Evening journal., 1907-03-04

side owners to do with people up ths
Brandywine2 And then the idea OF the
city seeking to lord it over the coun-
try roads and private streets one mile
in the country and establish the
grade thereof" BY the way the cit,
is waling and begging for money IL
+ has its hands full without hunting
: trouble so far away from home. Anc
suppose the Levy Court under the road
law says it viii tx the grade Of these
country roads and streets9
BY section 60 (new BID the local
Board Of Health is given power over
"all matters Of health" within the city
or mile outside. Article 10 Of the con-
stitution knocks this out. for the State
Board Of Health Is given supervision
OF AN matters Of health" throughout
the state. And the laws Of 1903. p. 625
gives 40 the state Board powers IN thu
very language of the constitution. II
also gives it supreme power over al
quarantine. VIII the legislators after
this matter is made so plain pass a
law in the teeth Of the constitution
Does the city need a charter so badly
as to make it knowingly in violation
Of the constitution?
Look at the righteousness Of going
outside one milei The city limits now
extend 1900 feet out in the Delaware
river and one mile more will take us
almost to Pennsgrove. Are the legis-
Tators going to open twenty-five years
more Of litigation with New Jersey
just TO give Wilmington a ripper
charter? A little less excitement and
more thought viii give a much safer
charter.
Then I'm clause 10. section 8. is that
same old trouble OF putting amy en-
terprise' In and on the public streets.
We don't want factories built in the
streets that we donate TO the city. nor
elevated railroads and other enter
prises. The Legislature should strike
out enterprise"
BY clause II, section 5, the city can
require anyone in any business to pay
n license. This is dangerous; it should
be modified
Clause 10. section s. is another one
Of these "powerfur provisions. Just
listen what it says; "The city shall
regulate the construction and erection
Of buildings or Structures" OF anS-
kind whatsoever. What is a "struc-
ture?" II may be a bird house. a farm
fence, railroad track. a wagon. a
car, a ship, a marsh sluice or anything
made by the hand Of man. viii the
Legislature grant such power know
ingly?
Owners Of farms or rural lands" in
side the city Will dance If they allow
their lands to be taxed at full rates
under section 81 Of the new draft. No
half rate this trlpl
Now. here comes the tug of war for
the lot owners-no politics in thisl
Read clause 2S, section 5; section "a,
and wind up with the terrible section
10l. These sections provide for special
assessment of particular lots for sew
ers (great or smalD.. paving streets
and for "other improvements imposed
by said city" What are these other
improvements" for which a few own
ers may be required to pay? Why,
between the earth and sky
that the city under this greedy char
ter can do Deep grading. large sew
ers, draw-bridges, trolley tracks, cleo
trio works. great buildings, channel
dredging. wharves, bulkheads along
the Christiana and the Delaware: in
fact everything that can be done un-
der powers whether expressly enum-
GRATED herein or not" may he done by
this insatisbla greed Of special assess
ment
Section 101 is a ripper II these
special taxes are not promptly paid
the lot may be sold by sheriffs execu-
tion, and a deed may be made and the
purchaser by order of the court be put
into possession and the former owner
lose his land entirely. This is a heroic
in a civilized land and un-
der an unconstitutional lawl This
special assessment is beyond an ques,
Iion in violation Of the constitution
II cannot be made uniform on classes.
II is Special and no special tax Of
this nature can be uniform. Local
taxes affect only a few--sone one year,
others next year and some never. 1t is
just like an epidemic-it makes its
choice among those to be infected.
like the special assessment
creates great havoc, but It is never
uniform, some always escape. The
cannot stop an epidemic.
but fortunately it saves the citizen
from partial. unjust and special taxes.
The constitutional convention sat in
other days; it had been well fed, and
was not hungry"
Respectfully
George A. Talley.
Wilmington. March l..