The critic. (Washington, D.C.) 1890-1891, 1891-03-20
DISTRICT FINANCES.

A wise man of old said that there are
only two things certain in this world,
death and taxes. The former can com
but once but the latter, like the poor, are
always with us in some form or other.
We pay taxes in some shape from birth to
burial.
In this District we pay taxes on real and
personal property to the District Govern
ment in two semi.annual installments, in
May and November. The idea in dividing
il into two payments is to make II easier
on the payer. But does il have that effect
in practice2 Collector DAVIS is decidedly
Of the opinion that the taxes should be
collected in one payment. He says that
his experience shows that many persons
pay their taxes in May and think they
have paid for the whole year, and
learn their mistake only when they
find their name advertised in the
delinquent list with the legal penalty and
cost Of advertising added. Those who make
this mistake most frequently are those
who can the least afford TO pay the addi-
fional amount, persons of moderate means
who own small property. If the taxes
were all to be paid at one time this extra
cost would not be entailed upon any one
without his knowledge. II would be in
CURED only by those who knowingly
failed to pay. There would be no chance
Of any ones paying halt or any part of
his tax under the impression that he had
paid all of it. And, once paid, the matter
would be concluded for that year.
Auditor PETTY favors the plan of pay
ing all the taxes at one time, but for a
different reason. AS the law now stands,
the Government pays one-half the
amounts appropriated for the main
tenance of the District Government. If
the District revenues fall short, the Cen
eral Government scales its share accord
ingly. This has once caused trouble
some deficiency, and is a constant menace
II the taxes were collected all at once
Congress would know what the revenues
of the District were, and could make the
appropriations fit them.
Another thing which is source of
danger is the requirement that all the
moreys collected for taxes shall go into the
Treasury, there to remain tied up until they
are released by the slow process of draw
lug them out to meet the expenditures of
the District Government scattered along
over the entire year. Collector DAVIS
thinks the danger to business interests of
the District, by the withdrawal from cir
culation of 50 much money, could be OBJ
waited by an act of Congress authorizing
the deposit of this money in certain
designated repositories. There are anum-
ber of national banks in this city which
could act in this capacity. The money
could and would, II so deposited, flow
back into the channels of trade by the
usual methods. If, for instance, this
method had been in vogue last November
when more than million of dollars col
lected for taxes were withdrawn from cir
culation and locked mp in the Treasury
the banks would not have been compelled
10 stop discounting commercial paper
thus nearly precipitating financial
panic. The money deposited in the ma
tional banks, under proper safeguards,
would be practically just as safe as II is a
the National Treasury. And it would be
where the people needing it in bushes.
could get the use of it,
These are questions nearly affecting tn,
business interests of the people of this city
and District, and are worthy of the closes
and deepest consideration. The opinions
Of such able and experienced officials a.
Mr.. DAVIS and Mr.. PETTY will count fol-
much in the proper determination of thes,
questions,