Milford chronicle., 1931-07-03
[COntinued from First Pagrl

sioners have redeemed $7,0S5,000 o.
State bonds, or slightly more thar
rs per cent of all highway bonds is
sued by the State, and thoughtful
citizens are practically unanimous IL
applauding this action. This achieve
ment of the governor and sinking
fund commissioners is unparallele
in any other state in the Union
The savings to the highway funC
in interest and sinking fund charges
through the retirement of bonds al
ready cancelled, will average in ac-
tual cash nearly $5OO,OO0 annually
for approximately 40 years, or an
aggregate saving in that time OF
$19,870,O00.
The foreword to the brochure was
written by Charles Warner, presi-
dent of the league.
"a greater Delaware is the thing
desired by every citizen of the State
with an enlightened self-interest, u
reads the foreward, "Greater Della
ware means a better place in which
to live, to rear our families, to earn
our livelihood, to find education, cul-
ture, recreation, and the satisfac-
tions of life.
Government is a vital influence
for or against greater Delaware.
1t provides protection to persons and
property; supplies schools, colleges,
and libraries for the education of
its citizens; guards the public
health; builds and maintains our
highways; develops and conserves
our agriculture and other natural
resources; maintains institutions
and agencies for the care of the de-
fective, delinquent, and dependent;
and in great many ways provides
for the security and welfare of us
all. These numerous influences on
the daily life of every. citizen run
through our various divisions of
State and local government. .-
whether the functions of gov
ernment are performed economically
or extraVagantly is important to ev-
eryOne-for everyone who. spends
money pays taxes, directly or indi-
rectly, for the support Of the govern
ment. Whether they are performed
efficiently or poorly is even more
important, for the quality Of service
rendered by government must make
life easier or harder for. everyone
from the most exalted to the hum
blest. ......
SIN ;government-as in private
business, or in any human endeaYor
there is tendency to develop
customs and practices which while
good in the beginning in time be-
come inadequate or too costly. 1t is
nobody's fault in particular; it
comes about naturally. In business
and other private affairs, competi-
tion and self-interest provide an in
centive to counteract this tendency,
to examine and re-exanline the suf-
f1cieney of things as they are,.: to
watch keenly what others in similar
enterprises are doing, and to search
constantly for improved methods
and better results. In government
this incentive is largely lacking, and
under most circumstances only in
adequate methods exist for keeping
abreast of the best practices deVel-
oped in other states and for studying
the applicability of these practices
to our local conditions. This fact
operates to keep government below
the standard of maximum economy
and service to citizens.
"The Taxpayers Research League
of Delaware is an organization of
concern to every citizen of the State,
because it works in an irnpersonal,
non-political, scientific, and educa-
tional way to assist officials and citi-
zens in improving the operations of
our government, while keeping the
cost at the lowest point consistent
with adequate service. The thought
full reader of the following pages
will readily see the direct bearing OF
the work of this organization on the
well-being of the citizens of the
State. ~
what follows in these pages is
divided into two parts: ~ a review
of the Leagues past activities, and
~ a general statement of its pro-
gram for the immediate future. This
review is presented by the Board Of
Trustees of the league with the con-
fidence that what has been accom-
plished fully justifles the adequate
future support of the organization.
1.-THE legitimate need for the
leagues work is not temporary
thing. Research is an essential tool
of progress, and must be continuous
ly employed as long as progress is
to be made. Only if and when the
operations of government are per-
fected and final-when new prob.
lens cease to arise-when everyone
is satisfied that there is neither
chance of improvement nor possi-
bility of deterioration-can the need
for research in government diminish.
The outline of the future program
Of the league, to be found in the
following pages, is evidence that
that time is not at hand.
"The Taxpayers Research League
has a very specific and highly spe-
cialized object; but while its efforts
are concentrated on cooperative eff
fort with public officials and public
spirited citizens for improved eff
cheney and economy in government
we regard our work only as means
toward the ultimate end of a greater
Delaware"
The body of the, brochure is head
ed "a Contribution to a GreaGsr
Delaware The contents under vari-.;
Gus sub-titles, follow:
ION Monday, January 8, 1927, the b,
TavnavarcS Racaaroh aaoI1a Of nn1-