Evening journal., 1912-04-26
Declares Exemption Provision
In Charter Draft is Not
a Joker"
REFERS TO SPECIFIC
EXEMPTIONS new PROVIDED

Editor of THE EVENING JOURNAL.
Sir-ln your issue of the nineteenth
inst, Mr.. Dole i'm writing In regard 10
the proposed city charter stated as
follows: Let me ask "a practical
question: Suppose our river front
TO be owned by a corporation. Sup
pose IL TO have been represented Of
so little value as TO Ae worthy of ex-
cmption form all taxes. Suppose that
corporation wants the city 10 pay
100000 for such marsh lands and
suppose the necessary majority Of
the city officials, under the proposed
charter favored the purchase. and
were determined, for some reason un-
known to the citizens, TO pay $500 900
for lands so worthless as TO be ex-
empt from taxes. How under the pro-
posed charter could the citizens pre-
vent the officials from mortgaging our
homes up to ten per cent of their
value to get the money TO purchase
said land and wator?" This. anyone
may plainly see, is hypothetical
question based on premises of Mr..
Dole's own choosing I'm your issue
OF the twentieth inst. you very kindly
published a reply of mine to this let
ly showed that Mr.. Doles question.
as formulated. was answered COM
plctoly By Section 67 of the proposed
new charter.
In your issue OF the 22nd inst, Mr..
Dole again writes. and in the first par
aeraph of his letter yainly attempts
TO prove that ! have misreprcsentcd
him. ] submit that from the full quo
tation above given that not only was
there no misrepresentation upon my
part, but that Mr.. Dole is now rum
ming away from his own first Ques-
ton lnasmdch as Mr. Dole has
ovinced a plain desire TO refuse to
sustain the statement or hypothetical
question of his first letter. Il would be
useless TO bother your readers with
any furthe~ remarks on that subject
In his letter OF the twcnty-second
inst, Mr. Dole asks this question;
Tell us how. under the proposed
charter. real estate now exempt, can
he taxed?" In the first place, certain
properties held by public, religious
and charitable institutions are exempt
by law and cannot be taxed by the
city authorities. because under the
law they have obtained possession
of these properties uncer power con-
fcrrod by the State TO hold said prop
erty exempt from city taxation. This
grant Of power being in the nature oi
= contract, the property now 50 neld
cannot be taxed. for IL is an elemen-
tary proposition OF law. that neither
the State, nor its instrumentalities, to
wit. municipal corporations. can pass
legislation in violation of contract
So much for the public. religious and
charitable institutions whose proper
ty is now exempt from law There
Is another class OF property exempt
from tax, TO wit. marsh and meadow
lands within &c City Of Wilmington
and Sections 9 and Of Volume y
Laws of Delaware, Chapter LOG, rea'
as follows:
section 3. That all marsh ant
meadow lands within the limits o
the city of Wilmington that are pro
tected from overflow by the tides b.
banks, at the exr of the owner
thereof whereon no houses or build
ings are erected. be and the SAM
are hereby decla.ed TO be cxemp
from all taxes. assessments, BURDEN
or imposiions whatsoever for municl