Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1880-03-09
The District in Congress.
.OLIDAYS IN THE DISTRICT

! pirate legislative action.
The District in Congress.
| HOLIDAYS IN THE DISTRICT.
Senator Burnside to-day presented petition
| from bankers and bank employees of the District
| asking that Inauguration day be made legal
| holiday, and that law be passed providing
| day TO be observed instead Of legal holidays
| when they fall on sunday.
BILL TO PUNISH BLACKMAIIING.
! A bill was introduced in the House yesterday
| by Mr.. Covert, of New York, and referred to the
| judiciary committee, which enacts: THAT from
| and after the passage of this act, every person
| who SHALL in the District of Columbia, either
| verbally or by written or printed communlca-
| tiOn threaten to accuse another of any offenSe
| against the laws of any state or OF the United
States, or OF any act involving moral turpitude,
| with intent thereby to eXtOrt money, property
| or other pecuniary benefit whatever, shall, upon
| conviction, be sentenced to suffer Imprisonment
| in the penitentiary for term not less than one
nor more tt.an ten years"
| MORAL AND SOCIAL SCIENCE IN THE PUBLIC
SCHOOLS.
| The bill passed by the Senate yesterday to in
troduce moral and social science into the public
schools of the District, was introduced in March,
| 1879, by Mr.. Burnside 1t provides that the
school officers shall give instructions in the ele
| ment or social and moral science: shall once
| week give short oral lesson on some one Of the
| social OF moral virtues characteriZing the good
| citizen, and require the pupils to furnish
| thoughts or illustrations of the same; that the
| commissioner of education shall direct the Ope
! rat1ons under the act. and report the result In
| his annual statement; and that emulation shall
| be cherished between the pupils In accumulat-
traits possible and In illustrating them by their
| daily conduct. The last named clause was
stricken out in committee, but refnserted in the
| Senate. Mr. Burnside said there had been
| considerable merriment overthe bill, but he was
| not afraid OF being laughed at when he thought
| he was doing good deed, though perhaps the
members OF the committee had stricken out the
| provision referred to from fear ofridicule.
TAXATION IN THE DISTRICT.
| A petition to the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatiyeS numerously signed by prominent
| business men Of the District, was presented in
| the Senate to-day on the subject of taxation
! They say: ''Your memorialists, approving the
present form OF government OF the District Of
| Columbia, most respectfully represent that
they are citizens Of said District and owners of
real and personal property therein. Although
| gress to impose and collect taxes off the people
OF said District, yet they submit that it is
the duty of Congress to impose and col
| noXlouS and oppressive to the people and
least injurious TO their material interests. :
| Yourmemorialists fully acknowledge the liberal
| government to the payment OF moiety OF the
| expenses incident to the administration of the
affairs OF said District, but express the hope
| that the remaining moiety may be collected by
| the citizens OF the District in manner most
consonant with their wishes and least injurious
to the various businesses OF its people: They
feel safe in assuring Congress that If this privi-
| lege be accorded the entire tax demanded will
be promptly collected Reasons in support Of
| this proposition are submitted, and the petition
| says "TaX laws should not only be as liberal
as possible but should be enforced as far as
| possible without harshness and injustice = =
congress, by its act OF June 20, 1874 created
| certain bonds of the District, which now aD-
| proximate S15,00O,O0O, and exempted them from
| all federal. state and municipal taxation. The
| wealthy can afford to invest their capital in
| these and the ordinary bonds OF the general
| government, and thus escape wholly the bur-
| then Of taxation, whilst the citizen of modern
means must keep his capital invested in active
! business and pay more than his fair proportion
OF this burthen. Your memorialists frankly
| concede that this result under existing laws is
unavoidable, yet insist that judicious system
| of assessment. While it does not remove the
burthen, renders it less Injurious and oppres-
| siye, and therefore commend to your favor
able consideration the license system and
property. The license system has long been
tried and found sufficient and efficaciouS here.
| Our fathers adopted it, continued it, and pros
| pered under it. May we not reasonably hope
that it will be productive of good In the future?
| The government OF the United States derives
| considerable revenue from this people by her
| fully paid that those not directly interested
| scarcely know of their existence. Why not
| therefore. incorporate the same salutary prin-
ciple INTO the present pending "tax bill" SO
| to be raised from personal property? 1t
| Is received political axiom that all laws should
be SO reasonable as to secure II possible the
| moral sentiment of the community upon which
they operate to assist in their enforcement.
Your Inemol1alsts most respectfully submit
hill pending in the House OF Representatives,
that they are advised has received the approval
OF the ma ajOrity Of the members of the commit
tee {, on the psfrict + Of Columbia Of that body
unknown powers of inquistion. The assessor
Is clothed with such sanct1ty that neglect or
refusal to answer his questions, however imper-
tlnent or offensive, is declared a grave misde-
meanor, punishable by fine and imprisonment
In the common Jail. Unusual powers of dis
Irant and summary sale are given TO the col
lector, and even the cradle of the child, the bed
OF the invalid, and clothing of the family may
be seized and sold without the Intervention OF
the courts: The humane exemption laws and
laws abolishing imprisonment for debt, that
have stood as monuments of the humanity of
former Congresses, are to fall before the ruth
less provisions OF this bill. A former admit
tedly fmprovident act of Congress closed the
doors OF Justice against citizens desiring
to contest the validity OF one class OF taxes,
ana now this bill proposes to open them on con-
bill, with attending penalties and costs, how
ever invalid or erroneous, are first paid
In justice 1t should be remembered that since.
the adjustment of our municipal corporations
by the act OF Congress approved February 2l.
1871. the officers appointed by Congress have
expended immense sums In making our cities
WoiCuy vi ILLS great udtlOu, bldG our ClIl-
zens have cheerfully borne their full share
Some, however, have been crushed to the earth
under the burthen. 1t is this class that will
suffer most from the fines, penalties, and i'm
prlsonments OF this draconian bill. The cost of
administering our little government is already
su1hclently great, its officers are already suf1i-
GENTLY numerous, its machinery already suf1i-
Gently complex. and yet this bill proposes to
increase cost, officers. and administrative ma
municipality to put on The huge arrnor of
the giant western state so ably repre-
sented by the father of this bill
Whereupon your memorialists humbly but ear
nestly pray that tax bill may be passed by
your honorable bodies not only Just In it's pro-
visions, but in harmony with the wishes Of our
people and In accord with the humane spirit OF
modern civilization. And in that event your
memorialistS feel that they may safely promise
that the people OF this District will cheerfully
and promptly pay more than the amount de-
manded OF personal property visible and In
visible.
NOMINATIoNS.-The President sent the fol-
lowing nominations to the Senate TODAY. Vim