Evening journal., 1911-03-29
COUNTY and
CITY AFFAIRS
John 5. Hamilton Comments
on the Relations Between
the Two
CITY EXPLOITED BY RURAL
REGIsNS, HE DECLARES

Editor OF THE EVENING JOURNAL:
A contributor to your paper. sign
ing himself Ninth Ward" wants to
know If there is any good reason why
the people of Wilmington should pay
for the building of roads in the rural
hundreds while the city's own high
ways are I'm a condition that leaves
very much TO be desired.
Ninth Ward" must have recently
come TO Wilmington when he asks for
reasons. or course there is no good
reason for the conditions that he calls
attention TO- But the writer would
like to ask what has reason or Justice
or equity or fair play or common
decenQy, OF height. or depth. or any
other creature got 10 do with the
treatment Of the city Of Wilmington
by the government Of New Castle
county.
Wilmington pays seventy cents. at
least, Of every dollar that is collected
I'm taxes in this county In return Il
receives back in the way Of expendi-
lures about twenty cents Of this dol
lar During the session Of the Cen
eral Assembly, that has just adjourn
ed, II was deemed necessary TO fake
story and publish It in the news
papers to the effect that a wornout
bridge was actually falling in the
river before bill could be passed
through the Legislature authorizing a
loan to replace a bridge that has heon
worn out for at least ten years. and
as a matter of fact never was much
good.
And let II be horne IN mind that
there is more travel over this bridge
every day in the year than there Is
in fortnight on the entire 100000
worth Of roads that have in the past
few years been built in this county.
and largely paid for by Wilmington.
And even AZ that time the members
Of the Legislature from rural consd-
tuencies had to be assured. # is Under
stood, that the additional loan Of
100000 for Improved Roads" would
he passed before this bridge loan
would be allowed, even If the blamed
old bridge was falling into the Chris
tisna. Talk TO people that would
deliberately loot a community in the
manner like that indicated in the above
about reasoni II Is surely another
quality, not reason, that these people
want TO be talked to about
The writer would not charge the
citizens of the rural hundreds as a
class with being in a conspiracy to
rob the people Of Wilmington He.
/ the writer, feels sure from his knowl-
edge of men that the citizens Of rural
{ New Castle are as good as the aver
age man wherever he may be found.
/ The writer does charge, however. that
a study of the conduct Of the affairs
of New Castle county at this time and
for the past several years will reveal
a condition Of things that after a care
ful analysis will permit of no other
conclusion than that there is de-
! liberate scheme AT work, the effect n
not the intention Of which. is 10 shift
on TO the taxpayers of Wilmington
hundred not only an excessive, hut
an unreasonable and an outrageous
share of the burdens Of taxation.
Appears Like q Serious Charge.
/ This Mr. Editor. appears like a
rather serious charge. but the writer
challenges any one. who feels Inclined
/ 10 doubt IL. 10 deny what has here
been said IF the writer has been
unjust in his remarks, IL is only be-
cause he has appeared to lay all the
blame for the conditions spoken Of
upon the people from the rural por-
tion Of the county. while It would be
only fair to say that much Of the
blame should attach itself TO the mem
hers of the General Assembly and
Levy Court, who have represented the
city Of Wilmington during the years
that this scheme of exploitation has
been perfected.
Neither Is this footing confined 70
loans for Improved Roads" An eX-
animation of the assessment books for
the rural hundreds will reveal a con
diton of affairs that are p disgrace
and cannot he explained on any other