Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1884-01-10
THE NEW LICENSE BILL.
An Objection by ihe Street Railroad
Companies.
CONFERENCE WITH THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS

An Objection by ihe Street Railroad
Companies.
CONFERENCE WITH THE DISTRICT COMMISSIONERS.
MI. Hurt, the president or the Washington ana
georgetown Railroad company. Mr. c. L. Glover.
and other gentlemen Interested IN the street rail-
road companies waited upon Commissioner West
this morning TO urge their objections against that
portion or the proposed license hill relating 10
street railroads Objection Is made 10 the provision
placing IL within the power OF the Com
missoners TO regulate the running time OF
the roads As result OF the Interview invitations
We're sent out 10 the repreSy itiys OF the street
railroads 10 conference with the District Com
miSsoners tomorrow N twelve O'Clock. The
gentlemen present this morning stated their
Willingness TO have time table fixed by act ~ Con-
greSS or even fixed by the District Commissioners
providing II WAS not subject 10 change.
They objected also to so much power as
was proposed IN the new bill. being placed in the
hands OF District Commissioners. Who might he
unduy Influenced by complains against the roads,
or In c. - commissioner WAS interested IN street
railroad stocks, might his Official power the
detrfment OF a road. Mr.. West Acknowledged that
there was reason in The objection made. While IL
might be inpoiitic TO place the power described In
the hands OF the Commissioners, Mr.. West thinks,
on the other hand, tha, The matter should not be
LETT 10 the companies themselves.
More Opinions Of Cilizeus.
Mr.. GEORGE BoNEIFf.
confectoner, on Virginia avenue southwest IL In
favor OF the proposed new law in place OF the per-
Sonal tax law.
MESsRs. sHAFFER & cIE,Ry,
commission merchants. on Louisiana avenue, say
the proposed new law Is Just the thing, as IL rIds
the taxpayers ri the personal tax.
Mr.. GEo. W. OYSTER
the we'll known butter merchant, said to STAR re-
porter this morning that he is IN favor OF every
body who does trading business paying license
even II they be clerks IN the government deparf-
mentS. The personal tax system never WAS the
right way To collect District revenues for the r-
son that Ii was never enforced and could not be-
ana many any business men who formerly PAID license
at all, neither personal nor license
MEsSKS. MILLER & YEaGrR,
commission merchants. state that they do not
favor the change made in the law FOR commission
merchants. for the reason that the urenS. Is in
creased. and at the same time restrictions re N lda
upon them as to the manner OF 1r1uS3,.ripr rLair
business Under the present law. commission mer-
chants are required 10 pay $40. and II the same
time they have the liberty Ia go out among their
friends and customers and sell their goods OF.
rather. let them know what they have got. This
right 1t Is now proposed 10 deny them.
Nh. NJ. }. OWENS.
dealer IN butter and eggs under Ford : Opera
house. says he fees quite Indifferent about the
question at issue.
MR. J. c. ERGoop
wholesale grocer Louisiana avenue SAWS his license
has been doubled under the proposed new bin. yet
he is perfectly willing TO stand IT. rather than sub
nit TO the inquisitorial personal tax law He
ravors the proposed change. and VIII say nothing
agai INST IL.
druggist. PENNSYLVANIA avenue says he is In favor
OF abolishing the personal tax law.
MR. SHIILISGToS.
the book Seller, SAYS he was opposed to the per
sona tax at first. and went 10 see Governor perni-
son about IT, opposing Il, and advocated the license
law at that time
Mr. c. NArEs,
hotel and restaurant keeper SAYS he Is IN favor Of
the license system If strictly enforced lie thnkSit
viii be great benefit 10 the continuity and TO bus
tneSS generally.
MEssRs MnERMorT BROS
carriage makers. say that they In entire accord
with the general sentiment: they believe the per-
sona tax should be abolished and the I.crnSe system
prevail. THIS is the most satisfactory way TO tax
the people.
Mr.. GEORGE HOLMES.
restaurant, said. although IL would Increase his
license, he believed IN the proposed plan and would
always advocate It I'm lieu OF the personal tax lie
knew OF no one in his line OF business who would
oppose it.
WIN. F. HOFFMAN,
attorney and real estate agent. said the personal
tax as collected or attempted to be collected here
was perfect sham. and the best way was 10 do
away with IT, 'As understand the BILL" he said
for have not vet read IL carefully the scope OF it
Is To DO away with the personal tax and raise the
revenue by licenses That Is a good scheme, and I
believe that ii viii result I'm bringing investors to
the city. There are many persons who come here
tempted 10 collect the personal tax from them. and
believe that II there is no such tax here many in
vestments Will BE- made In buyng ami Erecting resi-
dences must say that certainly like the scheme
OF the bin"
W. C. MrRDock,
contractor states that he favOrs the license system
In lieu OF the personal tax for raising the wind
Another thing he favors is the adjustment OF the
eral taxes "This he said. lis the almost general
feeling, but one to express themselves; Fl
IS an extortion which no municipal government
should ever exercise
Mr.. GEORGE B. HARRISON,
formerly brick manufacturer, said he is much
pleased with the bill especially as It will result n
the doing away OF the personal tax.
wM. PILLING,
retired builder and farmer. remarked that he could
see no objection 10 the BILL and he believed It's pas
sage would do much toward inducing investment
here.
Mr.. A. II. sTocKMaN,
stationer said that he preferred license bill IN al
most any form rather than the personal tax clause
J. G. CARROLL
butcher) thinks the present bill the most equi
table that be prepared. II is no use OF taking
the burden off the rich and putting it the poor
and he thinks the proposed bill viii be a hardship
The present system is good enough
Mr.. F. sAUM,
wholesale Hour merchant, Louisiana avenue. SAYS
he always believed In the license system. and he
also believes that the main trouble with the per-
Sonal tax law was, that the rate too high II IL
had been fixed at 80 cents the hundred dollars
instead Of $780, the results would have been that
the District would have received much more reve-
nue. under IL than now, and there would have been
no grlmbng. The tax should have been nominal.
There seems 10 be disposition TO crowd the poor
man. Ali the carts and wagons used by the street
arabs and peddiers are now TO be- taxed. yet there
ere hundreds OF costly carriages kept by wealthy
citizens, and not word is said about them There
are other Objectionable points In the proposed new
bill which should be eliminated before IL becomes
law.
Mr.. JOHN n. CRANE,
commission dealer, says the law proposed is a bad
one I'm many respects He believes In free local
trade and restrictions such is In existence In
most New England cities and towns man should
be allowed to sell goods and merchandise without
restraint by any license law. The poor have 10 pay
the taxes after all Here they propose 70 tax COM
mission merchants $50 (now $40, and to restrict
them TO sell everything In their own premises.
Thus: II q merchant has lot OF perishable goods
consigned to him, he must wait until customer
comes along to purchase them. otherwise the goods
will be lost. This is wrong and old fogyish The
theory OF the change is to shit the tax from the
wealthy to the poor mans shoulders
The Rise I'm the River.
The signal corps station at Harper's Ferry reports
this afternoon six inches rise In the river since a