Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1871-09-14
LOCAL NE w s.
Inharmoptogs Meeting OF Fifteen
NOrkinEmPn.

The workinEmen's Club of tie 18th district
held meeting last night in the school house on
81, near L street, G: Z: Briscoe, president, in
the chair, and VIM. h. Brown secretary. About
fifteen persons were present. On motion of
Thomas Hickman, the president of the club was
authorized - call meeting of all the republi-
cars OF the 18th district, TO organize and elect
officers Of the 18th district republican club to be
held On Monday evening, September Is.
Jerry Robinson and Thos. Hickman spoke
against the four million loan. The pre- sident
thought ~ much better to accept the situation
and take S1-5O rather than nothing. Jerry RO.
binson then attempted to explain the difference
between White hens egg and "yaller" hens
egg. The poor man had TO pay Just as much for
bis meat as Gov. Cooke, and he thought the
former should be well paid for his labor. In his
speech he accused the president of the club of
deserving his colors, and going over to "the
ring"
Mr. Henry Barton defended the loan Whether
~ Was advisable or not in the first place, $500 900
had been anticipated, and the work begun. II
the loan was now defeated, all that had been
done would be thrown away, and the work would
have to be left as il is-wOrse than before it was
touched. He was in favor of the working men
getting two and two and half dollars per day,
but one dollar and a half was better under the
Present system than two dollars under the old,
where they had to take scrip, which they were
obliged to sell sometimes at sixtytwO and a half
cents.
Mr. Herring also spoke in favor of the loan.
Mr.. Robinson moved that President BriScoe
lie impeached- Mr.. BriscOe thereupon arose and
thanked the club for having elected him to the
OF aceeptation was put, and, pending a division,
hr. BriScCe insisted on retiring, and requested
the vice president TO take the chair. Mr.. Rob-
InSOn did so, and was, by a unanimous vote.
elected president. The further election of off,
GERS was postponed until the 18th inst
CHURCH PROPERTY EXEMPT FROM SP EcIAI
TAXES FOR IAPROvENENT.-Mr. w. A Cook
Attorney tor the District, has given his opinion
on the question, " Does the act of Congress
passed recently exempt the lot owned by the
New Jerusalem Church, or any other church or
school property, from the payment of special
improvement taxcs?" which was submitted tn
him BY Mr.. Geo. W. Beall, the assessor of the
Boardof Public Works. Mr.. Cook after quoting
the act OF COngre- Of June II, 1870 which pro-
NIdes that /" all churches and school houses and
all buildings, grounds and property appurtenant
thereto and used in connection Herewith i'm the
District OF Columbia, shall be exempt from any
and all t3XcS or Assessments, national, munich
pal or county," says Sc The exemption, il will
be seen, - in very general terms, and includes
not only OIC'nary taxes, but also assessments'
which are in the nature Of special taxes Mr.
Cook does not think that the 37th section of the
organic act which authorizes an assessment for
improvements, not - exceed one-third of the
costs on "the properly adjoining and to be es-
pecially benefited" can be considered % n re-
peal by implication of the first section of the act
OF June Il, 1870. In 80 aSSe- sments therefore,
for Improvements, the property mentioned in
the act OF June II 1870. should be regarded a.
exempt" and the sessments should be made
against the other property which may " adioin"
the Improvement or abe especially benefited
by them"