The Evening critic., 1884-01-30

u
zion is obtained OF tho Commissioners. Sec
ton 81, relating to concerts, lectures, ETC.,
provides that mo license shall be required for
lectures upon science, morality or religion,
whenever the Commissioners shall authorize
such lectures to DO held without such license
II will BIO observed by this that the Commits.
ei0ners arc to DO tho sole Judges as to what
constitutes science, morality or religion. Section
%, relating to steam railroads, provides 'That
companiesowning and occupying nIeestabllsh-
ed general depot In the District OF Columbia,
shall pay an annual license OF $4,000 each'' /
call attention TO tho words
owning ana Occupying an Estab-
lished General Depot
which relieves the road OF which tho chairman
OF the District Committee is president, and
which has an ONCE at tho corner OF Sixth street
and pennsylvania avenue, where IL does an
extensive business from paying any tax what.
ever. The tax on tho Baltimore Potomac
Railroad Is not half OF ono per cent. on the
value OF the lot ana cost OF the improvements
mado at the expense OF tho District for tho use
and benent OF this railroad, all OF which ~ mas
received without paying one cent to the people
for the same, though tho truo lnwardness OF
tho transaction has never yet been explained
With the exception OF banks, street RAILROADS.,
manufacturers OF gas, insurance companies,
dealers In general merchandise, telegraph,
telephone and eloctric.llght compa'
mics, hotels, livery stables, proprietors OF We
printere, no difference Is made between large
or small capital. All the rest OF us are taxed
alike, whether we have capital OF $40 or
doing business, though he may havo paid for
his license whole year In advance, to
Tho Humiliation of Showing IL
as often rs the Commissioners or their agents
call upon him to do so. This section empow-
ers the Commissioners to close up any place
OF business, whether tho occupant has IL
cense or not, whenever In their judgment the
ues IT. s9GS s tbe
returns OF any citizen are underestimated, TO
examine, either In person or by deputy, hls
books and accounts, and to add penalty OF
made nre loss In amount than those shown
by said books. This section is clearly
In violation of section 4 of the
Amendments TO the Consultation
Of tho United States, which reads something
"'The right OF tho people to be secure lie their
persons, houses, papers and enects against
unreasonable searches and seizures shall not
be violated, and no warrant shall Issue but on
probable cause, supported by oath or anlrma.
ton, and particularly describing the place TO
be searched and tho persons or things to be
at will DO seen by this that according to tho
Constitution OF tho United States, before the
Assessor can enter any citizens place OF busi-
ness, to even look at his books, he must first
mako oath that he has probable cause for such
proceeding, and then must give full
description under oath OF the place. to be
and Inngs to 20 atso
ICES the Assessor to walk right over the Con-
stitution and
Seize Any Citizens Books
whenever he chooses TO do so without a war
rant or making any oath at ALL"
"Are you opposed to all licenses? Judge so
from your language"
'tYes, except for three or four KINDS of bust
ness. There was an editorial In last Sundays
Capital that expressed my ideas on this sub
ject. Why should man pay for tho privilege
OF getting au honest living Property that
wants protection should pay the expenses OF q
nrOfart n. Dpllay0 this ia the
settled opinion OF the best writer's upon polit.
ical economy the world over. Taking oven
that view Of the question the burden mot OF taxa
property from the rich, the taxes being always
taken into account in fixing the rental"
"Aro you in favor OF
The Personal Tax Law?"
"a personal tax is one thing and tax on
personal properly quito another. l am In
favor OF a Just and sensible tax on personal
property, not such an abortion rs We have had
here, which defeated itself by being loaded
down with all manner OF absurdities. Why
should O man with q million dollars IN cash,
perhaps stolen or obtained by grinding the
lace Oh me poor, escape raAa ahH' wnis poor
brains, are taxed for the privilege OF support
ing their families In occupations that are
beneficial TO the community where they re- e.
support OF this new license bill Is that It Will
Induce retired millionaires to come here aud
| view you had with a minister OF tho Gospel
| who gave this as his only reason for support
| ing this bill. Think OF n follower OF the lowly
| Jesus, who had not where today his head
favoring tax bill on the ground that
\ IL Exenpts Rich Men From Taxa
| ton.
Imagine Jesus who said, st were easier for
camel to 60 through the eye OF needle thar
| for rich man to enter the Kingdom o.
Heaven, favoring tax.bill for Jerusalem tina
| relieved the rich and put the burden of taxa
ton on the poor as an inducement for rlcl
men to make Jerusalem their home"
"Do you think Congress will pass this bill O.
| the Commissioners desire II 2"
81 do, for tho reason that am satisfied tina
the District Committee favor It. ! hear tina
| they have refused to receive delegations o
citizens against tho bill, while, understand
| the Commissioners have free access to them a
all times. Whatever the committees OF the tw
pass, as members have but little time to con
slider questions not referred TO their respectiv
committees, but loaded down as IT is with 10
Justice and oppression, IL Will,
Like the Persennl-Tax Bill, DO I
| Failure.
''Congress is powerful, but there are SOM
things 1t cannot do. Itcannot put padlocks oil
Truths lips or make water run up hill. or tur
backward the tide OF human progress. License
for transactlng ordinary business arc re
quired scarce anywhere except south OF Maso
and Dixon's Line. The large towns and citie
strictions. 1t is q mistaken idea that We benef
ourselves by taxing people from abroad VIII
wish to come here TO sell goods. am
In Favor Of Letting Down the Bar
and giving all free chance. will take m
| chances with the rest. A Washington man ma
go to Boston and sell what he pleases, whe
and where he pleases, but II Boston ma
comes here to sell an article that VIII be 70
our benefit no soon finds himself In a station
house, unless he evades the law by hiring
license OF some commercial agent.
show do you like the way the Commission
ers propose TO get at the amount OF capital II
vested by dealers In general merchandise?
SEQ they state that they Will take the reports
mercantile agencies as basis for getting
the amount these merchants shall pay"
"That seems fair at first; but let us SEQ no
It Will work. merchant, we Will say,
rated by the commercial agencies at 100000
He has SIC, 900 invested In his business; u
other 100000 is In real estate, on which
| pays real.estate tax. Now, according TO Il
rule the Commissioners propose to adopt, tn
merchant would be required TO pay $1,000 z
his license, when he should pay but sbO-h
capital invested being but 10000, thong
his wealth invested In real estate gives hi
a credit of 100000. Under this rule,
| would BIO
Required 10 Pay n Double Tax
, real-estate tax and a license tax-on 800
600; while another merchant who has retiri
, | from business with 81 100000, which he h
invested In personal properly, gets on Wit
out paying ono cent or taxes"
"Would you prefer to go back TO the old {
der OF things whom the people paid tho who
OF the taxes than have the present form
government with one half the taxes paid
, the United Statesg'
. 81 would prefer anything whore tho peoI
rule than the present despotism. The rate
. taxation when we elected our own rulers "
never as much as the one-half we now pt
. IL 10 a mistaken idea that We save anything
this ridiculous partnership with the Unit