Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-10-11
fssuiae'0s fVsn,ns saturday, 6Ssis 1925
MONDAY, OCTOBER IL, 1920.
Rpsiness Administration Needed.

BuSlueSS Administrator INesdtu-
The expenses Of State administration IN
Delaware now amount to about s., OOo,ooo
wear. very large sum for 80 small a
state. And. aside from the revenue re-
ceived from the very doubtful source OF
charter fees and franchise taxes, the large
bulk Of the State tax irnpositions required
for meeting the cost of administration
and they are insufficient for this purpose
according 20 statistics gathered by Federal
arrnts-,s raid by the citizens CT VIII
mngtou. Oar city has mainly supported
the State government for many years, but
the trend of recent times has been 90 add
and add "a the unjust burden, until at
l,.t IL has become unbearable and the
pcople arc beginning 10 protest IN
exrnest.
The coet Of administration in the county
Of New Castle and the city Of Wilmington
also has increased materially duringreoent
wears. and how the taxes have mounted our
PEOPLE are painfully aware. But they taii
10 soc any practical results. In respect oil
both administrations there rs a continual
complaint Of not enough money to meet
demands for public work, and the condi-
t,nns of streets and roads and of public
schools and other agencies are most de-
piorable.
Look AT the roads around Wilmington
that are under county supervision and con-
trol Are they good roads? They are not.
Vet the people of New Castle county
meaning mostly the people of Wilmington,
for Wilmington mainly supports the ooun-
" as well as the State administration
have PAID money enough in taxes to have
all our roads IN first-class condition. Look
at tho serious interference 10 traffic result
ing from the construction of the new
bridge across the Brandywinc. Yet the
Levy Court had ample time 10 make all
necessary arrangements for good com
munication. but failed.
Look at the streets Of Wilmington
are they anyw here near what they should
he' They are not
Look al our public schools. Nearly all of
them backward in some respect or other.
- miscrahly miSmanagcd that the fall re-
opening this year had TO be delayed. And
one school now tOrmented by most sur
prising wranele, due to the action OF the
superintendent in suspendine teacher
for ahsenting herself for q day in order to
attend partisan political conference.
Think Of school teachers taking hand in
political work And worse than all else,
many Of our school buildings not only in
poor physical condition, but actually con-
uemned as FIRE traps,
Now let the people, after considering
these results, look st the taxes they have to
pay 20 State, county and city. Look at the
inquisitive and annoying State income
tax, which could be safely dispensed with
by an exercise Of economy under prac-
teal business agencies.
Note how county taxes have been piled
up. with increased assessments and higher
rates. And see the aggravating results.
And city taxes, also. Assessments at top
notch, and the tax rate so high that City
Council dared not give it further boost
for this year. But that did not save the
people. Oh, no, City Council went to
Dover and secured authority from a com
piacent Legislature TO impose an 'oecupa-
tional tax" upon our business men and
women. This Is practically duplication |
Of the tax imposed by the State upon our
patient and long-suffering people.
IL is well known under what auspices
this costly and grossly inefficient condition
1 administration III Delaware was allowed
90 prevail 10 such glaring extent. The
responsible agencies are now appealing to
the voters for an extended lease Of power /
VIII the people, in view Of these condi- |
tions, revealing such q startling condition |
of maladministration, extend such an n
dorsement? Or will they vote for a change? |
surely, even the regulation consequences
u resortIng 70 new broom should af-
ford such a prospect Of temporary relief
that il will be gladly availed Of And a
new broom relief at this time might
prove much more than temporary.