The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1909-11-27
LIN REPUBLIC, MEN,
 NOT PROPERTY, RULE
Too Late to Restore Feudal System of Lord and
 Servant
Taxpayer Joseph Sculley
 Declares that Bremen Are Not Getting Justice.

CTS. but remember this only comes like the Proverbial Bird Cage, or they has flown. This Is really the condition
 that is before us now. and it does seem
 wrong that the best department of our Public service should be the victims.
 II It IS not out of order I should like 10 ask this self same Taxpayers Lea gue where they were when the Con-
 solidated Railroad got a present of
 S4OO-OOO for adorning the city with one
 or the most unslghtly things ever
 foisted on an unsuspectirg public: again ask where were these protest ting taxpayers when the same com
 pany q little later grabbed the whole
 oock or water front and we got enough
 so that when a vessel lands one-half
 can be dockeo at the city dock and
 the other half must pay rent to this
 same monopoly? Then again. where
 the Locomooile Co. grabbed what was
 left at Sea Side Park water front:
 again when the permanent pavement
 WIS laid on Main street some years
 was paid for to be permanent bed
 for all time. and now we have to foot
 the Dill over again and not a word is
 said by these taxpayers?
 A short time ago strip of barren land. known as Fairweather's Island,
 was purchased for $10o00. Where were the taxpayers" again ask? {?
 Have these taxpayers also forgotten so |
 rsmodel the City Hall as it would take
 to build a modern institution and it
 will remain still the old block. so small
 that very shortly we must have a new
 one twice the size?
 I could go on indefinitely showing 1 that what said in the beginning the taxpayers wont begin to save un- til the cash Is gone. But there are
 two sides to every story and let us
 be just and above all things honest in what we say and do and without ill will to any one and reason out this question carefully. We have a body
 of men on the Board of Aldermen the best and most representative that we have had in many years. and I have | the utmost confidence in them that
 they will do the right irrespective of either side. Just think. you men. taxpayers and
 others. that this great old earth do i move and it is only natural that we little particles of dust must move al-
 90. but are we going to keep pace with
 the times or are we going backwards, or are we really striving to a higher
 goal? Everything that tends to lower the standard of living degrades and
 burden of the human family whether 1t Is mechanical. social. or political means a higher standard
 Now the firemen are really an un-
 derpaid. overworked lot of men. who | work more hours in one year than any
 other help does in two and one-half years. or some even three. Their wages average about 13c per hour. l any other class averages I5 to IS 2-3c per hour. The firemen must furnish | uniforms. keep spick and span. and at
 all times be ready for inspection. be- | ing on duty twenty-four hours per day. Most all other kinds of laborers can go to work with patched clothing | and overalls. but not a fireman Now some may say there are hundreds Nue1 fre sr NaL l.a r.1o F.F | those who wish to leave and If 1t does
 not suit them let them get through. This is the language of a poltroon. | traggart. a man who is talking to foolish person The reason is D ain For instance. the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad CD. was and is considered | among railroad employees as a slaugh- ter house. and when the president of the road was asked why so many men
 hung around the office day after day. | winter and summer. he said why
 they are awaiting the news Of some poor fellow that Is killed or maimed to take his place"
 Again. while building the tubes un- der the East River where a man had to work in an artificial atmosphere. where he had to go through test for his health before he was accepted and where he could only work two hours day. hundreds died. were made sick. crippled for life. and at most if man
 
 was ruined forever. Yet tens of thou sands stood ready to take their places.
 Right under our very eyes we have seen men time and again blown to known: yet you will find hundreds to take their place.
 Now let us see some of their stock arguments They say it would add 11k false. If this were so every new fire house. every new school house would add more mills to our tax If this were true we would be now paying 2s through spending several hundred thousand dollars on permanent pave ment and will not be called again. True. there will be other improvements and bonds to be cancelled. etc. but I will assure you no extra tax will be in order. When the salaries of those in high office are raised the self styled taxpayers do not swell up and show cost hundreds of dollars are not ever dreamed of by Taxpayers League.
 Now have these taxpayers, call them. but in reality they are only part taxpayers. because thereF is not one among the lot of this league who would be willing to sell his property for what he Is taxed. yet these same men year after year take oath to tax valuation on their houses. land and machinery.
 have often thought as I saw man after man lift his right hand to make oath before his God that the amount he gave was the true value
 "Oh. you hypocritcs.
 If what you do now will be recorded | against you in the hereafter I cer- tainly have more pity for you than | you have for these poor firemen but | when they meet you in the next world. | and they are still flremen. may they | never play the hose on you. but keep | you burning. for you deserve it.
 If every man who owns house. | land. or machinery. store or factory | were to pay full value taxes as they | do in many cities instead of 15 or Is | mills. mills would give us revenue | enough to give our firemen and all | city employees better pay without ask ing. There are 1000 acres of land in one mile k distance from the City | Hall that Is still taxed as unimproved property and lot 40 by 100 could not be purchased for less than S400 to s1,- 900. and yet they are only taxed as I said a mere trifle. Again our city | who call themselves taxpay- CTS. are very liberal with outside cor porations as they were with the new