The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-10-26
BUCKINGHAM'S SlKUNG SPEECH
(Continued from First Page,

from
 quantity of money they have spent and not the they have made of that money And their pretense that they have capitalized the of property or that they intend to make equitable adjustment between the home owners and holders of property of other forms Under the grand list of 19O8 which is their grand st because they made total value of all the property in the city set down for taxation is OOO and of this amount 51 5O0OOO the value of houses and land.
 ''These gentlemen who view with satisfaction their work in this line have levied the expense of ming this city that homes and lands bear than fve-eghths of all the charges So successfully have friends equazed taxation that the State Board of Taxation obliged to increase and did increase, the grand list for purposes of state and county taxation by $6,OOO,OOO. Let us pause for the moment and what is meant by so-caed Republican economy in the management of the affairs of city. From 1886, the year the city incorporated to March 31, 1906,
 period of seventy years, reaching the last year of Democratic administration four years ago. the cost of running the city had reached trife than mil lion dollars annually During these four years of Republican administration, the cost of running the city has passed the $1, 100000 mark What adequate and tangible results for this vast increase of outlay Republican friends show?
 s'The four years from 1902 to 1906 the city in Democratic hands The increase the cost of ducting the business of the city approximately $7OO0O for the entire period
 Beginning with the Republican administration four ago, down to the present me the increase the cost of running the business of the city totals the astounding figures of almost half million dollars.
 Gentlemen I leave you to draw your clusions.
 ssIt should be the policy of the Democratic party to raise the ctys revenues justly and expend them wisely.
 ''The attention of people has recently been. attracted through the public spirited enterprise of some of our leading business to the subject of electric lighting Tn our city. 1t appears from facts brought out before the Judiciary committee of the General Assembly at it's last session that the prices charged by the local lighting monopoly excessive, and that in at least one instance offer made of discriminatory rate to one business firm. need not say to you gentlemen that it is unlawful for public service corporation to indulge in such prac- tice It should be the policy of the Democratic party to every lawful to the sale of cleo trcity to public and private at just rates and low consistent with return to the pany of fair profit upon it's actual investment.
 s'Our Republican friends claim the credit for proposed small reduction the cost of electric light ing which has been offered, apparently for the pur pose of suspending investigation now pending. This investigation 1naugurated under resolution offered in the Common Council, by the Democratic leader of that body The proposed reduction, which applies only to the city are lights should not acc cepted before the investigation is concluded then unless it includes decrease the cost of current to all consumers believe that the city should give to- all it's corporations every legitimate assistance to aid them the performance of their proper functions but wherever the law imposes upon any corporation duty to this city to it's people-whether 1t be to supply some commodity at fair price, to bear their jus proportion of the public expense, to lay pavement to furnish sufficient for the proper transporta tion of the peope-that law must be Obeyed.
 ''The indscriminate tearing up of the streets and the inexcusable delay restoring them to good cond ton is abuse calling for immediate remedy. The lack of business foresight evidenced in the spectacle of the principal thoroughfares of the city made almost impossible for months must not be repeated. Bus- ness who have suffered pecniary losses through this state of affairs may justly lay the blame upon the present administration.
 ''I promise you, gentlemen, that if am elected. it shall be my policy to give the city progressive ad ninistration designed furnish the citizens with the greatest possible amount of service at the least poss be cost for good service. thank you for the atten tion which you have given and for the honor which haUa m a victory at the polls November 2nd, which will be equally triumph for the Democratic party for the people of Bridgeport"
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