The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1920-07-22
Large Tax Payers of the City Call 1t Un-busi-
ness-like and Un-ecOnomic and De-
mand Bonds for Bridge Cost
FINANCE COMMITTEE INTERVIEWS
Chairman Pabst Spends the Day Getting Views of
Manufacturers and Will Make No Report Until
the People Have Chance to Give Ideas.

A storm of protest is being aroused
against the action of the common
council in it's decision to have the cost
Of the bill levied as a mill tax rather
than provided for by bonds and on
account of this vast difference Of
opinion as to the wisdom Of the move
of the council, it is possible that the
city will make another effort to dis
pose of its bridge bonds and in the
end accept the best offer made to it for
the bonds. While the provisions Of
the bids made by the banks in Chi
cage and other cities were for imme-
dite acceptance it is believed that the
city will be allowed little time. The
Halsey, Stuart and company bid was
held open until four o'clock Tuesday
afternoon when in keeping with the
statement of the representative of the
bank it was withdrawn. Before this
time Chairman Fred Pabst of the
finance committee and his fellow mem
hers of the committee had made an
agreement with the banks which indi-
Gated that funds to finance the build
Of the bridge could be secured on
short time loans made to the city but
late in the afternoon the chairman
again met the bankers and it was
admitted that the prospect was not
so rosy.
Big Tax Payers See Error.
1t is admitted that a number of the
largest tax payers of the city have pro-
tested vigorously against the levy of
tax to pay for the bridge. It was
seen that this spirit was filtering
through the banks and while it is pos
sible that the banks would carry out
the plan and furnish the money needed
from time to time at the suggestion of
the bankers the members of the finance
committee this morning began to hold
series of conferences with men con-
nected with the large interests of the
city-the payers of the bulk of the
taxes-with view of getting their
ideas in the matter. 1t was admitted
that many of these men saw in the
plan of the council a movement
which would increase the tax levy to
such point that it would be the big
gest burden that the city has ever
been called upon to pay.
Hold Plan is Unfair.
During the war;" said one of the
leading manufacturers, ''we tried our
best to pay portion of the big costs
with the understanding that we would
- +bn fat, 81 q
burden as possible. We did not know
how long the war was doing to last
and we wanted to make sure that there
would be available money to finance it.
We met every call made and and met
it without protest. Many of the manu-
>facturers paid high price for being
efficient in meeting the demands OF the
government. But we did all this with
the understanding that after the war
was over there would be some let up
in the taxes. There has been no let
up, but rather the taxes are getting
more burdensome. There isn't mod
ern day manufacturer but needs all
the money he can get for the legiti-
mate uses Of his business. There isn't
one of them that can borrow the
money at a rate as low as it has been
offered to the city. The plan sug-
gested by the city is neither good
business nor good economy. The
money which is to be taken and the
total of it is half million dollars is
worth more to Kenosha financing big
factories than in saving for bridges
and saving small sum in interest"
Banker Ready But Doubtful,
One of the leading bankers of the
city said: "If the city demands this
money it will probably get it, but the
plan that is being followed is one
which will not have the sanction of
men in the banking business. There
is no desire on the part of the bankers
of the city to tell the city of Kenosha
( how it should do business, but the plan
that is being followed is not the one
which is going to bring the best re-
suits in the city. Of course, the men
who will be called upon to pay a large
bulk of the taxes are going to protest
against this large sum of money be-
ing taken away from production. If
they must go out and borrow the
money they will pay for it lot more
than the city would pay for it in
issuing the bonds"
Pabst Would Hear All.
eve are not going to decide on any
report to the council on this matter