Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-08

could be obtained to serve on such . board
would be rich men, whose only interest would
be to keep down assessments and probably pre-
vent equalization, the very thing they were ap-
| pointed to accomplish.
Il want to speak very mildly in regard to the
| Commissioner proposition to carry over the old
assessment with all its glaring inequalities and
lowness. but the plan is one Of the most absurd
| have ever heard Of. Because by some jugglery
| bad assessment cannot be carried ont . far
worse one is to be instituted. Why. this morn
ing have received letters and telephone mes
sages from numbers Of citizens here who have
been opposed to many of my plans calling my
| attention to the utter absurdity Of the plan
EQUALIZATION THE KEYSTONE.
1.-THE question Of what is best to be done, Of
course, is susceptible Of argument and differ
ence Of opinion. Ny own bill NAV be i'm
proved on, but hold to the two propositions
that one man shall be responsible for the
actions and that there be some one directly
interested in increasing the assessment to q fair
basis Equalization Is the keystone which
should be placed in position, and Just now all
other questions are Of outside importance"
COMMISSIONER DOUGLASS EXPLAINS.
"The action Of the Commissioners yester-
day." said Commissioner Douglass to STAR
reporter, Gin regard to the provision about as
easements was prompted by several reasons.
The foremost one was that il Q new board Of
equalization was to 60 over the work after the
present one had finished, the collection Of taxes
always made under the Law on November
could not be made for want Of time. After the
present board, which ID now in sesaon daily, is
through with Its labors it Will take three
months at least to put the results upon
the tax ledgers, to be approved by the
only legal evidence Of the taxes due, the books
must be ready BY the LIST Of November. II not.
the whole-or half-of the District revenues for
one year might be endangered and possibly lost
forever. Any citizen could, If the court sus-
tanned his contention, enjoin us from collecting,
and that precedent would demolish the whole
list. We felt that there great danger of
this, as We understood that the new plan Of five
volunteers had a strong hold in both houses.
Again, number of citizens had taken
alarm at the increased valuations and
seemed afraid to wait the final action Of
the board Of equalization. This action would
not be known exactly and early, the work
could not be finished until sometime in Octo-
Der. Again, we nov know. within S25 900. what
the pending appropriation bill will carry for
the fiscal year ending June 80, 1893, and at the
old assessment the revenues Will be large enough
TO meet the expenses under that reduced appro-
priation. Tho auditor estimates that under
tins proposed arrangement there will still
be o surplus OF not less than ESQ, 900 on June
80, 93. Again, under the pending appropriation
bill the amount Of money raised under the old
assessment will meet its demands and but little
more II we could by any means get ready to
collect under the new assessment it would raise
the better part of million dollars more than
the pending bill appropriatee. This million,
more or less, instead of being applied to streets,
sidewalks, sewers, bridges and other improve
ments now needed would, under the appropria-
tion bill as agreed upon by both houses. be
turned into the treasury volunteer payment
upon debt already provided for BY annual iu-
| cfaI nanfa hat y,.t1 L.
lost practically to the present generation who
are paying the money. These, with other
thoughts not now recalled, determined our &C.
ton.
I'm this connection II may be well to remem-
Der that all human work is imperfect While
the assessors have undoubtedly been led into
some errors, in view Of the short time allowed
for the assessment, the Commissioners believe
that three more conscientious, honorable and
faithful men never served the District than the
present assessors."
CONTINUE THE OLD ASSESSMENT.
Mr.. Henry A. Willard said that in his opinion
the proper solution Of the present difficulty is
the one proposed, namely, to make the old as
sessment the basis Of taxation for the coming
year. This would allow an interval for the
careful examination Of the new assessment and
its proper adjustment.
MR.. JNo. W. THoMPsoN's VIEWS.
The new assessment in the opinion Of Mr..
John W. Thompson would work q great injury
to the city if allowed to stand. He is there
fore heartily in favor Of the proposed amend
ment as the only way to avoid disaster. No
harm could come from collecting the same
amount OF revenue as was raised last year for
the reason that the appropriations made by
Congress afe only for this amount, ::and if more
was raised it would only lie in the United States
Treasury and be Of no benef. to the people. He
he hat hn
vised and the suspension Of its operation for a
year would give the opportunity for going over
the ground carefully and correcting the irregu-
larities and mistakes.
MEssRs. BURGpoRF AND PEARSON
Mr.. A Burgdorf thought that it would be
wise act to continue the old assessment for the
coming year and in the meantime eaualize the
new assessment.
Mr.. Charles B. Pearson was in favor of the
proposed amendment. He believed that as
great change as proposed by the new assess
ment ought not to be made without the public
having ample notice.
MR. MATHEW u. EMERY.
81 believe" said Mr.. Matthew G. Emery,
president of the Second National Bank. lin a
sliding scale rate. That is, think the Com
missioners of the District should possess the
authority to fix such rate Of taxation from
year to year as would provide the necessary ex-
penses of the District. If il should be found
that the present rate Of S1.50 per SlO0 was nee
essary, well and good, and if a smaller rate
would suffice, then give them the power to re-
duce it. The Commissioners are fair and
honorable men and could, I think, be
safely intrusted with such a responsibility.
l do not know that the proposed ap-
pointment by the President of O board
of appeals would mend matters much
I suppose the assessment Just made was ordi-
narily fair and Just. believe the assessors did
their duty conscientiousy, although they, Of
course, made errors here and there, as was but
natural, and don't know but that it would be
just rs well to 60 contemplated. Give us
n sliding scale and believe everything would
be well. I believe a rate Of 81, perhaps less
than that, would suffice"
MIR. WIN. r. WOODWARD.
II have not given the matter any great con-
sideration," remarked Mr.. VIM. Redin Wood
ward, president of the Washington Title In
surance Company, but it seems to me
that the present rate Of taxation on
the assessment just made would provide
considerably more money than the district
needed. Therefore, it strikes me that a fair re-
duction should be made. / presume the as
sessment was a fair one, but the present rate Of
taxation can hardly be called that As to the
appointment Of board of appeals, cannot see
that it would do any harm to try it. They
| could not make the rate in any
ovaof INV hiohar -,;ch% ~.