Newark post., 1921-10-26
PROPERTY OWNERS
LEAGUE FORMED
TAX PROTEST AND GENERAL DISSATISFACTION OF
GOVERNMENT CONDITIONS
WILL ATTEMPT REFORM MOVEMENT in PUBLIC
FINANCE.MAKE APPEAL FOR SUPPORT

With the hope of elimination OF
what they consider unnecessary ex-
penses, the property owners Oh
Brandywine hundred around Clay
mont have organized an association
known as Property Owners League.
Prominent citizens back of the move
ment are John G. Gray, H. b. Safer,
George Lodge, S. B. Brewer, Samuel
Irwin, William j. Strawbridge and +.
r. Vernon.
Their statement follows and by
their request is presented to this
community:
"The exigency of war always neces-
states and stimulates appropriations
of large sums of money and heavy
increase in taxation to meet the ex-
traordinary appropriations. This is
national taxation, and it would seem
the part of prudence and justice to the
taxpayer, in such times, that state,
county and municipal taxation should
be curbed and reduced to the most
reasonable and conservative basis OF
economy, in order not to over-burden
and exhaust the taxpayer OF both
operating capital and credit. But his
tory shows, that in such times, reck-
lessness in making appropriations
and the creation of many new sal
aried officers to administer and dis
pense the funds, operates like an in
fection in every department OF NUM-
cipal, county and state governments,
until, from an economic standpoint,
the aftermath of war is worse than
the war.
"This is our deplorable situation
today.
Tages are Heavy
"The combined results of unusual
and heavy taxes by national and local
governments, have produced a par
alysis of business and condition OF
unemployment that is too serious to
permit of delay in seeking a remedy.
High taxes advanced rents, forced
up the overhead of the store, the fac
tory. the mine, the farm and the rail-
road, and laborers, employees and Of
ficials in general demanded more
wages and salaries to meet the in
creased cost of living, and it was ac-
corded as a matter of necessity.
"All these increased taxes, rents,
tolls, wages and charges are ncces-
sarily added in on the price of every
commodity produced, until today, the
price tag is so high and money so
scarce, that few buy anything they
can do without; factories, in most
cases, are at a standstill, millions of
laborers are idle, there is little COM
merce, the farmer is confronted with
falling and negligible market for
his grain and produce, the taxpayer
is in distress to find funds to meet the
many tax gatherers, many are offer
ing their homes for sale to avoid the
tax, and generally the cry is going up
How shall we find jobs for the job.
less?' Officials, the press and the
public are proclaiming the necessity
of tax reduction.
eve must now prove ourselves
capable and self-governing people.
"We must begin to undo the trouble
at it's source.
"We must start the return to nor
malcy by reducing every possibl
form of taxation, so that the price tat
may lower and the general cost O.
living may be reduced with it; tina
commodities may cheaper to the poin
where people will begin to buy, 81
that the factory and the farm ma.
find demand for their products, tina
labor may find employment in pro
ducing; this is the way to find job
for the jobless; this is the way t.
start up by certain progressive de
grees, the factory and the farm ant
make business for laborer, builder
merchant, banker and transporter.
San official government report put
the loss to unemployed labor at si1
and quarter billions of dollars PEE
year, and leading New York dali!
paper has thoughtfully suggested tina
this is not the whole story, that th'
tools those idle men would otherwis
work with, the materials they woult
use, the power and light they woult
consume, must all go into the accoun
and make the total bill about eigh
billion dollars, or twice the amoun
we are trying to raise annually b!
taxation to liquidate the war debt AM