The morning times., 1896-01-26
SINGLE. .lAZ COLUMN.


the single tax will be held at parlor No. TO-
w1ilards Hotel at 7:3O next Tuesday even
ing, to reorganize the Single Tax Club of
this District. The meeting will be ad-
dressed by Judge Mcguire, Member of
Congress from California; Bolton Hall OF
New York city, anil -Messrs. Jackson II.
RaIston.sF f. L. siddopshnd HE. Davisof
this city. The lat&tF has just returned
from the campaign In Delaware, and will
give an account OF the condition OF affairs
and of the progress OF the single tax CAM
paign in that state. The pubic generally
is invited to attend.
One Of the saddest and most regrettable
things in the history or the District OF
Columbia is the rapid pauperization of its
.-ciiiZens.
In 1878, when the population OF the Dis
trict was, in rourd numbers, 100000, the
value of the personal property, according
TO The assessors returns, was SIT ,24O,OOO.
II has been gradually diminishing until In
1891, with 1900 uhabitants, the value
of personal property WAS $1l ,S26,OCO In
1895, with ane anestimatedpopulat OF "a o.
0CO Inhabitants, it was $40, ,432,OOO In
1878, $lO7 per capita; in 1891, $to per
capita; In 1895, $3S per capita. In six
years more, il matters continue as they
have been going for the past seventeen
years, there will not be dollars worth
Of personal property left in the District OF
Columbia.
OTHER STRICKEN CITIES.
Unfortunately we re not alone. Naiiant,
favoritc seaside resort for wealthy
Bostonians, where many or them have
summer houses, has Increased in pcpula-
ton more than three-fold within twenty
years. But in that time its personal prop
erty, according 10 assessors returns, mas
diminished from Gin round numbersiS4,-
leo, 900 to $2,430 600; that Is, from
1878 per capita TO S63 per capita.
Chicago is another stricken city. Men
with an income of 100000 year swear
before the assessor that they keep no bank
accounts. Among n score OF men worm
quarter or million dollars each, not one
is the owner OF a gold watch. Among thir-
teen mllliona:rcs, not ono possesses CLOCK
worth So. Notwithstanding the enormous
income due to the Worlds Fair, the per-
sonal property is decrea sing in Chicago
faster Than in Washington.
This column. indeed. this entire page,
might be filled with other examples show
ing how our own prosperous and happy
country is hastening on To utter destitution.
or course, the above, as Artemus Ward
would say, is "sarkustic." The open secret
of the apparent decrease in the amount
and value of personal property, Is that IL
evades taxation. In some cases, in legal
and legitimate manner, as when such per-
sonal property consists Of government bonds,
which are by law exempt from taxation.
SPECIMEN METHODS OF EVASION.
Speaking of government bonds reminds US
OF certain evidence taken few years ago
before n California court A certain CALI
fornia bank, few days before q visit from
An assessor was expected. wired to New
York correspondent. -iCan you letus have
81 100000 in government bonds for gold?'
The New York bank answered in the af-
firniative. The California bank ,elegrapbed
back: "Al right; tie np the bonds and keep
them for US until fsrther advised: we will
tie up your gold and keep IT for you until
| you instruct us how 30 forward it, The
gold was boxed UP ana labeled. "Property
of the P. bank, OF New York" When
| the assessor came TO that bank, he found it
| to be the owner OF $ls0cG,OO0 in govern
ment bonds which aveSe not taxable, but
wofuny deficient iis$Snn.-
There was, until De kied, q year or two
ago, "A man in ttiefaf west who made a
comfortable living {.sst serving us an in
| ifornla capitalists w,lQr1swned stock In the
railroads of that s9sIex a few days before
the assessor was fed. "made over"
| to him their shares pfMqck. II the com.
panies shos7cdsfis ST a&ef rs stisinerons shares
were found standfnkia the name of this
| John Smith, let uslaall 1hnn Close inquiry
would only reveal the fret that this par
ticular John Smith wassupposedt to reside
| in Nevada-or somewhere. His where
abouts was always uncertain at that time
| OF year, except that IL was certain not to
| be in California. After the assessor had
| done his work. John Smith would res ppear,
\ retransfcr the shares OF railroad.stock TO
| their former owners. and vanish from pub
| lie view until needed agsin next year.
The supreme court of one of the Western
| States not long ago decided that building
and loan associations were taxable upon
| the amount. OF their paid-up stock. There
| upon such OF the owners of paid-up stock
| as were really shrewd, Withdrew from
| such associations. Then, for every share
| of paid-up stock they took two shares OF
t-stock only half paiG-up-and on that sort
| of stock the association did not have to
I pay ny tax. And among the first to take
| advantage of this neat little method oi
evasion were the supreme court Judges
| who had rendered the decision.
PLAIN, PALPABLE PERJURY.
1t is not everybody. however that takes
the pains to be even technically truthful.
| A queer incident arrives from klahoma,
| the record OF whilh - in the contest divts.
| ion of the general land office. one, ].
| B., made entry OF a town lot in one of
| the recently established cities there; and
| to prove that he had fulfilled the require
ments of the law in reference thereto,
| preliminary TO obtaining 4 patent from
| the government, he made oath before the
| government officers at the local lant: of
4 flee that he had fenced the lot. built a
| house, and made other Improvements to the
| value OF over $1,000. on the same day
| he made oath before the Oklahoma as
| SCISSOR that all the property he owned in
the world Including the town lot, was not
| worth 500. The Interior Department has
| invited him to reconcile these two state
| ments. which, at first blush, appear to be
| somew that conflicting.
| The record of corporations generally in
| escaping taxation is as nearly uniform as
| could be expected. For instance, the BoS-
| ton Electric Light Company reports to the
/ State authorities an investment of So, ,552 :
| 500 as the amount on which II must earn
| interest and pay dividends, but its assessed
valuation Is $710,e00, leaving US In a
| condition of painful ineertitude as to
whether the remaining $1,s40,000 is a
| fraud upon the other taxpayers, who must
| be taxed the higher because so much
| property escapes taxation, or fraud upon
| the patrons OF the cittric light company,
| who have to pay rates that afford interest
| and divide nds on so n.uch water" in the
stock. Certainly there is gigantic fraud
| somewhere.
The Gloucester EfctJfttc Light company
| reports Its investmeptsfas being STAG, $50
| but 1t is assessed az $f3 900.
| The woburn Electric Light Company re-
| ports investments as S335.O00, and pays
| taxes on S35. .OOO. .-Aeaprding to its Officers
| sworn statement, 30 per cent of Its prop
| erty escapes taxation.ti
WHO PAY THESE TAXES?
The taxes thus eyatied by millionaires
| corporations and perlurers. must be paid
| by somebody. They are paid by persons in
| moderate means, whose houses and farms
| lie outdoors xyhere the assessnr ran soc