Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-03-09
IN FINANCE COMMITTEE.
Wholesale Grocers and Others Pre-
sent Their Petitions,
ASKING THAT THEY BIZ RELIEVED
From What They Term an Oppressive and
Unjust Burden.
SEVERAL MEMBERS ARGUE OTHERWISE


before the Finance Committee, and will be
settled one way or the other in short
time. The decision will not be reached,
however, without considerable debate, as
both its friends and enemies are numbered
among the members of the committee.
At meeting of the Fina nee Committee
yesterday afternoon the claims of the busi-
ness men were presented by the following
committee from the Wholesale Grocers' As
sociation: John Haworth. w. K. Gillespie,
George Dilworth, j. S. Arnold E. S. Earle
and Joseph r. Hunter, the Secretary of the
association. Chairman Magee announced
that if there were no objections the gentle
men would be given permission to state
their side of the case. This was agreed to,
and Mr. Gillespie took the floor. He pre-
sented the following petition from the
wholesale grocers:
Want the Tax Taken on
TO the Financial Committee of Pittsburg Councils:
The Wholesale Grocers' Association, of
Pittsburg, respectfully represent: That the
business tax is burdensome. 1t was levied
for Il specific object which does not now
exist; it is inquisitorial; it is not borne
equally and cannot be fairly assessed; it
drives business from the city; it taxes the
gross receipts: it is levied upon resident
business houses only; business adds to the
value of property, hence business should
not be fettered by this tax. Foreigners
locate in some hotel and sell merchandise to
the amount of millions of dollars without
paying this tax. This is unjust to the citi-
zens. Goods manufactured here pay a tax
originally and go through second and third
hands, each dealer paying this tax, the city
therefore getting two and three taxes on
the same products. We, therefore, in view
of these facts. respectfully ask your honor
able body to abolish this tax.
Attached to the foregoing was a set of
resolutions passed at meeting held Febru-
ary 10, of the Paint, Oil and Drug Club. 1t
read:
Operates Double Tax.
WHEREAS, The tax imposed by the city of
Pittsburg on sales operates as double tax,
being paid by wholesale and retail dealers
on practically the same business, and is un-
just to the mercantile community, besides
being contrary to rhe spirit of our general
laws and the institutions of a free govern
ment. having a tendency to defeat the OBJ
iect it was designed to accomplish, the in
crease of revenues, since it removes all in
ducement for parties to engage In business
in this city and thus become general tax
payers.
Whereas, The immunity from such taxa
tion of the business interests Of fneighboring
and competing cities enables their mer-
chants to ira nsact business here through
their travelling agents withou. taxation OF
any kind to the great detrinent OF the deal
ers and manufacturers of this city; there
fore, be it
tax will simply serve as an incentive for
many of our firms to remove their business
to locations outside the city limits retaining
their trade in Pittsburg through the me-
Olnm branch offices tIaVallnU AGENTS.
and,
Their Interests Demand 1t.
Resolved, That we, as an association and
in our individual capacity, respectfully urge
the repeal of q tax on sales known as city |
business tax on every ground of justice and |
equity this action being necessary for the
proper protection of the business interests OF
this city.
Still another document was attached,
signed petition on the subject. which read:
To the Honorable Members of Select and Common |
Councils of the City of Pittsburg:
GENTLEMEN-we, the undersigned, whole
sale merchants of this city, would respect
fully ask you to repeal tax, known as the
mercantile business tax, on sales. believing
that it would encourage trade and prove a
mutual benefit.
This was signed by the following firms:
Arbuthnot, Stephenson & Co.. William T.
Hackett & Co, Renwick. Ellis & Co., Gregg
4 Elliott, Heyl Jones, McGora Co.
Laird Ray. Logan, Gregg Co., r. P. Wal |
lace & Co., Wolf, Lane & Co., Joseph Wood |
well & Co, Pittsburg News Company, Acker |
Lauer Haworth 4 Dewhurst, L. Goldsmit, |
Bros. & Co., NJ. Borne & Co.. H. F. Cimiotti, |
Joseph Rauh & Co, L. Fl. Smith w. w. Co., |
Cheney, Rea & Co, Joseph r. Hunter, The r.
u w. Jenkinson Co.
The City Is Rich Enough.
Mr.. Gillespie named over the points in |
the wholesalers petition and stated that in |
his opinion the city .sas rich enough now
to abolish the tax.
Mr.. Robertson wanted to know how many
members of the Wholesale Grocers' Asso-
citation live in Pittsburg. This was un-
answered and he continued: 81 believe
at least one-third of our business men live
outside the city, and if this tax is taken off
they will have absolutely nothing to pay
toward supporting the city in which they
gain their wealth."
To this MI. Keating took exception, say
ing: at does not matter whether a man
lives in the city or not just so he contrib
utes to the prosperity of the place by hav-
ing his business established here. He
should be made welcome He increases the
value OF city realty. Some years ago the
CITY BoI lubo CeDt, anu InlS TAX was neceS- |
sary to help it out. While did all could
to get it reduced from ~ mills to mill, as
it now is, l have always hoped, and do yet,
that it will not be removed entirely until
the city is free from debt. Nevertheless,
we have here the representatives of large
number of business men, whose claims
should not be lightly cast aside by u.s.
Mf Donley here announced that he had
q few pointers to give. He wanted to state
that it was unfair to tax regu-
lar business concerns and not those who
come into the city perhaps once a month,
make big transactions and then leave. Then
Mr. Donley rambled from the subject, and
was called to order SO that Mr.. Bigham
could speak. The latter said:
Not Sure Which Tax 1t Is.
81 have been considerably alarmed over
repeated statements that manufacturers are
being driven out of the city by heavy taxes.
The question is whether it is the business
lax or the tax on property"
Chairman Magee said he must protest |
against such stories going abroad unless the
names of some of their authors could be given.
Mr.. Bigham said there were several cases
where the parent plant remained in the
,ity, while the overflow, usually larger
han the parent, was taken away He cited
he Carnegie interests as an example.
Mr.. Donley, who had been waiting to
get chance to speak, then got the floor
md said: "a lot of petty annoyances,
'uch as vehicle licenses, etc, are more re-
ponsibIe for the removal of big concerns
han anything else. These, and other
schemes to pinch people, should be taken |
If and nothing lett but the tax on realty"
Mr. King moved tn refer the Ynstter IA