Evening journal., 1913-12-18
AN OPEN LETTER TO THE
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE


a new charter. but in behalf OF the peo-
pie | beg 10 enter plea
First we know that the paving OF
Delaware avenue cost Sla7 per square
yard. and thai ~ six months IL was a
veritable corduroy n dry weather. and
upon q rainy day it was chain OF
pools We know tina; French street cost
500 per square yard and that in Tren-
ton puvemcnts are. being laid from eX-
civation to surface finish for 81 26 We
know that under present conditions
wc do not want further power conveyed
10 officials until way is provided for
economical ana efficient administration.
We know that Senator Reinhardt. IN OPP
posing tho noremcnt Tor new charter
and u substituting for IL special laws
To- give unlimited power to street COM
missioners. does not represent the peo-
pie
Second. 1 would suggest Nays ulong
which. II The Chamber of Commerce VIII
proceed. immense good will come to our
city. ! would not erticise what the
Chamber of Commerce hus done. Adver-
tising and local help are good. but in the
iinal analysis the question will be asked,
economic status oil The city
We're / cartoonist. | might represent
conditions by doublespring beaitrap
with great teeth and baited with the
collar. On one OF the springs would be-
written. "The interests and ON the
other "Contiactor-.' On one OF the
jaws would be Inscribed. "Rising Taxes, %
and on the other. increasing Bonded
Debt" Until these conditions are re-
moved the Chamber of Commerce is as
man IN vain trying to cover the trap
with dry leaves ina March wind
do not say this with any spirit OF
ridicule ar OF fault-Anding or of dis
conraecmcut. The spirit OF the Chamber
les gratifying. But ! say this because it
is the truth, and as "a preface TO what
nave to suggest. Why 90 everything
but the right thing We must get at the
root of the matter. 1t il OF no use to
cover the disease with courtplaster. and
drive it In. We should operate for per
mancnt cure. How can tins be done.
For the present the answer is plain
and clear. We need an automatic
system of collecting taxes, like Chi
oagO. New York, and other places.
Your speakers commend the new
yet. though it turn out to
be uniform. il can never be just as
ong as the dishonest man is not made
10 pay mis- taxes. AS it is now, the
honest taxpayer pays the taxes for.
himself and also for the successful
.aN dO0ger and procrastinator. How
ong viii The city allow the present
method OF collecting taxes to exist?
Again, note what far-sighted men
ire doing in other cities west of us
md east of us. Does not every man
n the Chamber of Commerce know
how other cities are rapidly doubling
heir population at the expense of
Idiacent cities that nave not yet
weakened from the sleep OF centuries?
Notice Jersey City. II has adopted
he commission form of government,
md now a movement is on foot to
emove fifty per cent OF .he tax from
improved property. Why2 To draw
o themselves investors. new enter
lrises. and outstrip competing cities.
II man breaks into a store and
steals he is fined a hundred dollars
and sent to jail for a year or so. If
A man puts up "A building costing $40,
10000. we fine him annually S2lS.00O
Gn taxes or improvementsl Why not
add the jail sentence also? Busi-
ness men are seeing the point through
The development OF a higher sense OF
justice. / am not arguing single
tax. ! am not a Single Taxcr. l
am stating a practical business
principle Of the day through the
of which cites are winning
N the race. What shall we do, then?
Shall we wait. and come in at the
end of the procession OF progress?
Break the springs and jaws of the
lear trap now.
The Chamber of Commerce will
render another fundamental and es-
sential service by laying plans for
eiping out the bonded debt of the
,ity Raise the standard Of a Free
'rom-debt city
Another service Indispensable es-
sential to the city's welfare Is the
reduction of the tax rate Small in
vestors are taking their money out
Of real estate and placing it elsewhere
in sums Of $4,000 and $4,000 and
$40 O0V. Stop the small leaks first
Here is another thing that can and
should be done. Jersey City Is plan-
ming TO take in a large environing
territory Under the commission form
OF government. Eve men could easily
administer the affairs of city as
large as our couHty. for FIVE men can
do more in a year than forty can do
IN decade Therefore make the city
with the county. as
Chicago did and do away with an
county machiner. Cannot be done?
Oh, yes. II can Farmers will on
pose Il? Oh, no they viii not. The
farmers viii vote for a permanent "e-
duction of taxes.
When these first essentials are done.
what to do next viii clearly appear
am aware that the above sugges
tions will not please the self-seeker
but let the Chamber OF Commerce ex-
alt everybody's good above anybody's
gein Wilmington ought before this
to have been a city OF 10000. Rigi;
methods applied now VII soon make
il such
Fraternelly yours in the service OF
the city,
GEORGE HENRY DOLE,
Wilmington Del. Dec. is, 1913.