Five Mile Beach weekly journal., 1918-11-01

MI. Ryan manifested considerable
Irritation at that meeting. because Of
Mrs. Cooper's plea, and said that the
$40 paid by Mrs. Cooper in July, 1917,
Represented a fine and no a license fee.
He thought she had been fined $40 be-
cause she had refused to pay the $40
mercantile tax assessed against her.
Mr.. Ryan then made a motion for the
issuance of another warrant for Mrs.
Cooper if she did not pay her $3.50
mercantile tax for 1918, before Thurs
day, October oath. When Mrs. Cooper
read about this threatened action in
last weeks JOURNAL, she fastened to
pay the $3.50 tax to avoid further an
noyance.
Puzzled over Commissioner Ryan's
statement last week that the sum of
ten dollars paid in July, 1917, was a
fine and not a license fee, Mrs. Cooper
sent her husband to the Wildwood
city hall last Tuesday afternoon to
ascertain definitely, If possible, which
1t was. Upon arriving there, Mr..
Cooper asked for City Clerk Whitesell.
On being told by the assistant city
clerk that Mr.. Whitesell was out at
that time Mr.. Cooper informed the as
sistant that he wished to look over the
city account books to see how Mrs.
Cooper's payment Of ten dollars last
year was recorded. The clerk replied
that she could not let him see the books,
az they were Stocked up" Undis-
mayed by this temporary setback, Mr..
Cooper started out in search OF the
head clerk, going over to Hotel Dorsey
first. This was about 2.30 O'Clock in
the afternoon. Failing to find any trace
of Clerk Whitesell Mr.. Cooper retraced
his steps across the street to city hall.
At this juncture Commissioner Ryan
happened to appear, and upon learn
ing of Mr.. Cooper's quest the finance
official directed Miss Helen Geisenber-
ger to look up the 1917 mercantile Ii
cense book. When this was forth
coming Mrs. Cooper's payment of q
ten dollar license fee was 500 found.
So Mr.. Ryan was wrong in his assump-
ton that that particular sum was a fine
and not a fee.
After the mooted point of tax or fine
was settled, MI. Ryan tried hard by
vociferous and hammer and tongs
methods to convince Cooper that this
mercantile license was a ''blessing in
disguise, y and was a protection to Mrs.
Cooper, by shutting out transient COM
petition. 1t was interesting to note the
expression of blank amazement that
sat on Mr.. Cooper's brow when Nh.
Ryan exclaimed loudly that If it was
not for the mercantile licenses, the tax
rate would be higher now than $8.197,
per every 500 valuation; and Cooper
fairly gasped in establishment when
Ryan declared that ''the taxpayers
were really getting off easy" Mr.. and
Mrs. Cooper, by the way are q xpayers.
as they own the property at 249 east
Cedar avenue. Their tax bill in 1915
was, $138. 81; in 1917, SAT. IS; and will
be this year, $I63 .05, reckoned on their
total valuation of S., 100 and at the new
rate of So. 1877. The tax rate in 1916 was
So. IL; and last year it was $2.S97. With
this beautiful ascending series In his
mind, it did actually seem like "cold
comfort" to Samuel Cooper when Mr..
Ryan proclaimed that the taxpayers Of
dear old Wildwood are "getting of
easy" this year with only a $3.197 rate !
What of the next year and the next ?
All! in the springtime of 1880, will be
MI. Taxpayers golden opportunity to
flag the infiationists. Not long since
the mayor told Rev. A. @. Bailey that
the tax rate was way up in a balloon
It must be admitted that this is a pleas
ing and a poetical way of expressing
it. The boast was made in city hall
some months ago that no criticism Of
the present incumbents would avail the
! citizens anything and that the present