Is The Proposed Tax Of $5,ooo To Boom Ann Arbor Legal, Just, Or Expedient?

If any one of these questions eau bc answered in the negative it ought BOt to bc rsited. Lat us consider tin-m theni sepiiratcly. Is sucha tax legal? It is entirely out8ide of the usual puiposes of taxiition, and if legal must be so by vlrtue of some special act of the lejjisliiture pMtalnlng to our cily or lts charter. One of the most rcliablc and thorough lawyers of the city, lately rcruarked tliat he had exumliieil tliein all, and found 110 warrant tor such a tiix. It hardly needs the skill of a lawjcr to determine tliat such a tax, and all MHMOd with it would be luvalid. It would be as unjuBtas Ilegal Dnubtless it would inciense the valueof rel estato, and enrich those who have building lots for sale. It mi_rlit inórense builB6M here, at least tor a time, bui it would bring in othen to help do it, so iliai it Is very doubtful whetlier it would be of auy advantage to the present merchants, and shop-keepers of the city. We should be a little more like Detroit and Chicago, liKvini; tho rlch richer and the poor poorer. A long article might be written on the ïnexpediency of such a tnx, but only 11 few thouglits in relation to it will be indicated. Manufacturera and mechauics should be welcomed, but any systeni of liiring tliein to come, or tlny is wrong in principie and injurious in pmetice. But it is said that olher citieg all over our state aini county are doing the same. This is the more reasoü WI13' we should refmin. The country Iihs been sufteriDg for years from over production. Now, if as alleged there is a boom all over the country still fuitber to increuse their products, there must cotne a crash, and i.ho.-e who have entered Into it mist largely will be the gieatest suffeiers. A prominent business man lately ttatod tliat more capital was sent out by resi dents of Aun Arbor for investment, and business purposes, Iban was used 11 the city. It would be more reasonable tliat they should use it here, tiia.11 to cali upou the people to tax themselves to inciease business in this city. Ann Arbor has beretofore had a natural and healthy growth, and consequeully has not had to take the back track. She is au educational center, but can never be a btKlBOM ceuler. "Eqüity." [Deslring to give every aiile a fair hearing we adinit the above. The argument DMjr bv good.but the resulta of sucli argumenta are not good. Anything wbleb tenda tokeep back the growth nnd proapcrity of a city is not gt o 1. The Hinount iltviro 1 to keep tliis city on an equal footing with lts neighbors ia very small- a trille toeuch tax p:iyer. If it ia to be defeated on technical points of the luw, the tax-piiyrrs themselves lose the benefit which might nccrue to them. It ia no time for hair-aplitting, but every peraon ghould put thelr shoulder to the wheel and help along the ifood work