The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-26
WHAT MIR. WILSON WOULD JAMESTOWN Had He Not Been Denied a Hearing at Meeting to Which All Tax Payers
 Were Ridden.
 Was It Fear of Subsequent Disclosures Which ImpelIed the SiIencing of His Speech by Employment of ManifestIy Unfair Parliamentary Tactics? As a Member of Properly Constituted Municipal Committee He Was Anxious 10 Ascertain if Purpose of New Civic Body Was Hostile to Tax Equalization = Statement Which is Illuminating.

= Statement Which is Illuminating. Editor of the Farmer. Sir Once I stepped into an ant hill and created a terrible comrnotion among the inhabitants. The ant hill was not built on a scheme that permitted the presence of an unexpected foot. The little people that inhabited the hlll were properly annoyed.
 The other evening I went to a meet ing that had been widely advertised as mass meeting" for e.small'' tax payers. went for theApurDose of in But my mission had gone before me. had put my foot into another ant hill and there was another terrible commotion- ( This hill was not built on a scheme that includes tax justice in any form Neither was it construct ed as a mass meeting. nor did the small taxpayer cut very considerable figure in its deliberations
 Under the skin the Co1oners wife and Biddy O'Grady are just the same" |" The sentiment is borrowed from Kip ling It means that human nature is about alike m all of us Those lead discuss the question of tax equaliza- ton in their IT. >ting- Consequently they did whal a bunch of politicians In a ward in Philadelphia would have done under sinil IT circumstances
 Some citizens of light and leading yelled, Put him out.'' meaning me. Men Of wealth and prominence emit ted series of cat calls that must have carried them back to their good, old school days For few minutes the meeting was hybrid between dog fight and a simeon
 And had not introduced a tax equalization measure.
 Ohi Dear no I had merely secured fr,v~ f4a off ffor1 ffr.r, of the chair But it was perfectly well known what was going to do- hat possible objection. could a mass meeting of small tax payers have to tax equalization in Bridge port. some one may ask
 It wasn't a mass meeting of small taxpayers Never before I believe in the history of Bridgeport has so much roof by so~sman number of people.
 think am also warranted in say ing that never before in the history of Bridgeport has so large an amount of the city of Bridgeport and does not been assembled under one roof
 I had in my pocket the evidence that would show to the satisfaction of all most any man that $20, 900 900 in prop erty. that ought to be reached and Is not. was engaged in denying me plain parliamentary right. in the per sons of its representatives who were shouting Put him out"
 T had for instance in my pocket the certified copy Of the report of a con- cern whose representatives were prom inent in the "mass'' meeting This re- port made under oath. in detail. ex-, hibited over $4.Oo0. 900 worth of prop erty taxable in Bridgeport which ac thally is taxed in Bridgeport for about $500. 900.
 had also in my pocket the report of another concern. to it's stockhold- ar fr, rvfr worth of property in Bridgeport This concern is on the list for about $So0.-
 I had also In my pocket the evidence taken before the tax committee. of which am a member. in which 1t ap- pears that -he census value of certain property. made under oath and penalty of imprisonment for perjury. is sub erty appears on the assessors list of 1908 as $14 000, 900. Much of this prop erty was represented in this meeting of -smalf' tax payers
 These gentlemen had advertised far and wide that they desired to give their assistance to city officials to aid the servants of the people in giving wiser and better government
 They had spread 1t broadcast that they desired to encourage the faithful performance of public duty.''
 Now I happen to have had a public duty laid upon me. A disagreeable and
 
 unsought. I received it unwillingiy- It is the duty of a municipal committee, to inquire into the taxation of prop erty in Bridgeport" to the end that "all property may be justly taxed and that "homes and dwellings may be relieved of a portion of the burden which they now unfairly bear"
 This is not my language It is the language of the Common Council. mittee to which I was appointed by Mayor Reynolds.
 I have spent two years on this work I have visited the tax commissioners of two neighboring states have secured information from the most progressive communities of the United States. have done in short an enor- nous amount of labor
 I am convinced that the homes and land of this city bear almost double their fair share of the expense of run ming the city I know that this con- dition could not exist if the laws were enforced. I know that the men who prevent these laws being enforced are practically the same men who cried. Put him out" in Warner Hall.
 I went into that meeting as a man charged by the whole public. with public duty. to seek the aid and as- ssstance of those gentlemen to quietly bring about a better state of things.
 They had advertised We desire to encourage faithful performance of public duty"
 took them at their word
 stood ready to say to them. Gen tlemen. with your cooperation we will justly increase the revenues of this city by from $500, 900 to s500,0 900 a year"
 They answered. Put him out
 Was that encouraging the faithful performances of public duty?
 They had advertised to the world that one of their purposes was to "Se- cure the enactment and enforcement of laws for the economical. intelligent and progTessive management of the affairs of the city government"
 But they were not even willing to listen to a proposition to enforce the tax laws
 As business men they must know that the taxation of homes and lands
 (Continued on Pare 2)