Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-02-25
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
Taxes and Tax Certificates.

Editor Stdr:-In your Saturdays issue ap-
pears communication. in which w. j. ID. at.
taxes to furnish certified statements of taxes
due and unpaid upon any special lot of
ground as required of him by act of Congress
approved February g. 1879. The communica-
tion is based upon paragraph in your tssle OF
Friday last, whicn, In addition TO the mart
quoted oy w. J. d., substantially states that
the ACT OF congress referred to Is ''practically
deed letter" In consequence Of the tax books
and records having been so imperfectly kept
that the collector cannot furnish the certificates
graph W. J. D. has wholly ignored, and for the
purpose OF diverting public attention from the
alleged condltlon OF the collectors office, he has
tolneys, Tor the reason that they would not
volunteer to do the work required of q public
servant, or assume responsibilities belonging
70, ana which public officials have, thus far
eVadeq Admitting to be true all that he has
s sa ABOUT inexperienced attorneys, we fail 10
o nnu any explanation OF Or contradiction Of the
nee are 10 such condition that those who are In
charge OF the Office hesitate to make certtdcatc::,
for them Silence upon this point SOW that the
suspicious Ss Of me Inexperienced" have been
erWise j. d., who is as well qualified to an
sWer this question as any employee of the office
would nave SO informed the public. VIII W. j.
D. make direct answer to the question raised
by that part OF the paragraph unquOted by
him. and inform the public whether the tax
books are in perfect or imperfect condition?
explain why the collector cannot, or will not
carry out the provisions Of the act of Congress
In question.
W. j. D., in his letter, makes an extraordinary
confession, and we doubt very much whether
the collector can feel f1attered by the intended
compliment, and that is, that no official copy of
the act OF Congress has been furnished by the
authorities to the collector, and that some time
must necessarily clapse to prepare the proper
form OF certificate The first part of this ad-
mission places the collector In the unenvlable
position OF not knowing what the most stupid
fellow In the community Is bound to know
namely the law; the second excuse offered
places the collector In no better position. The
law was approved February 9th, and. according
to the statement Of w. J. d. the collector has
up to the date of his communication been Wig
orouSly exercising his brain in preparing a
proper form OF certificate. In Offering these eX-
cuseS to the public we think w D. has at
tempted to ridicple the intelligence and official
ability OF the collector.
Aside from the communication of W. j. D. we
are not disposed to blame the collector for his
delay in complying with the law. He should
not be held responsible for the neglect of duty
and errors OF his predecessors in office He should
not be held responsible for the acts of his SUBJ
Ordinates, because they are not of his appoint
ment and selection. When person is charged
with the management OF an Office as RESPONSE
Die as that OF tax collector. he should have the
exclusive management OF the Office. and should
nave the selection and appointment of those
under him