Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1920-08-12
VIGOROUS PROTEST
MADE To COUNCIL
AGAINST DOUbLETA
President Lyon Says City Can
Get Relief by Electing All
State Officials,
REAL ESTATE MEN
MAKE STRONG KIN

MAZE . NOlNS
sI,et tho Democrats and Republicans
of Wilmington get together and eject al
the State officers from the governor down.
and then YOU can get some results, de-
clared George Il. Lyon, president oi Nity
Council. last night, at committee meet
ing of that body. when he was asked II
Council would back local people who re-
fused u pay State taxes, after MT Lyon
had advised this. William Hitchen'
real estate dealer had asked the preSident
of Council if they would be protected IN
doing this. The fact IS. however, that
Council has nothing To do with the en-
forcemcnt of laws. once IL makes them.
This incident capped the climax OF red
hot session of Council nr committee oi
the whole. when consideration was gwen
To- protests 60 the proposed licensing
Real estate representatives were OUT IN
force and were loud in their objection 70
tho proposed $50 fec for the beneht OF the
eitv James J Cohen declared that
$50 50 is already being paid by the real
estate agents to the state. He SAID the
additional fine of $50 was unjust ON the
little fellow" Mr.. Lyon, president oi
Council, said that If the statetee WASH
going To the state there would be no
IL the real estate agents had ever objected
10 the state authorities over the payment
of the State fee
Mr. LYON further advised that the same
effort be used at Dover "and that not
ono cent be paid TO the State treasurer
until some results arc secured. ms was
received with much applause The presi-
dent of Council also brought up the fact
that certain real estate agents bad at the
las, session Of the Legislature attemptedto
secure the passage OF bill placing 5000
license on real estate agents. while Council
NJ the same time was trying to get au-
shority from the Legislature TO place
license fees for the use of the city.
l.. 8. Hickman real estate dealer, said
this was a mistake, TO which Mr.. Lyon
added that some Of the men who repre-
scnted real estate men were also mis-
takes
s Frank Ewart, 1907 Tatnall street,
said that young men should be encouraged
and reminded his hearers that all wealthy
real estate agents once started poor.
The proposed fee, he said, would be a
hardship on some dealers.
SOME DO NOT OBJECT.
One feature Of the session was that
several classifications affected asked for an
increase of the fec. John ID. Thompson,
.Ir. an architect, said he did not have the
slightest objection TO the proposed meas
ure, but suggested the safeguarding of the
public by making architects take an
examination to determine their fitness.
He said make the fee up TO Sl50' and he
would not object but make it strong
enough TO have only reliable architects.
He advised that no building permit be
issued unless the plans were made by a
license architect or engineer.
T. s. Wilson, representing the Whining
ton Steam boat Co, objected to the $50
fee on each boat, saving that the COM
pany's seven boats means $3.50 in fees,
which he considered too much, He said
that the steamboats, were the only trans
portation means included in the measure
and that he felt that they were being
singled out. Mr.. Forwood, chairman of
tho finance committee, of Council said
that other lines would be included later on,
but that no fee could be placed on the
railroads.
Councilman Mearns said that in Florida,
where one of ;he boats of the company
operated during the past winter, a fee of
500 per boat was charged.
Charles III. Brown, q leweler, urged
prorata tax and also objected TO any
but jewelry stores selling jewelry
II. J. Chippey, representing the Advo-
cate a Negro newspaper, objected to the
$50 fee, declaring that he did not see why
he should pay as much as a daily paper
when his paper was issued but once week.
Marshall b Tindall said that the fee
on master builders should be at least 500
and that examinations should be required
before the issuance of license. He urged
this as matter of public safety.
Abram Saver, of Sayer Bros, said a S25
license fee was not enough. and that it
should be at least S1O0 When asked how
this affected the little fellow" Saver
replied 'the little fellow is in the way
anyway" The president of council con-
graduated Sayer on his honesty.
BLANKET TAX.
One point on which there has been much
misunderstanding was that a mans
principal business would be the business
taxed and not the various lines sold by
him This will be of much interest to the
small grocers and variety stores about the
city who were becoming alarmed at the
prospect of having to pay large license
on everything they sold.
Councilman Forwood explained to the
large crowd in attendance that the plan of
Council was not to drive anyone out of
business, but that the intention was to
| encourage business.
Announcement was made that another
j lis, of businesses would be out in a short
time. The proposed ordinance discussed
last night will not he acted upon this week
but as il is desired to carefully consider
all the objections, it will likely become
city ordinance next week.
Following the meeting Mr. Forwood
said that he was much pleased with the
showing OF the people of the city and was
glad to find so little objection and so