Evening journal., 1907-05-13
Queetion 1

QueSuon
The first question, No l. is that of
/ home rule for Wilmington. At pres
ent the city of Wilmington is practi-
caly Governed from Dover This is
not right as no one could be more
competent to govern Wilmington than
| the people of Wilmington.
If anyone wants to make money at
the expense Of the people of Whining
ton he can get legislation for this pur-
/ pose much more easily from the people
who do not care about Wilmington
than he ever could from the people
of Wilmington. Therefore people who
want TO get special laws passed to
make money from the increased OK
/ penses of their fellow citizens naturally
would not favor home rule. The vot-
ing population as a whole. however
are likely 20 vote YES.
ouesticn 2
/ Tho second question. No, .. refers
60 a more business-lil5e and just sys-
TEN Of assessment.
Nothing could he more unbusiness-
like than for the city o. Doe too poor
to properly repair IFS streets and
otherwise properly serve the people
when persons who know how and are
nlildAA tiRU-l Afin fTNfllif AlltiA JUS
share OF taxation by taking advan-
tage of the incomuetency of assessors.
The peonle of New York also Bos-
ton and fcw other large cities have
solved this question by providing a
system by which the taxpayers may
easily check up their assessment and
incompetenecy or dishonesty on the
part of asscsso~s Is easily discovered
!
York law are separate columns for
owner OF property, size Of lot, stories
d high. street number, ward, lot or map
number. value of real estate unim-
= proved. value of real estate with i'm
provomcnts thcrcon)
The present system is particularly
, likely TO work injustice to tho small
home owner and rent payer for il is
very profitable for the large speculator
to SHIFT the cXpehses of the city onto
those who stupidly ply eXorbitaIr
rent and taxes without so much as
stopping to ask why.
= The New York system will not a0-
solutely cure the evil Lut will give
the people a chance to see exactly
what the inequality is. and the first
step I'm overcoming any difficulty Is
). TO understand IT,
Question {
The third question, No. g. proposes
= q combination statemcn! of all receipts
and disbursements of the city from
every source and for every purpose
showing from what sources the CITY
u derievs it's revenue and tor what pur-
~ poses. in what amount and To Whom
- it is paid.
The only statement that is nov
placed I'm general circulation is the
? annual publication by The City Treas
urer i'm the newspapers. This is very
y short and meaningless True the diff
ferent departments have statements in
pamphlet form, but comparatively
few OF these reach the taxpayers
Moreover these relate 10 only one class
of receipts and expenditures and dc
not show whether there is cause foi
the city treasury being fun or empty
If YOU want fun account render.
u ed in thoroughly business-like way
,fl vote Yes
S Question
The fourth question, No. :, has re.
ference to two verv imrartant matter.
connecting with the city tax office.
u First the very uncertain method oi
't securing the fidelity au9 guaranteeinc
d tho fun accounting of 'he tax collec-
'r tors Assessors and Ccliectors) under
their bonds witch Individual sureties
The interests OF the taxpayers are no
properly safoguarde1.
?. Few things are more uncertain thar
O. the bond of a tax collector who doe
% not settle ris accounts except at Ion.
Is intervals and who has given some per
a s0nal frcn1 as surety In these dav.
4 when Fidelity companies stronT an'
answerablc for all their undertakings
,r can be MANAGED TO assure the faith
he fui performance of duty by the ta'
collectors II Is clearly wrong that thl
taxpayers of Wilmington should bl
forced 90 accept as the best and onl'
guarantee tie tax collectors are viii
y ing TO give. the surety oc one OF thci
IN personal friends or nerHaps a relative
l- Second. the present lone delay ol
is the part of the tax collectors in max
s, Ing settlements for moneys placed II
y their hands for collection.
81 Tho law is ample - enable then
TO collect TIE taxes and they Go some