Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1892-06-30
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
Single Tax in the District of Columbia.

| bia from the district commissioners.
Congressman johnson believed he had
made as much progress in that direc-
ton as possible. He therefore took up
| new line of operations. He believed
that if the house of representatives
| would examine into taxation matters in
the District of Columbia it would be
| strongly inclined to pass his bill. So ne
| drew up the following resolution for the
| appointment by the speaker of an in
| vestigating committee of three:
! Whereas, The board of assessors are
! about completing an assessment upon
| property in the District of Columbia
| and from an estimate furnished by the
| district commissioners to the committee
on appropriations it appears that this
| new assessment is to exceed the old by
only p per cent; and
| Whereas, Said old assessment on the
| land values alone in the district is $780,
600. 0C0. when it should be more than
$500. CO., 900; this shows an extraordi-
nary differentiation, and what is still
| worse, the greatest injustice between
| the valuation of land used for business
purposes, which in many cases is as
sessed at less than IA per cent of it's
| u value, duI IdIO uScO lOT TSS,cCuCC
purposes, especially where the small
homes are situated, is assessed at from
| 30 to so per cent. of its true value, while
in many cases land held for speculation
, is assessed at less than 10 per cent of
it's true value The foregoing facts
were brought out by an expert vaiua-
ton on enough land in the district to
| furnish an average. a public hearing
was held by the commissioners in which
this subject was thoroughly discussed,
and after 4 careful examination they
say 1.-The figures embraced in these
| showings seem to have been carefully
and conservatively prepared, and
Whereas, The new assessment should
not only show the true value of the
property in lawful money, as required
| by law, but should also preserve an
| equality in assessment of the land in
! different localities, and not bear more
| heavily in sorle sections than in others;
| therefore,
| Be it resolved. that select committee,
consisting of three members, be ap-
! pointed by the speaker, which shall
have power and authority to investigate
| and report upon the method of ascer-
| tanning land values by the board of
assistant assessors in the District of
| Columbia: to inquire whether there is
| in the assessment now being prepared
| discrimination in favor of any section
over others; and generally TO inquire in
to all alleged inequalities pertaining to
the assessment of land values.
Such committees shall have power to
send for persons and papers. to examine
! nn1pr oath aTnnl0U q
stenogra pher and one clerk. and shall
report the result of its investigation to
the house. with such recommendation
as it may deem proper to make. The
| expense of such investigation shall be
| paid out of the contingent fund of the
| house.
| Mr.. johnson presented this resolution
on April -, soon after the reading OF
the journal. No sooner was it read,
however. than Mr.. Holman, of Indiana,
! chairman of the committee on appropri-
| ations, made objection as the resolution
| involved expense. against every form of
which. except that relative to pensions,
he sets his face. He said he thought the
| matter should go to one of the standing
| committees of the house. But Mr.. Say
ers. of Texas also of the appropriations
| committee, and ardently in favor of the
| resolution. rushed over to Mr.. Holman
and whispered that what this spe-
| cial committee aimed at was greatly
| raising the assessment of land in the
| District of Columbia. thus causing a
very much larger volume of revenue to
| come from a local source, and proper
tionately reducing the share of district
| expenses that the United States treas
ury will be called to bear. Mr.. Holman
| saw the point at once-the committee
would cost little something during it's
| investigation. but it would effect an
| immense saving to the general govern
ment in the end by making the district
| pay its own expenses. He Immediately
| Withdrew his objection, and walking
over to Mr.. Johnson, said to him pri-
vately: Your idea is magnificent. 1t
| is one of the best things l have heard
this session. If you carry it through it
will make you big reputation"
Meanwhile. Mr.. Dingley, of Maine,
renewed the objection, whereupon Mr..
| Savers ran over to him and held brief,
| whispering conference. the consequence
of which was the withdrawal by Mr..
Dingley of his objection. probably on
! the same grounds that Mr.. Holman had
withdrawn his objection.
The resolution met no further objec-
| ton, and was unanimously adopted.
/ The speaker that afternoon appointed
| Mr.. johnson chairman of the commit
| tee, and associated with him JOS E.
| Washington. of Tennessee, one of the
| members who introduced five chapters
! OF Protection or Free Trade?" into the
| Record during the tariff debate, and
| James w. Wadsworth, of the Thirty
first district Of New York, a very fair
minded republican of experience in
! congressional matters, having been a
member of the FOrty-seventh and For
/ ty-eighth congresses The committee
! organized on the day following and no.
| titled the then assessors of the District
/ of Columbia to report before il with
! their books and papers. This part of
| the investigation is likely to occupy
| several days. and will not be made
| known at once. members of the press
| not being admitted to this part of the
| investigation.
| Meanwhile, the bill providing for the
! adoption of a single tax in the district,
| known as house kill No. 319, is in the
| hands of the committee on the district
Gf Columbia. The style tax league of
Missouri is collecting petitions adj
| dressed to Congressman John L. Heard,
| of Missouri. who is on that committee,
req..asting him to cooperate with Tom
] l.. johnson in his efforts to secure the
| adoption of the bill, and Mr.. Hemiug-
| Hay r~pes that letters from all quarters