Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1872-06-27

IaS nEnt. Fur ollclu proceedings see aQ0tneE
column.
Board Of -lh}amen-A bare quorum was
present in this Board The President stated
that the specific business of the meeting was to
act on the salary and revenue bills.
The salary bill was then taken up, and the
section fixing the salary of the Auditor was
read. .t.t.
Mr.. Janucy moved that the salary of the
Auditor be reduced from ST 900 to $780,
Mr.. French eulogized the Auditor as an eff
i,cnt and worthy officer, one who had saved
the city thousands ofdollarS. Few persons knew
that nearly 5000, 900 passed through the Audi
tor hands. The business of this Office had
also much increased of late.
Mr.. Janney gave as u reason tor his motion
that the Auditor in other towns only received
5000. He was willing that he should receive
81 900, aud the $500 salary, and what he re-
ccived from the dog tax equaled that amount.
He knew Of no man more valuable, deserving,
aud efficient than the Auditor, but in view of
our deploraDle nu2c"ial situation thought his
motion should be adopted. He thought the
Superintendent of Police, for the work he did,
better entitled to 5 POO than the Auditor to
81 900.
MIR. Frcnch-''My friend talks of old times
and Reuben johnson. | was thinking when he
was speaking that he was u Rip Van Wrinkle,
and had slept these many years and did not
know the increase that had occurred in the
price of living. The Auditor does not get the
dox tax, and it wouldn't be much any way.
Mr.. Jauuey-Why saw in the Gazette the
other day that there are twenty three thousand
dogs in town.
Nr. French said he had seen in the Gazette
that there were two thousand dogs in the city,
but that only eighty licenses had been issued,
and he did not believe that more than three or
four hundred were ever received, aud 1t took
QUE hundred licenses to pay the Auditor S25.
Mr. Jauuey said he was opposed to the sec.
ton and would be compelled to vote against it.
Mr. French said that if the gentleman de-
sired to block up the financial business of the
Corporation he could doit, as in consequence
of the small number present his vote alone
could prevent tn. passage Of the BILL He there
fore moved to lay it on the table
The motion was lost and the remaining sec
tons Of the bill, fixing the salary Of the Mayor
at $500, with commissions on licenses; Super
intendeut of Police, $500; Superintendent of
Gas, $500; Clerk Of Market, n $500, and per
cent on rents; Collectors of Taxes, 2! per ct.
on collections Chief Engineer Fire Depart
ment, $50; Commissioner of Revenue, 1850 !;
Treasurer, 500; Clerk of Common Council,
$500; Messenger of Common Council, 5000;
Clerk of Board of Aldermen, $780, Keeper of
Poor's House, S4OO; Physician to Poor, 800;
Steward of Offices, 500, and City Surveyor,
800, were read and adopted.
MIR. Janney moved that Council fix the salary
of the clerk of the gas works.
Mr. French said the clerk of the gas works
was elected by the Committee on Light, and
had not heretofore been looked upon 10 the
same light as the other Corporation officers
nor had his salary ever been Included in the
l,ln h.,
was conscentiously opposed to the section fix
iny the Auditors salary, renewed his motion to
lay it on the table, and the motion was adopted
Mr. French moved to take up the Revenue
BILL
Mr. Janney did not wish to seem factious
or unreasonable, bat in view of the fact that
only five members were present be thought it
impolitc to act on this bill tonight.
The reading of the bill was resumed.
Mr. Jauney asked the Finance Committee
for information concerning the tax on lnsur-
ance Companies. He stated that by the State
laws they were taxed $780, aud that by that
law no other tax could be assessed against
them.
Mr.. French replied, defending the legality
of the section.
Mr.. Underwood was familiar with the inten-
tons of the framers OF the State Constitution,
and was of opinion that large part OF the licen-
ses included in the bill We're unconstitutional.
The intention of the designers OF the Constl tu-
ton was to make taxes equal. 1t was not 10
tended that merchant should pay more than
farmer. AS it was the farming interest ruled
the State, and merchant was taxed three
times as much as farmer. He thought the
whole system Of license illegal. All that should
be paid was pro rata tax on capital. Inc con.
sequence was that this discrimination worked
niuriously to our interests. 1t was so nowhere
else. In the northern States and 10 Europe
the grand princi pie was that every legitimate
business should be allowed to be pursued uu-
trammelled. Only manhood tax, aud private
tax on capital should be allowed, except upon
such pursuits as are vicious or seml-yclous.
Why should merchant pay more for the prlvll-
eye of PURSUING his calling than farmer! Ibis
was Thy we were hanpered and cramped.
Mr.. Januey objected to the clause of the bill
taxing non paying stock. he thought that the
FINANCE Committee had not given this matter
due consideration. If this clause was adopted
he felt sure that there would soon be no such
tax collected, for those owning the stock would
sell it.
MIR. French said this tax had always been
collected He did not propose to reply to MIR.
Underwood, but he would say that the Finance
Committee were supported by the example OF
the revenue laws Of the State. 1t IS impossible
to make taxes uniform 1t was simply ques
ton of taxation or reputation. In no other
way could the question be met.
Mr. Underwood replied that he knew that
the Legislature supported the views of the pre-;
vious speaker, but he thought that it would
come to his views yet. He considered the Con-
stitution violated every time such special taxa
ton was practised. Some OF the best lawyers
ia the State, he understood, contemplated test
lug the legality of the tax on their profession.
lie should, however, vote for the BILL
Mr. French replied that he had not reflected
when sneakiug of the peculiar relations of the
gentleman who had just spoken to the State
Constitution. He remembered the old adage
of the fopdness of parent for its offspring.
The bin, which on y differs from that of last
year. adding ten per cent to the tax bills II not