Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-24
THE NEW LICENSE BILL.
7ts Provisions and Advantages Ex.
planned by lslc Commissioners.

The PRESENT SYSTEM CONTRAsTED WITH THE ONE
F!:oPasED-Hcw 1T Is PROPOSED TO INCREASE THE
REVENUE, &C.
Briefs OF the Cor, niSsonarS OF the District on the
bill 40 regulate license, in the District OF Colum-
b.a. and for other purposes, have be. sent to the
District committees OF Congress. These include
the letter OF the District Commissioners, published
In yesterdays STAR. concerning liquor MceilscS.
The document gives a recapltulation OF the facts
concerning the imposition OF personal tax i'm the
District as follows The corporations OF washing
ton and Georgetown were consoiit.l"i as the Dis
trict of Colu:.si'ia by act OF Congress Feb
ruary alsl, ISL. Personal taxes at that
date We're assessed at the rate of IS
certs on the 500. The Legislative Assembly
Gi Tho District by an act OF August % 1871. reduced
:nl5 rate To 70 cents. lin consequence Of the in
peale by an act of Congress March 3, 1877, vol. 10.
ps' %.'ji02 and rate OF $50 upon personal prop
eriy established. IL is under that act that personal
taxes are now levied and collected. subject TO the
Ttler provisions of The act OF Congress OF June
1878. "nrovlding permanent form OF government
Tor the District Of Columbia
Your attention Is invited to the views OF the
Commissioners as expressed in their recent annual
report under the headings General Assessments
hereto Senate bill 1860 has been prepared in ac-
corjance NTH those views. modified however by
representations made by all classes OF business
tn tie effect that licenses should be more uni.
versaily required than the Commissioners had
originally contemplated 1t has been accordingly
hsld ttaB the wishes OF those who originally Day an
an equitable allotment OF Such buTthenS has been
Consi leGatey held In view.
Before proceeding TO comment upon the details
THE MEASURE UNDER CONSIDERATION,
it is thought well TO state comparison of the rea-
tive values CT real and personal properties in sew
eral Oh the largest cities OF the United States In
Boston personal property bears the proportion OF
43a per cent TO the real; Baltimore. 32L Der cent:
Chicago 32la per cent; Cincinnati 81 per cent: New
York. 19i4 per cent; Philadelphia, ~ per cent;
Providence. "a per cent and the District Of Colum-
bia 12l, per cent.
The New York returns are denounced as unfair
While Philadelphia's personal taxes limited TO
very few possessions This District, with little
commerce and less manufactures, has nothing kin
dred 10 communities where such advantages con-
stltute a ju5tifiable basis OF impost
Proceeding now to consider the details Of Senate
bill No loco. its effective purpose In revenue sense
is to superSede resource OF S150G0 from personal
taxation tWhen all cOlected). and OF S125,UOO from
licenses heretofore established by law, and TO de-
rive through its operation certainly collectible
SUN OF s:O3COO for the next fiscal year. to be en-
larged with the growth OF the District
In proposing this change no reduction OF the
amount of taxation is contemplated. The stand
ard OF contribution Is not to be lowered; it is ad-
juStad and changed in equitable q manner as
experience NJ full and free conference with all in
tereSts affected thereby suggest; and moreover 1t
is offered by the Commissioners embOdylng In its
general features the wishes and desires or the great
majority OF the people OF the District far as they
have been able TO ascertain them.
An analysis or the returns or personal property
made to the assessor for the present fiscal year
shows the following:
Money, or equivalent securities ~ ssh OOO
Household effects over S5UO. 23S $40
Insurance. gas, steam and horse railroad
and other companies stocks, furniture
IN hcttlS &C.. ..-......-......-...... 5,Oi96i2
Merchandise 4,92430l
Total. sl1. .OSa 44a