New Britain herald., 1919-03-10
PASTOR COOK IS 25 MILL ADVOCATE
Writes Strong Editorial for
 (. Of (. Newspaper

An editorial written pN f>9F' war ren F. Cook which is of especlal ln- terest at this time has been printed in the "TFardware Centcr' the first issue of the chamber of commerce bulletin which has been taken off the presses. The local pastor writes under the caption "The Tax Problem in Our City," the following state ments:
 The old New England town meet ing was once a place where the rep resentative citizens gathered to de- eide the law of the community. This old form of government is still in operation in some of our communl- ties. In general these meetings, un- til recently, have been very poorly attended. Public interest here has been so slow that at times it has been necessary to ask reporter present, 10 second the motion decid-
 ing the necessary amounts and ap- propriations of the citys money. Such a condition is manifestly not best.
 This year, however. New Britain has returned to form and no one could ask more interest than the 1919 city meetings. The first was not or deriy and in some respects was not a credit to the city, but we must not u- Men were present in that gathering probably in large numbers who would have voted a tax rate too low for the actual life and safety of the city, but at heart many of these same men had a real grievance. They did not know just what it was; they had been misled to think that their griev- ance could be righted simply by vot- ing down the proposed tax rate.
 Now these people constitute vital part of our inhabitants and we are going to hear more rather than less from them. How then shall we meet their demand? How shall we avoid a similar situation to that of that Wednesday night. Some people would absolutely ignore what they call 'the rabble. Their answer would be, Vote the 25 mill tax and any other tax that is necessary and crush the rebellious.' Tn this day of free speech and the new understanding which the people have of their rights and pow CTS, such an attitude would be abso lutely disastrous You cannot crush the spirit of liberty simply by sup pressing it's illegitimate offspring. The peoples grievance must be met fair ly and intelligently.
 Many feel that the tax rate is too high. Based upon tho present grand list it is not too high for this year The actual needs of the city demand the higher rate, but it seems certain that a fair reValuation would give us a considerable increase in the tax able value of city property and it seems equally certain that exl-sndi- lures have been made in the past which. viewed through experience. now show either eXtraVaganCc or sllortsightedness. We charge no will ful extraya gance or bad faith,
 ''The real problem we now face is not the tax rate. A bigger. far more important matter, is to get at the heart of the trouble and right that. Without fear or favor, with every po- litical hope or promise put in the background, it is our public duty as good citizens to fird out just where the trouble lies and right it. If fair ness and justice require a revalua- ton of property which may mean larger taxes for LIS personally, let us unselfishly face it and do our duty by our town and all concerned.
 If it means 8 blow at our political am mbitions let us unselfShly accept it in the interest of good government ! Let us insist upon whatever IS just and fair for all. regardless of per sonaI ambition or cost. Shall we be guilty of a lower standard in our municipal affairs We cannot, and expect to live in harmony, and good will; we cannot and secure the future for our children. There may be com promise on the tax rate but there can ! never be a compromise on the qucs- tion of right and wrong.
 'It would seem only wise, therefore, that some movement by the city's
 most representative body, the cham ber of commerce, he set on foot at once, hacked by all fair minded citi- zens. whereby 8 careful and impar- tial investigation of our city affairs, i in comparison with other cities of our size and character, would give to i us a, solution of this problem so evi- 1 dent and at once so just that no req 1 sonable citizen or group of citizens 1 would care to oppose 1t. Cannot 1 something like this come out of the ! present interest and unrest ?'