The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1911-12-26

the gradual elimination of injustice that the system under which manu- featuring property is taxed grew ur by a sort of common consent of the leading men of Bridgeport, the rank and file of ordinary citizens lacking knowledge of the facts.
 To impose, within a brief period the entire weight of just tax would perhaps be a greater strain than the manufactures of Bridgeport ought to be required suddenly to adjust them selves to.
 If equalization shall be continued for five years more at the rate oi 5,0O0,O0O annually in increased valuation this property will stand up- on the list for $5O,00O,OOO in 1916, al which time it's census value will be not less than s75,Oo0.0OO.
 It is likely that valuation. of twn- thirds of census value will be approXi- mately just, inasmuch as the latter figures items which it is unnecessary to consider for the purpose of this discussion.
 A contrast is suggested.
 During ths five years of tax equalizatio there has been a mighty agitation for personal tax. The same organs that were most apolo- getic when it was proposed to take q fairer tax from manufacturing prop erty, bore down hard for the collec- ton of the personal tax at $2 per head from the general citizenship. Yet the personal tax-scientifically economically, socially and politically Ia bad tax-would yield not. more than s3S,o00 a year, much of which would be absorbed by the expense of collection-while the tax uncoliected from manufacturing property amount ed to $580.000 annually.
 The same curious attitude prevails even now. While the collection of the personal tax is furiously sought, with threat of warrant, trial and jail, an installment-for it is only that of tax justice from the larger source, is treated as an act of grace. Whether such a situation shows baseness, ignorance or mere thought lessness in those whose duty it is to speak truth to the people, each read CT may determine for himself. At any rate there is cause for con- graduation that the cost of munich pal government in Bridgeport is more |.equitably shared than it has been, and that it will be more equitably shared than it is.
 Homes and lands may never get back the millions which have been larcenously taxed away from them, but the number of millions so taken will be smaller hereafter. If MT. Warmers administration de- sires the maximum of credit along this line let it take hold of tax equalization in earnest, adding $1o.- 600, 900 to the list of 1912 and $10,- 100000 to the list of 1913. Let Mayor Wilson's successor add $5,000,000 to the list of 1914 and the work of edualization will be finished. It only remains then to keep pace with the yearly growth of values. MT. Warner is superbly situated to do this work and do 1t equitably. En- toying the cooperation of the Bridgeport Manufacturers Associa' ton, the results obtained ought to ex' ceed those obtainahle by anybody else.
 With full tax equalization the needs of Bridgeport can be fully met from year to year without issuing bonds
 Thus the one good plank in MT. War ner's policies may be made to neu tralize a bad piank--the one which
 favors bondNg for all permanent i'm provements.
 | Let the slogan be just taxation and no bonds for unproductive enter | prises."