Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-12-10

ty or the city limits. and to make recon-
mendations concerning the same to the
board of directors.
Taxation and assessment-This commit
tee shall be authorized to collect all data
bearing upon the questions of taxation or
assessment of property OF any kind in the
District of Columbia, and to report the
same with their recommendations to the
board Of directors.
Unversitie5-Shall have charge of all
matters pertaining to the existing universe
ties of the District, their promotion and
extension. and also of the establishment
and development Of additional institutions
for higher education at the national cap
ital, especially a national university.
Water supply-Shall have charge of all
matters relating to the water supply OF the
District and shall give special attention to
the enlargement of the supply.
Warm Debate on Insurance.
Mr.. w. A. Meloy addressed himself to the
amendment and asked many questions re-
gardins changes that had been made in the
duties of the various committees and criti-
cised many of the paragraphs. He was par
icularly displeased because the insurance
committee had been dispensed with. 1t
was shown by Secretary Wight that there
had never been a meeting of the committee
in three years because there was nothing
for ii to consider.
Mr.. Newton said an insurance committee
was necessary, and expressed his astonish-
ment that such committee had not found
anything to DO in the past when Washing
ton was virtually overrun by bogus insur-
ance concerns that should be looked into
and their methods investigated.
Mr. K. Ross Perry agreed with the prop
osition that illegal insurance schemes
should be exposed and their promoters
punished the same any other law
breaking or law-breakers; but such offenses,
he declared, were properly in the province
Of the district attorney, and not in that OF
Il board lie cd
the course of the directors In dispensing
with the insurance committee.
Mr.. Me1oy took strong issue with Mr..
Perry and recited instances of fraudulent
insurance being practiced in this city by
companies organized elsewhere. and de-
clared committee on insurance was an
absolute necessity to the board of trade.
Mr.. Newton lhereupon moved that the
insurance committee be retained on the
list. There was further discussion on the
subject, Mr.. Perry reiterating his claim
that the matters of crime alluded to were
outside OF the board of trade
Insurance Taxes Compared.
Mr.. George E. Emmons said that a home
insurance company was compelled to pay
tax Of / per cent on its capital stock be-
fore it could do business here. while a for
eign insurance company was allowed TO do
business here for So or $50 a year. The
home companies taxes were from 81 900 TO
$500 year. Was that right? The stock
of the home companies was owned here:
the foreign companies stock owned
elsewhere. The beard of underwriters here.
he said, made the rates for the home COM
panies and the latter were compelled to
keep TO the schedule. The outside com
panies, he declared, cut rates they
pleased. The insurance committee should
be continued il only for the purpose of
remedying the evils described.
Secretary John B. Wight said Mr.. En-
mons was mistaken in his statement about
dition to the yearly tax the companies paid
l per cent on their gross receipts, said MIR.
Wight.
Mr.. Emmors retorted that an insurance
committee could find out If it took the
trouble that the per cent alluded to would
amount to but little or nothing in COM
parison to the 81 600 or 81 500 paid annually
by home companies.
Mr. Emmons was proceeding on the sub
ject when MI. Perry called attention to
the absence of Mr.. Isadore Saks, the chair
man of the insurance committee. and said
he believed that the tone the discussion was
taking was unfair when the chairman was
not present. Before the question was put
on the amendment as whole Mr.. Perry
asked to have an amendment to the
amendment pending adopted. 1t provided
that the standing committees shall consist
of such numbers of members as the board
of directors shall designate, and one-third
should make a quorum.
Mr.. Meloy made a point of order against
the motion, but President Woodward over
ruled him. After further discussion, the
amendment was adopted.
Then Mr.. Newton moved that the COM
mittee On insurance be continued and this
was carried by vote of 70 ayes and "A
noes.
The effect of the adoption of Mr. Perry's
amendment was to authorize the directors
to enlarge The membership of the standing
committees whenever deemed advisable.
1t was not the intention of the amend
ment abolishing certain committees and
consolidating others 20 reduce the number
of members of the board actively engaged
in committee work, and by the enlarge
ment authorized by Mr. Perry's amend
ment committee provision may be made
for the members of the abolished commit
tees, and certain committees strengthened
which have felt the need of a larger num-
Der of members than are now permitted by
the bylaws.
Alley Dwellings.
Mr.. Newton paved the way for animated
talk by offering a resolution providing for
the creation of a special committee consist
ing of the chairmen Of the executive,
charity, public health. sewerage, streets
and avenues, taxation and assessment,
public order and water supply committees.
together with such other members of the
board of trade as they may select to the
rumber of three for each election precinct,
or such other subdivision of the city as
they may make, not less than ten in all, to
make preliminary investigation as to the
fitness of alleys in the city of Washington,
d. c., and the dwellings therein for human
habitation, and to obtain, as far as poss. BILE
statistics as to the number of houses unfit
for human habitation in such alleys, the
number of persons living in such houses,
and the number and relationships and sexes
occupying single rooms. the number of chill
dren attending the public schools there
from, the general character of the occu-
pants, their methods or means Of obtaining
a living, names Of the owners and agents Of
such houses, and such other information
and statistics as may tend to show the
necessity of a general cooperation of the
citizens in causing the said dwellings to be
condemned by proper authority and re-
moved; the committee to also inquire as to
the best means of building, or causing to be
built, apartment or other buildings which
can be rented cheaply to accommodate the
people now living in such alley houses.
The reading of the resolution was closely
listened to, and there was evident interest
particularly evinced in the ownership and
agent clause. Mr.. Newton eliminated this
portion, and in supporting his proposition
said that the disgrace of Washington city
was its alley dwellings. which were abso-
lutely unfit for habitation, and still were
occupied by thousands of people. There
was not a man present who would risk
himself in any one of many he could
enumerate after dark, or In daylight, for
that matter. There was no committee so