Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1879-12-04
TAXATION IN THE DISTRICT.
Meeting of the House Sub.COmmit.
tee ON Revision of the Laws.


The subcommittee Of the House committee
on the District Of Columbia engaged in revising
the municipal regulations Of the District had
public session this morning to hear the Sugges-
uons of such citizens as desired to give the
committee the benefit of their views on the SUBJ
ject of taxation. There were present Colunl-
bus Alexander, Mr. Noble, of New York, (who
holds number of District bonds; George NJ.
Oyster, Mr.. Loomis, Mr.. Ingersoll, Mr.. schade,
and Commissioners Dent and Morgan. The OBJ
ject Of the committee seemed to be to get at the
best mode OF reaching the
INVISIBLE PROPERTY IN THE DISTRICT
which has heretofore escaped taxation.
Mr.. S. L. LOomiS made short address to the
committee to the effect that he wanted no more
stringent laws for the collection of back taxes
and certainly not until relief was afforded by
drawbacks on special certificates.
Mr. II. F. Davis took the reverse view. He
wanted the most stringent laws made and en-
forced; that men hioh in authority should be
now. He complained that the fve-year certih-
Gates Of July 1st 1873, are not paid but admit
ted that they are receivable for special assess
ment taxes.
NM. COLUMBUS ALEXANDER
told the committee that all his general taxes
have been paid, but that his special assessments
have not been: that he had been robbed and
denounced; that he would continue to fight the
special assessments as long as the courts were
open or until his bills were all fairly adjusted.
Mr. klingle opposed all license laws. He
OdhtS dCCOIuullS W Ultc
profits received, and not on a fixed, arbitrary
scale for different classes OF business. He
thought an income tax fair one, and one which
would reach the so-called invisible property.
THE NEW HAMPSHIRE PLAN.
N. q. OrdWay favored the New Hampshire
law, which was to abolish all licenses and have
a board of equalization; to compel citizens to
return their property under oath and to tax it
uniformly; to have the law stringent and have
it enforced; to make adequate penalties to
reach those who fail to make returns and to
give assessors the authority to estimate the
values OF property not returned. He said that
in New Hampshire such law had been in force
ten at over fifteen million OF invisible property
never before returned.
Mr.. Neal-YOur New Hampshire law is only
copy Of the Ohio law. We have our county
assessors make the assessments, and their ap-
pra1Sal have an appeal to state board Of equal
iZatton whose decision is final.
Mr. sCHADE ON SUNDAY LAWS.
Mr. Louis Schade then called attention to GER
tain sections which impose not merely penalty
for selling, for instance glass of beer on Sum
day, but deprived the restaurant keeper of his
license after the second offence. He claimed
that the sunday law was unconstitutional, mas
much as the Constitution does not permit Con-
gress to pass laws establishing religion. II Sum-
day laws were defended as measures for the
preservation of health and order, they must be
uniform and comply to all trades and labor. H.
did not think that anything could be injurious
to health one day which was allowed for six
consecutive days. He asked II nothing else
could be done to at least deprive the law of un-
necessary and harsh features such as fOrfeiting
the license after second OffenSe.
The committee adjourned at noon. 1t is quite
probable that the committee will adopt the
Ohio plan of reaching what they call '.invsible
property"