Evening star., 1877-11-21

the common property, and ihAi the Unard
States, having exclusive sni absolute title
10 The streets and avenues OF The city, a. well
~ To The public grounds aud buildings.
(Which alone give value In the property OF
CT zens,) ard being clothed by the Con-
siitution With pleuary and exclusive power
OF control and admin isiratiOn tae Govern
err nment is under special obligations %
IL is equally clear. that the tax PAYERS Of
The District have already aud uniformly
contributed move uhsR fhcu sQ,fai shdrc OF
these improvements. Will not the Govern
ment, wlth equal fidelity TO It's high trusts,
discharge The obligations required alike by
its constitutional relations to the District.
and by justice To It's citizens'
TAXATION.
The facts before us on this important sub.
Ject are briefly these:
Tie assessment of the taxable property OF
the District, for the fiscal year ending BON
June, iNlS, is
For real estate. s9s ,e2.2es
For personal property ............ S.052 .sS5
Toial...-. .-........-..-.....-..siOS,5 ,52l sos
The value of Federal properly. according
to assessment made I'm 1875, h, tor real estate
alone. SgS. .aS6 i5i.
This assessment OF real estate owned by
tndiyldnsls - believed by The assessors 20
actual present value; and when this fact, ia
connection with the enormous levies OF
glecioi taxes, is considered. IL may be coufi-
IDENTIFY Asserted mat the burden OF taxation
imposed on The private property OF this Dis
trict is greater than that borne by any other
resources, In proportion TO population, are
less. Fo. IL must be borne IN mind that the
rate OF taxation, (sl.5O on the Sieo,l moderate
as II may seem, il levied on less than one
half of the real estate OF the District, which
rs thus made 10 bear the burden OF the whole.
The people Of this District have also. since
lstS, paid into the Treasury of the United
ststes, under the internal revenue Law,
si,tS5, il9, or more than has been paid by all
the other territories combined-more Than
mas been paid by the States OF Arkansas,
Florida, Kansas, Minnesota, Nebraska, or
Oregon. This single item OF Federal taxa
ton levied on the Industries of our citizens
has nearly reimbursed the Government for
All OF It's appropriations for improvements
The trects of this excessive taxation de-
monstrate that we do not exsggerate the
case.
The arrears of general taxes for 1875.
iS1e, and lsss, amount To the sum o
Arrears OF personal taxes Tor ISL. s. as
sI,ol6.67s
Arrears OF special taxes 2,I22.s
Total arrears. 81, ,ld9 ,5A
1t is estimated tbat more Than f,co dThs OF
the entire real estate belonging 10 citizens is
now held by the District OF Columbia, under
purchase at tax sales. A penalty OF flo0 per
cent per month is running against all property
IN arrears for general taxes; and The tax lien
certificates, issued for arrears OF special
taxes, "a large amount OF which are now
held by banks,) bear interest AT the rate OF
all this the expense OF tax sales, and of judi
cial proceedings against delinquepts, lt is
apparent that, without speedy relief, the Dis
trict Government Will soon be possessed of
more than half The property OF its citizens.
For confirmation of tits statement, we re-
fer To the able report OF the Hon. A. III.
Buckner, cha rman of House Committee on
the District OF Columbia, maze LIST July,
1876
The District Assessors express the opinion
that Tie tax OF II % on the slO0, levied under
act Of tue last Congress on Invested funds,
must have disastrous effect On the reve-
nues OF the District, by eXpelling a large
amount OF wealth which would otherwise
find a home here, aud thus depreciafing the
value OF real estate and other taxable prop
eriy.
Ii takes from holders OF bonds, mortgages,
&c, one goi1th OF their income To pay their
taxes, and thus offers a strong te npIsiion To
franc and PERJURY. The experience here, as
II has been ln other places, ,demOnstra ates that
a high tax on this class OF property is most
unequal in its operation. as well a. impoliuc
and demOfallziDg.
FINANCE AND DEBT.
The Commissioners OF the District esti-
mate that an annual revenue OF 50 600 600 is
required to meet the various expenses of
local administration, interest on debt, sfnk-
ing fund, and for improvements and repairs
o. streets, &C, and that moderate levies on
The taxable property OF the District may con-
hdeptly be relied on TO furnish one-half OF
The debt OF the District may be briefly
stated az follows.
Otu Ntbtg Dg SoD-
Finy-yesr bonds. 3.65, guaranteed
oy Congress- s-.....-..---....-.-...i iS'.4ssS9 0J
Floating debt....-....-.....--..... 1,Ol4,coO %
TOtal. ......>25, ,l3O,sfl %
CHAkITIEs AND PENAL INSTITUTIONS.
From the latest reports made by NE va
rious charitable aud bene VIOLENT Institutions
in the District which receive aid from Con-
gress, IL appears that Gty-eigH per cenf Of
the benefcisries are non res idents: and from
the report OF Commissioner Lucy, for the
present year, we take these figures relating
10 the District Almshouse ard Workhouse,
viz: OF AIS paupers admitted 10 the Aims
house, but 90 were natives OF the District. OF
l ,695 offenders committed 10 the Workhouse
only i5j were natives OF the District,
PUBLIC SCHOOLS.
Official reports show that while the rate of
taxation in this District. for the support OF
Public Schools, is nearly double that In most
OF the large cities OF the Union, the means of
education are wholly inadequate % the
wants Of our population. We nave expend-
ed for this object, In the last six years. near
ly 3, 800 $50, and yet l0i OF our schools, rep
resenting .2iO scholars, Gre compelled to oc-
cupy rented rooms, wholly untitled for the
purpose, ard menacing TO the health OF our
children. The sum of 500 900 is required TO
supply this deficiency OF school buildings,
and an additional appropriation OF $4,000 is
needed TO keep our schools I'm operation TO
While ali the Territories, and most OF the
States OF the Union have received from Con-
gress munincent grants OF the public lands,
granted TO the District OF Colum bis-the Ma
tion's Capltal-and the appropriations of
money by Congress for this object are insig-
nificant.
This injustice TO the District seems the
greater, when we consider the fact thai one.
third OF our school revenue is devoted TO the
education OF colored children, invited here
from the surrounding states by recent action
OF Congress, and whose parents q rule pay
no taxes; and that 80 per cent. of the t0hske
pupils i'm our schools are the children Of per-
SONS connected with the public service, and
who, for the most part, are mere sojourners
and non-taxpayers. Thus, while the Gov
ernment furnishes 90 per cent. OF the benefic-
iariee OF our schools, IL throws the entire
burden Of their support on the ~ per cent. OF
tax-paying citizens. IL Is more than they
can bear.
FIRE DEPARTMENT.
The efficiency OF this branch OF local ad-
ministrstion, so necessary for the protection
Of public as well as private property, Is
greatly impaired by reason of insuf1cient
appropr riatons. The sum of 100000 is now
required 10 supply necessary apparatus, and
an increased annual appropriation OF S30,OO0
A-4A