Evening journal., 1907-04-01
Monday. April /, 1907.
srArE - COMMISSION.


r. HIS appointment of 7. Allen Hilles' OF
ID this city, Henry Ridgely Of Dover, and the
Hon Philip l.. Cannon OF .Bridgevie, to COM
plete the commission that is to consider the re-
vision Of the taxation system of the State, Gov
ernor Lea has strengthened that body
The appointees of the Governor will add con-
fdence aid respect to the commission, and save
it from being regarded with Indifference by the
public The legislative end of the commission
does not impress the public but the Governors
selection will prevent this most important body
from being considered as more or less farcical
The Senate end Of the commission needs no
comment The records Of Senators Conner,
Sparks and Rose are well known. The people
are aware Of what they stand for and what their
views on the question OF general taxation will
probably be. The House part of the committee
comprises two members from this city and one
from Sussex county Speaker Hodgson, in fair
ness. should have given Kent county one of the
House members. The record of MIR. Newton does
not promise that he will be of great service 70 the
commission. Representative Conwell one OF the
most intelligent members of the House should
have been appointed ON that commission, as no
one at the sessions at Dover was better equipped
for such duties than this Kent county member
The appointees Of the Governor are we'll
known throughout the State Mr. Iles is an
admirable selection. lie may be expected to look
after the interests of the Wilmington manufac-
turers and at the same time his services and gem
era knowledge will be Of great benefit to the
commission. It was highly important that our
manufacturers should have potent voice in the
and usually uncomplaning taxpayers They
know full well that any injustice in taxation
methods, any avoidance by the public service cor
porations OF a payment of fair share Of taxes
results in a heavier taxation of the property OF
the manufacturing concerns as we'll OF the
house owners and holders OF other real estate.
Mr. Ridgely is one OF the abest lawyers of the
State a learned man, who has. so far as we know,
no corporation affiliations that would give him a
corporation bias in the discharge Of his duties.
He will sit in the, commission not as paid agent
OF corporations that are trying to avoid taxation
He will be the only lawyer member OF the COM
mission and therefore. bis place viii be one OF
much influence.
Mr. Cannon is one OF the best equipped men in
the State He Sled the position of Lieutenant
Governor with much ability and dignity. While
he is a Gamer himself he is in close touch with
the farming interests. and should he not be use
ful and just compssoner he win belle his record,
There is. however a criticism of the compost
ton Of the commission. The farming interests
Of the State and the granger element have been
practically ignored They are not really repre-
serted in the legislative end of it. and the Gov
ernor perhaps overlooked the fact that the gran-
gers. or. at least, the distinctivey farming Gle
ment should have been we'll represented on the
commission. Outside Of Wilmington, Delaware
is an agricultural community The farmers are
heavy taxpayers. They should have adequate
representation on such an important body as that
Of the commission which is confronted by one OF
the most difficult problems of government
that of taxation.
The farmers, the State grangers and the sub
ordinate oranges, will not, however keep in tn,
background during the discussion Of new taxation
laws.
The laboring class Of the community, who ar
heavy. though often indirect taxpayers, are als
not directly represented, although Nlr, Parade
will be accredited to them.
The commission is not we'll balanced but it ha
enough strong men on it to make the effort to Sc
cure just and fair plan of State taxation wortl
while
The brewery workers of St. Louis are on
strike Tor higher wages. Judging from the enor
nous profits made by these great concerns, i
would seem that they ought to meet the demand