Morning journal and courier., 1886-03-06

A Small Artendance i'm Both Houses
 Next Week to be a Busy One-A Field
 Day for Woman Stu ufraglsts-The Tax
 OommissIoner Makes Preliminary
 Report Important Changes Pro.
 posed i'm Tax Methods-ether Mat
 ters of Interest.
 HARTFORD, March 5, 1886. Special to the JOURNAL AND COURIER.
 Empty chairs in both houses were very noticeable this morning, many of the mem bers of both branches of the General Assem- bly, having gone to their homes on Thursday night to remain over Sunday. As conse- quence many matters on the calendars that were ready for action went over until next week owing to the absence of chairmen of the committees. Next week will be one of the busiest of the session. The numerous reports of committees that have been accu- mulating for the past week and the two days intervening before the legislature comes in on next Tuesday afternoon will give the printers an opportunity to get the bills printed and ready for action so that lively work may be confidently expected.
 The first hearing before the Committee on Cities and Boroughs on the Senate joint res olution authorizing the Fair Haven and Westville horse railroad company to lay an additional track will be held next Tuesday after adjournment and will be continued on Wednesday. The Finance committee will at the same time give a final hearing on the bill limiting the contracting of indebtedness by towns. Next week on Wednesday the women suffragists will have "feld day" on the bill providing that all wo- men of twenty-one years of age otherwise qualified may vote in presi- dential, town, city, borough or school district elections. This will be the first meet ing of the Woman Suffrage committee and it will no doubt be an interesting one, as prom inent advocates of the right of women to vote are expected from different parts of the State, and perhaps some from abroad. In Senator Staub, the Senate chairman Of the Suffrage committee, the ladies will find gentleman who will listen patiently to their grievances and act on his convictions with out reference to what others may think or say Tee arding his course of action. Tn other words, he is fair man and conscientious legislator
 The Memorial day" bill, which gives lOH4IS to uPPIOpAlaIO IIloAOy Ao1 IAO observance of that day and which passed the House this morning, gives general satisfac- tion to the old soldiers. Heretofore towns have not had this right, and the expense has had to be borne principally by the Grand Army posts, which in some instances has been burden to them, especially in small country towns where their numbers are few.
 The preliminary report of the tax commis- 1 sion came into the House to-day through the | chairman of the Finance committee. It was | not read, but was referred back to the Fiji 1 lance committee and 2,000 copies were tered printed for the use of the House.
 The report says that the first defect in our present. system consists in inequality of taxa ion. The statutes require all taxable prop rty to be assessed at the ''fair market value hereof and not it's value at forced or auc- ion sale," but 1t is notorious that in no ase do the assessors value real estate at what hey think it is fairly worth. On the con rary, they first make this appraisal of it's ac- ual value and then put it in the list at cer- ain proportion of such appraisal. ranging rom 25 to 75 per cent. Similar reductions re made in valuing personal property. This is n abuse of long ste nding and is based on he fact that as each town pays State tax of fixed percentage the towns that figure down | heir grand lists to the lowest point will pay he least to the State. If there were no such State tax it would not affect the taxpayers n any town to have their property listed t its full value, as the higher the valuation he less the taxation.
 Appended to the report is table com oiled by the comptroller showing the items making up the grand list of the State for he twenty-one years preceding 1884. The naccuracy of the returns and the bat 6A bnr Of hos haay, I argely increased in the last ten years, yet he total number returned on the ssessment lists fell from over 1O6,- % in 1877 to less than 95,000 in 0S3, though their assessed value rose over 0,000, 900 during the same period.
 The report reeites the various attempts nd failures to deal with the question and uotes from the reports of the several pre- ous tax commissions, drawing the conc1u- on that the people of the State have not oked with favor on any attempt l ) give State officers power to lquire into and set aside the assessments of ,wn officers. But one remedy appears to .maiu and that is to change the system of Dportionment. The commission sees no lMculty in accomplishing this change, with tile disturbance to the existing order of | lings, by a resort to population a basis contribution.
 Wishing to obtain an expression of the will | ade before proceeding further the commis- on appends an act which embodies the sug- .stions given above, the basis of the State K in towns being the number of school lildren
 Following is summary of the business ansacted in the Senate and House to-day: |
 The Senate. II The Senate was called to order at 1O:4s by Lieu nant Governor Cooke. Prayer was offered by 1 $ of( I omitted favorable report to bill preventing pay ent of money from State treasury unless for a S ecific appropriations act It was taD.ed for cal dar and printing. I Say brook may hold S1a0Co instead of s4.ooo of rated New Britain may issue s5o,ooo G of dd addi nal sewer bonds. West Stratford borough may V addtonal @ aie6'S for me dsa5ed 8ltI
 stian ass association of Meriden were @ tsbled. Ths for grade crossings was called up by Senator lsidered and the bill tabled again by Senator 1 6 The Meriden sewerage bill was recommitted by At 11:25 Senator Mclean moved to adjourn to xt Friday at o'clock, the House had voted te f, journ to that time. | ~ Senator Chapman opposed the hour, as it spoiled n ernoon was useless too, two afternoons were 1 S :enator Mclean said the Senator was riebt. but ls } fault with the House. e lis motion prevailed. T
 The House. a he House called to order at 10 o'clock by | s' eaker Tibbitts. Prayer was offered by Chaplain whey. C business from the Senate having been passed up- F in concurrence the calendar was taken up. = 'hiefs of police of cities and seectmen of towns { re authorized 10 license pawnbrokers and junk fl .lerS.
 he bill amendatory of the probate laws which II part healing act correcting certain existing ors passed.
 joint committee of two Senators and three Rep- W