Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-04-11

The Crippled Taxpayers.
1t has, now been nearly six months since
this Congress met and nothing has been ac-
cOmplished for our unfortunate District. To
Congress- and to Congress alone, it belongs
ito exercise exclusive legislation in all cases
whatsoever over this District and city. The
financial condition of this city has been
brought before Congress, by careful exposi-
tiOnS from committees of its citizens; and all
the data has been afforded for the ground
work of intelligent measures of relief. The
total area of the city is 7.16l acres OF this,
the government owns, and is in the actual pos
session OF, more than four fifthS. The amount
OF general tax levied is about 81 $50, 900; and
arrearages now due about 81 100000. This as
sessment is more than twenty per cent over
the value of the property: and more than that
borne by any other community in the United
States
The arrears of general taxes for 1875, 1876 and
1911, Were. .....'.......-.....-...s 99IZ95
SeIsoidi IdA-..'.... DID
special tax. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 2.122,S66
S3169,54
AS shown by the memorial of the Citizens
Committee to Congress, more than two ffthS
of the entire real estate belonging to the citi-
zens of Washington is now held by the District
OF Columbia under purchase at tax sales A
penalty of two per cent. a month (under act of
Congress of Sd March, 1871 is running against
all property in arrears for general taxes, and
tax lien certificates are issued for arrears of
special taxes, bearing ten per cent. interest.
Added to this are the expenses of advertising
cost OF court, and tax sales, which swell the
ruinOus total. Whenever any private sale is
effected or attempted, all these liens must be
p tiG by the unhappy owner of the property.
10 sC,
orphans are thus beggared, but many who
have tOiled all their lives to secure a home
ia shade from the heat, and shelter from
the Storm y find their little all virtually con-
fscated, and abandoning all hope of relief, re-
sign themselves to the tender mercies of the
tax collector in despair.
The amount of property i'm arrears as
stated, is more than three million which.
under the present ruinOuS rates, never can
and never will be paid: and the title to the
most of the real estate in this city will be i'm
the District Commissioners, from which no
revenue can arise, and in a few "blOated
bondhOlders.'
This periiOuS condition of the District tax
payers has very justly excited the atten-
ton of every friend of Justice and good
government. A bill has been recently
introduced into the Senate by Judge Mer
a
Der of the committee on the District, which
provides that at any time within one year
from the passage of the act, any delnquent
taxpayer may pay to the collector the amount
OF TAX, assessment, or water rate upon prOp
erty belonging to such person. heretofore laid
or imposed and now remaining unpaid to-
gether with interest, at the rate of six Der
centum per annum, to be computed from the
time such tax, assessment, or waterrate was
imposed to the time of such payment: which
payment shall satisfy any lien upon the prop
erty for these taxes.
This is copy of an act passed Sth June.
1871, by the legislature of New York, for the
relief of the city of Brooklyn. which was i'm
similar deplorable and desperate condition to
this city; and under its beneficent provisions
the incubus that was pressing out the life
blood, enterprise and energies of her people.
was removed: and the Golfers of the CORPORA
ton were much enlarged. Its effect was ben
ehclal to both the city and the citizen
1hlS Dill, as presented, seems to meet with
favor. In n recent note from Collector Cook
to the District Commissioners he says:
In relation to the bill g79 (Merrimons bilD
L would respectfully state that it would be a
measure of great relief to tax PAYERS who NAV
be in condition to avail themselves of the al
yantages prOffered. / regard the measure as
beneficial to all reasonable amount of the
large tax delinquency is paid into the Distric
treasury: it will flow out again into the com
MUMMY generally, IN payment OF many needed
repairs and Improvement of streets, &C."
We do not know that this is the best meas
uIeOf relief that can be adopted for the benefit
of this crippled class of taxpayers, but it
seems to be practical and to have stood the
test of experience elsewhere. At any rate, il
Is evident that if Congress is going to legiSlate
In this line 1t should adopt some general meas
ure oil this sort, and not undertake to pass in
diyidual relief bills as in the case of Mrs.
SpragTe.
The PAL agraph in THE STAR yesterday i'm
reference to the reported resignation of Com
missioner DennisOn, created quite a stir
among the friends of the tOleraby numerous
army OF candidates for the place. Nothing
further has been developed to-day showing
that the resignation has been absolutely
made, but there seems to be no doubt that
Governor DennisOn has more than once of
late expressed disposition to retire from the
position. Naturally there are quite number
who favor change, but on the other hand a
GOOD many OF our best citizens think that Mr.
Dennison has performed his duties faithfully.
conscientiOusly and well, and that We may, i'm
all probability, fare a good deal worse by a
change.
The bill introduced in the Senate yesterday,
WHICH provides tnat, as part OF the daily eXer-
cises of the public schools of the District, there
shall be instruction in the elements of moral
and social science, includes under this head
industry, order, economy, punctuality, pa
thence, self-denial, health purity. temperance,
cleanliness, honesty, truth. justice. pOliteness,
peace, fidelity, philanthropy patriotism. self
respe CT, hope perseverance, cheerfulnesS, cOur-
age, self-reliance, gratitude, pity, mercy, kind
ness, conscience. reflection and the will" With
this feast in prospect, our pupils will fully re-
aliZe the fortunes of Tantalus. if the schools
are compelled TO close for lack of an appropri-
alton. While waiting TO resume their studies
they would, however, be afforded an excellent
opportunity for preliminary lessons i'm pa
thence" and ''selfdenial;' hope" might also
be taken up with profit. II Congress will only
furnish the funds. the teachers will give ill.,
StructiOn in the branches designated, with
fidelity perseverance" "cheerfulness"a and
will, 4" and viii no doubt throw in some read
ing. writing and arithmetic to boot.
When the Turkish and ROumanian govern
ments read the dispatches in to-day's Ameri-
can papers each will begin to realize the seri.
Gus nature of its position. 1t appears that if
Turkey allies herself with Russia she will
ha To oiy MI