Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1875-02-16
EVENING STAR.
February rs. I>.a.
CON,GRfNNiONAI.
Conclusion Of lie, fridays Proceedings.

SENATE.-After on. repoT, closed
Mr. Morton spoke al length, favuriny "a
claim OF Mr.. Pinchback tos seat in the Sci.
/ ate. Mr. Sargent also az vocated his aimiS
! sion. Perciu debate. the y "tion of the HnuS.
| " relation 10 the death o. Representative
! EoCner was afflouncoi
! MI bO2twe'l rose. and after y BRIEF allu-
! sion 10 Mr.. Hooper. submitted q resolution
accepting the invita- ION OF the HOqSe 10 at
! tend The funeral, and. ~ a further mark OF
! i,sPeci' that the senate do now adjourn.
agreed 10. and the Senate then Ell iournel.
District Bills ~ the R.e,s.e
hot St-Aiier our report cloSsd-
hr. Hendee, from the District Ctr..niftes
| reported back the Senate amendments 10 the
ON 10 incorporate the Capiial, North CsSfr5,at
anu South Washington IA aruad company
Inc amendments We're concI.rrssi in
Also, rerorled bill explanatory OF the act
Oh Juhe %, lS'4; III authorizes the payment
10 PARTIES who had the contrac; Cor rt,Fliovin.l
the dirt from The streets. alleys Nnd avenues
o. me cities OF Washington and Grcryetown.l
Mr.. Cotton. from the same COMMITTEES 20
| ported the bill heretofore publi.b.t p,,-
nIdhlg 10Y leVNing tax Tor Tie support ~
Tue Alsuict government Tor the next fiscal
year.
Mr.. Randall made the point of order tha,
the bill must have it, first consideration ~
Committee of the Whole. Tkcpoiat va, =
tanned. and the House went iato comnitte,
on the bill. Nr. Tyncr in the chair.
Mr.. Cotton said ilc bin levied uniform
TAX upon all property in the District. real and
personal oi one and ore-laif per cent. with
few exceptions Church property il also
taxed. The real estate assessment, = c~tf-
mated by the committee al ~gp.r3a.Ghl me
personal property assessment at 81 osA COZ.
ana the ChuT n property al over - u1I.uJl.
Ait"r GedUcti'g tso amount that possibly
cannot be collected. this bill would pro luce
a net sum Of about - .}Ni.sSn. Adding the r.
ceiplS from licenses and from water rents
The aggregate tor the support OF tho govern
mcnt VIII be Sl.CSl.sJa. The Commissioners
estimate that The aggregate cNllaTsa> of Ia.
government, including interest viii a.
s3.l2h>tn. which would leave dehcit of
~l.t.'' go 10 De provided by an apprppria ton
10y Con GrcSS. The committee co.Sii Tered Tho
question of making the tax two per cent I'm
The cities OF Washington and Georgetown.
ana one ana o e-iali per cent. ia tine county
Of Washington. But after careful cNami-
nation. the committee was satisfied thar mo-
more revenue would be realized by thar
course. II Tie tax was made uniform al tyvo
per cent. there would be 80 much uor,. al nj
Guilty in collecting that the revenue would
not be much greater.
Mr.. Randall suggested that under this bill
property Ofthe United States might be taNel
he suggested an amendment to exempt such
property.
The amendment was accepted by Mr.. Cot
ton.
Mr.. Chapman said ne had an elaborata
statement prepared TO show the condition OF
this District. but as he saw no disposition on
the part of the members OF this House % do
Justice To this people in the matter of "a Xa-
ton, and as there were other District inter
ests To be considered he would not occupy the
time of the House.
1Ir. willard (Vt) did not think the rate
Of taxation was high enough. ana he would
low offer an amendment TO make IL two ppr
cent
Mr. Chapman said it would be impossible
10 collect that tax. There was to-day a de-
iinquent tax OF nearly 5000 GO0. growing out
of special assessments and other matters.
The people could not pay largely increased
additional tax. The business here would not
Justify ii. People lived here by traificking
among themselves. The policy of the Cow
eminent seemed TO be TO do ali i'm its power
to retard public Improvement here. No app
preparation was made for the harbOr, and 10
was even proposed to throttle tine navy ward.
The taxation proposed with the pending bill
was all he believed the people could pay. IL
by the marshal.
Mr.. Fort had not the least in feeling To-
ward the people OF the District, but he
always thought they should pay a tax on
their personal property. He believed also
that the government should pay something
on its vast property here. He believed there
mad been great deal of extravaganza in the
government of this District, and before vot-
ing TO tax his constituents he wanted to
know what this money had been paid for.
MI CARRIED Offered an amendment author
IZing the Secretary OF the Treasury 10 detail
three officers of his department. who shall
make complete estimate Of the value of
ali estate owned by the United States i'm the
District OF Columbia 10 BE- made on the same
scale as relates TO the assessment of property
N the District owned by private parties.
MeSsrs. q. r. Hoar Mass }. Mr.. Lawrence
(Ohio), and others said il would be impossible
10 arrive at a fair estimate by this course
The latter cOntended that the government
property should not be taxed. This was the
only city in the union where such a PROPOSE
ton was made.
Mr.. SayIer (Ind.) thought il would be very
difficult TO determine the proportional
amount due the United States by the District.
The true course. he thought. would be TO levy
sucn a tax here as was levied on cities of Ii Ike
size throughout the country, and then for the
general government TO make an apprOpria-
ton to make any deficiency. He believed
the general government was responsible for
these expenses.
Pending further consideration the commit
tee rose, and
On motion of Mr.. Cotton, Friday night of
this week was assigned to the consideration
OF the bill. and other business to be reported
from the District Committee.
Mr. Stanard moved TO suspend the rules so
as to make in order on Thursday at O'Clock
the bill for the improvement of the mouth of
the Mississippi river. The motion was agreed
10.
Mr.. L. L. Hoar announced the death of his
late colleague, Hon. Samuel Hooper. and
offered a resolution for the appointment of a
committee of seven members To make at
Engagements for the funeral in the hall of the
House at o clock tomorrow.
The resolution was adopts and the chair
appointed MesSrs. Poland, Wheeler, Niblack
Maynard, Kelley, Lamar and Houghton.
The House then, at $40 p. IA, adjourned.