Evening star., 1877-11-10

Nessrs. VIM. Dixon. @. A. Bohrer aad B ID.
Carpenter, have prepared their annual re-
port, embracing a detailed statemen' .; the
transactions OF the Assessors office fr IN the
date of the last report TO the lst instant. Tney
state that the Increase OF assessments oi real
properly is as follows:
washington. r2.lft, tiS
Georgetown .......................... - UOf
County Observation-Disclosures. ~, loo
Total. so
Reduction made by I'D of appeal. ,Sis
Showing a net increase eof.........~la.5.u.. of
The appeals are divided as follows. Wa,n-
lhgton, SOL ,S6, GeOIg tOwn, ~&+9ht, and
county, Si0S, ,2lS. Three thou ,sttd seve hun
dred and fifty four personal returns nave
been made, q 80 being black. representing
in value as S93.l09, of which amount tie sum
OF S2,GI6, 1873 Is the value of merChaud D. aud
the balance, S6.9l6,3l6, the value Of socks,
luThltUTe, Jewelry, musical instruments,
Lor>eS carriages, machinery. S,. Tls fol-
lowing recommendations are male:
l. The dboii1toR oC the Tar on Mechanics.
ans the restoration ~ the License Lur.-ruIs
Tax Is pecu iiarly objectionable 10 our mar
Chants from the fact that the return of their
merchandise exposes their business affairs,
often TO their great detriment. II is fOlni ID
bear.very unequally. Nearly all the sm aller
dealers with commission merchants, ageats,
butchers, bakers, and others who re Ily nan
Ole much stock, although keeping AZ no time
any considerable amount on nsud, - cape a
due proportion OF the tax. The larger lie tlers,
on The contrary, who make definite and full
reIuIns, thus bear almost the entire an punt
OF the tax on mcrchaDdi>e, which is conse-
quently felt by them TO be unequal and un-
Just. A comparison OF the actual result of
the present system al this point, with that OF
The old License law shows that the District is
positively loser: thus, with all probable
returns for the year in, and the time for such
returns long since past, there has basn re-
ported 10 the LIST instant but - ,07G 1873 OF m r.
chandise. The tax on this il ~3I,I42 - TIE
books show that there was paid in for the
hscal year ending June So 1876, unteT tn
license law the sum of $50 ,35'.22. The loss
thus i'm a single year foots up to S22 Pos 32.
2 The ibOluiOn 'f he Tar on the Jite, siI, and
tight per cent sfockS, iss ted bU The tde cOrpOr-
ations Wdsttn9ton and George'gec't.-rhis
tax by the District on its own Indebtedness
is felt 10 be unfair and oppressive, bee fuse II
is regarded by those who pay IL as partial
repuaiation, and violation OF the under
standing had at the time of the issue Of these
securities. IL also tends tn ipjure the credit
of the District. depreciating it's securities at
nome and driving our own citizens VITO hold
them, because OF the loss of the y per cent.
tax, 10 dispose of them at q disco mt to alien
creditors, who, because of their exemption
from such tax, save corresponding amount;
hence To tax them l. an unintentiai discriml-
nation against our own citizens.
). The Abolition II the 7dJ Notes Secured
~ DEED Cf IT. tIN on Disfric f'TOiscr,I This
tax is deemed oppressive and unjust because
II Is really q y0nd eXaction on property
already taxed before mortgage.
/. TIE deduction n he Rae II the PerSoaTi
5"r Joln One ami u Hay to one Per Ce.;.-
Ii is believed that, as the result o. sucn a
reduction, much fuller returns wOIId he
made; that they would be given more cheer
lully by the people, and there would be no
loss of lDCOme-peThaps gain.
). TH0t The -dnut1d assessments Should begin
a ApTt btStedd Cf Jttig, ~ HC1O By this, time
would be given for a fuller examination aud
estimate, fewer appeals would be made, with
less reouctlol, greater opportunity would be
allowed FOR the consideration of appeal cases.
The books OF both the assessors Office and
those OF the collector and superintendent OF
essnients ard taxes mi ght be more thor
uugEiy prepared and in better time, thus
greatly facilitating the desired Tesuit-the
successful collection of taxes.
Il. A RcjC uGd general A SSeSNtent Of Radl Prop.
cry, 10 tNgiH the lSt Of fJohUdrY arCf, Nth Ci6t0
u e4'ttdtzu1g The sane dgBd CURING 1UtJ YEBlIy.-
Wllnin The last four years il II We'll known
there has been immense fluctuatiol in the
values of real estate. In many cases tn de
probation has been enormous. In Others
here has been DO fall 1t is not stra ga then,
that tax based on assessments m ADJ in
uush times should by many OF our best clti-
Zens be regarded as oppressive. A Just re
| gard for the interests OF our people calls for
such readjustment as Will cause q prompt
and cheerful compliance with the tax laws.
That a BOok OF Pid's and n Numerical Boz
for GeOrgefO,Cn and Piats Of Sub Divisions and
| Tracts Of Lond for the COtiatyy be PrOuided.-
The report concludes with an allusion 10 re-
Communications in the report of last year,
showing the importance OF placing the Off ,e
| OF assessors in this District on a permanent
ana substantial OASIS, In view OF the vast
| material interests dealt with by The asses-
| sOrs, and the necessity OF special knowledge
| and experience i'm their duties To just and
satisfactory performance thereof The ac-
ton OF Congress In relation to this matter
rescued the OfYice from its ephemeral ch Ar
acter, and did q great justice TO the citizens
and TO the material interests of the District
by making the Office permanent one. The
| reasons presented in the same connection for
| inc creasing the compensation seem to have
been to large extent overlooked. Surely
the responsibilities imposed by, aud the ex-
| perieDced required for the proper exercise o.
| such On important office under government
| controlling such immense central interests
| at the seat OF the National Government de-
| mand remuneration more in harmony
| with its character.
The estimate OF expense for the fiscal year
| ending June 30, 1S19, is submitted as follow ::
| For three assessors, AT - 900 each, s6 001 one
| clerk, 81 500; one do, IL 400; one 10 ,lgG
| for clerks temporarily employed at "a pei
diem allowance, 81 600; messenger, $40 to-
| tai, Sl1 $50.