Evening star., 1880-01-22
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
The Tax Question,

NJ. Editor: have read with much interest
the article 6y -. a: B.. on the Question OF
stated the situation is as follows: 1t is necessary
to raise certain amount OF revenue by some
form OF taxation The reports OF the treasurer
and assessor OF the District for 1879, show that
the present law has never produced sufficient
sum and that IL decreases yearly.
1t has become necessary to enact a new law,
and a committee OF our most prominent busi-
ness men, ably representing the people OF the
District, has carefully furnished license bill
which will yield from sources other than real
estate, annually over $500 900, twice the amount
that can be raised under any other system,
This bill is most equitable in its features, and
nearly all Of our people lend it their approval.
On the other hand, Mr.. Neal, OF the House
committee OF the District, has offered
bill embodying the worst features OF the in
quistorial personal tax, dlStasteful TO all OF our
here. II the Neal bill becomes a law the pros
perity OF our city will be greatly endangered We
are not commercial or manufacturing people;
we depend for support largely upon what is
known as the floating population. The progress
OF events is rapidly transforming Washington
into center OF culture and wealth. People or
means who scatter broadcast over the country
during the summer are making Washington
their..winuer home. Each season sees larger in
flux OF this class. BY the purchase of property
they are becoming Identified with our interests
and no obstacle tending TO turn the current OF
prosperity should oe permitted to exist. 1t has
been said that the license bill taxes the poor
man and permits the rich TO escape.
This is cry of the demagogue. ~.
A. B. shows by figures that where banks
and bankers now pay but S2S6.2 25 taxes, they
WILL under the license BILL pay 81 900 annually.
But the point important to the laborer me-
chanic, the artizan TO consider, is employment.
Unless general prosperity prevails the income
from his labor Is curtailed, and he will find the
loss from idle days overbalancing the cost of a
license to ply his vocation. 1t is not intended
In this communication to discuss this question,
but to call the attention OF our people TO its
| Importance Two tax bills are now before Con-
| greSs. One prepared by committee Of our
business men, alive to the wants OF the COM
| munity-a bill endorsed by ninety-nine per cent
OF our citizens. The other prepared by gentle
men in no business way Identified with uS-a
bill that has only to be read to be condemned.
one or the other OF these bills will become law.
Shall we remain passive and see the action OF
our representative men cast aside and ourselves
| oppressed by the inquSitOrial personal tax. or
shall we, by recognizing the committee of
one Hundred" try, through active intelligent
work. to convince Congress that we know what
we want and what is best for us? w.
s.The Question of Taxation,
EItor Sar:-Your correspondent, j. A. B.,
in THE STAR OF Saturday, states that the assess
ment of personal property for the year ending
June so, 1879, was estimated TO yield $500 900, OF
which amount $125,O00 was actually collected.
| The revenue from this kind OF property for the
| year ending June 80, 1850, Is estimated at
| $4,000, but your correspondent thinks that not
more than one-half of that amount will be col
| lected. Why has not the full amount of this
| tax been collected, and why will it not be COL
1 lttlSu. rOi lut Slllpit ItdoOu tudJ luc idW Is
| treated as dead letter. When it is known that
the law will not be enforced, 1t is perfectly safe
to say that the tax wall not be collected in full
| Your correspondent thinks that book accounts
ought not TO be made basis OF taxation, be-
cause of bad debts. There is no exemption for
| unproductive real estate, for unoccupied houses,
or for non-paying tenants of real estate. He
says, 1.-THE proposed bill, that of the commit
tee OF twenty one), will apply ajax, so
that every man making money out OF this COM
munity shall contribute his share Of the eX-
penseS of the government" The share OF every
man must be share equal with that Of every
other man, as measured by the amount OF
money he may be making out of the community,
not more than an equal proportion, and not less.
The bill proposes to raise S300, ,000 of which the
banking interest shall pay $1,000. In the
bill spoken OF, the banks are to be
taxed one-tenth OF one per cent. Cap
italizing s300,00 at this ratio will give $780,,
O0O.OOO as the amount OF Invisible :" property,
which is to pay one-tenth of one per cent ON
$780, 900, While sS1 $50, 1856 Of real property,
whether productive or unproductive, is to pay
81, ,297 93225, or at the average rate of 1.47 per
cent. This is new rule OF arithmetic, which
requires one class OF men to pay nearly fifteen
u4.D times as much as another class whose
business is pleasant and profitable Accord
ing to the old rule OF proportion, If SS7, $50 1856
shall pay 81 ,29i 9322 then OOOOO 900 is TO pay
81, ,425, ,1560s. According to the new rule of pro-
portion, $500, 100000 will pay 100000. There
are, as it seems, new rules in arithmetic. 1t
may be that there also new meanings for words.
system ' Of taxation" E6l Equitable" 81 is derived,
not from the noun equus, a horse, but from the
adjective acquuS, equal II this bill be ''equit-
Mr.. Neal says that he proposes to compel the
drones OF the community to pay taxes as well
as the workers. This is good d-fashioned
English. j. p. X.