the selfish influences are
strong in their ramihcatons, and one OF the prin-
cipa things they fight shy of is the daylight OF
publicity. They prefer darkness to light be-
cause their ways are evil.