Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-02-25
DISTRICT GOVERNMENT.

OBJECTIONS TO THE DRUMMERs' TAX BILL.
The Commissioners yesterday forwarded the
following response relative to House bill IL 1872 to
suspend the operation in certain cases Of the
statute Of limitations in force in the District of
Columbia: The Commissioners have to state
that the only reasons against the bill are:
First. The general benefit that comes from q
limitation OF litigation.
Second The estimated amount which will
probably be required to meet the claims under
this bill, if it should be enacted, would be 40
large that in the present straitened condition
of the Districts resources it would embarrass
the administration Of the District government
to hquidate it.
Third. The legal adviser Of the Commission
ers suggest probability that the majority Of
these claims have passed into the possession Of
SPECTATORS. Your committee will be able with
out advice from the Commissioners to Judge of
the force of that position. The Commissioners
know nothing of the fact, however. on that
point, Altogether the Commissioners cannot
feel authorized to recommend favorable action
upon the bill at this time. 1t may not be inap-
propriate to add that the District has suffered
so often and SO largely from the operation of
the same statute that it would but seem a
species Of equity to give it the benefit Of that
defense.
The bill referred to is the one which author
ICES the repayment of the drummers' tax, which
it has been held the Commissioners had no
right to exact.
MATTER TO BE INVESTIGATED.
Mr.. ]. W. Tyrer has written letter to the
Commissioners in which he calls attention to
the fact that on the 18th day Of January last as
he was leaving his home he found one of the
District policemen lying in the street in front
Of his house, 1906 New Hampshire avenue,
seemingly in an epileptic fit. He took from
his pocket his whistle and blew the regular dis
tress call, which he says he repeated at close
intervals for more than half an hour without
receiving any response. Finally an officer off
Of duty who was on 18th street came over to
see what was wanted, and with his aid they
took the sick man in the house and kept him
from freezing and then sent for patrol wagon,
which took another half an hour to arrive. He
says he gives the Commissioners these facts in
order that they may have some idea Of the ne
cessity Of providing for the proper patrol Of
this section, which now seems to be left entirely
to itself for protection. The Commissioner
will have the matter investigated.
THE INSURANCE BUREAU BILL.
Some time ago the Commissioners submitted
to the attorney for the District draft of pro-
posed substitute for House bill No. 9O45 for the
establishment of an insurance bureau, &C., for
his opinion as to the ACCESSIBILITY Of its enact
ment The original bill submitted by Repre-
sentative Burton, the Commissioners say, was
too cumbersome and complicated and involved
unnecessary expense. The attorney has SUBJ
mitted his opinion. in which he says that he
has not had an opportunity to examine the in
surance bureau bill and il unable to pass upon
its merit, but the proposed substitute with its
provisions seems to him, if enacted, to be a
very efficient and complete law for this District
on the subject of regulation Of insurance COM
panies.
FIRE INSURANCE AGENCY TAX.
Under the existing laws governing fire insur.
ance in the District Of Columbia it is provided
that each company chartered outside Of the
District shall pay license tax of S15 for the
privilege Of doing business here, and u further
| tax Of per cent on the gross premiums col
lected. For number of years several CON-
panies have established duplicate and triplicate
agencies in this city. In a letter to the Com
missioners today Messrs. Robertson 4 Blackford
say that in some cases these duplicate
agencies have been required to pay the license
tax in each instance. After a careful examine
ton Of the law they say that they are unable to
find any authority for the collection Of more
than one annual license. They ask to be en-
| lghtened on the subject SO that they can in
| form the board of underwriters.