National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-05
THE Personal TAX.
What Representative Business nIen OF the
DlstrIot AnY Of u.

What Representative Business NIen OF the
District sny Of IL.
Following up tho movement began in THE
REPUBLICAN Thursday of presenting TO It's
readers the opinions Of representative busi-
ness men Of the district in relation to the
proposed change from personal tax to n
system of license REpupLrChN reporters have
elected the views of great number Of gem
tlemen, of whom the following are samples
Mr. W. A. Gordon, the lawyer. said " / am
heartily in favor Of the license system, for the
personal tax keeps money away from the
city mud works uneqnally IN the matter OF
collecting. A merchant disposed TO be dis
honest in returning statement Of his profits
can do SO. II it We're abolished the people
that make their home here for u part Of the
year would remain all the time and invest IN
real estate lt also prevents people here
from investing in real estate ! think the
proposed lcouso decided improvement on
the personal tax"
Mr.. II. c. Fox, of Fitch, Fox 81 Brown, said .
81 know strangers who are here with money
in their pockets who wou Id invest in real
estate were it not for this perso nal tax. |
think the license method the best for the
business mon and citizens, aud will heartily
cooperate with them in securing the abolish
ment OF the personal tax
Mr.. Ruotf, the halter and firrier, said I:
Tho difficulties arising from the collection
of this personal tax would be avoided by the
license system | am In favor of a system of
taxation similar to that prevailing in Phila-
dolphia. Tho license system would be safer,
both for tho people and the district and
would be equal 10 an increase Of 80 per cont.
in the business here"
Mr.. b. I'll Steinmct2 the halter and furrier,
said am In favor OF the license method,
aud there is no better illustration of the i'm.
propricty Of tho personal tax than the fact
OF the commissioners being opposed to IL. 1t
is not just tax. 4 man may conduct his
business here aud live five or six miles IN the
country, and the whole taxation must
be borne by tho resident merchants. |
should think that the trouble which this tax
has caused is in itsclfa proof of its injustice.
Tho license method would also remove the
difficulties in collecting 1t. Yes ! am in
favor of the license system. Let each and
every one pay his license"
MIR. w. q. Craploy, West Washington drug
gist, said, 81 don't like this personal tax, aud
am in favor of tho license system. | think
however. that druggists pay too much license,
and this should bo rcmeded as we furnish
tho poor people with medicine, and should
not be taxed for it. OF course we should be
taxed for selling liquor and cigars but not for
selling medicine. The personal tax is an
odious one and j think the druggists and
everybody else VIII welcome tne tllne OF lts
adjustment"
Mr.. Anthony Hyde said 81 think this
personal tax system an outrage. 1t has been
the means of keeping many people from COM
ing to this city and settling here. 1t is an
unfair system Of taxation, and oGers no ad-
vantage for progression to the business men,"
Mr.. II. ID. Cooke, jr., said: This personal
tax Keeps great deal of money from this
city, and is unfair. 1t also keeps people from
coming to this city and settling or investing
in property. because, unlike other cities, per-
sons investing in real estate here lose u per
cent. 1t is also safe to say that for this reason
the citizens do not invest in district securi-
ties, there being very little profit in them.
stranger, however, can invest in them, and
reap the full benefit This system reminds
mo of the old income tax in vogue many
years ago. think that one class of business
men could afford to pay the full license for
the money it would bring here"