Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-27

FINANCE COMMITTEE PUTS THE
LICENSE OF ALL AT $50
THIS DONE IN VIEW OF HARD TINES
Wholesale Dealers Assessments Re-
main UnchRngcd-Somc of the Pro-
feSsionni Men Replaced at ola
Figures.


each OF the sixty-odd retail liquor-deal-
ets. whose assessments had been raised
TO 500 each for this year. but it also put
back at the hrst-named sum the thirteen
who had for several years past paid slOo
The committee did not change the IL
censos Of the wholesale dealers in whis-
keys. etc. as their assessments had not
been materially affected by The making
up OF the new lists. 4 large number Of
the professional men. both lawyers and
doctors who had had their licenses in
creased. some of them as much as 100
per cent. were also relnstated as they
were before the changes were made for
this year.
All this was not accomplished without
effort. The fight the saloon people and
the physicians and members Of the bar
made TO keep of this extra taxation was
a vigorous and earnest one. based main
ly upon the hard times and poor collec-
tions. The Committee on Finance hoped
by these increases to add to the revenue
of the city this year about S35O-S335O
from the liquor people. and about 81 900
from the Gawyers and doctors. There
was also TO be added 20 this the new
assessment Of an $S00-license upon the
Richmond Telephone Company. In 1896
the city licenses. as assessed, amounted
20 S62 90l.S2. AS the matter now stands,
the city assessments fer this year. al
though not footed UP yet, will probably
exceed this sum a few thousands
MANY OTHER COMPLAINTS HEARD
The committee met at 7:3O o'clock.
Messrs Hardwicke chairman. CottreH
Jones, Zimmerman. Wallerstein, Harrel-
and Allen were DrCgont.
Air. r. II. Steger was the first COM
plainant heard, and ne said his legal
practice was by no means as lucrative as
IL had been in the past and yet his
license had been increased 100 per cent
He said il would be simply an act OF
justice TO allow his tax to remain at So
Mr.. H. L. Taylor, representing tie
Union Brokerage Company, said no
would Ike TO know why that concern had
been Disseminated against. He said the
company conducted a simple brokerage
business. and provided a centraly-located
warehouse. where its patrons could
store their goods and from which the
goods could be distributed. "Our enter
prise" said Mr.. Taylor fills a want, but
makes no money out Of it. You have as
sessed the Union Brokerage Company
500 but ] doubt greatly whether IL
makes as much clear money as brokers
who are assessed $50 each.
Mr. Junius A. Morris said that this
company was organized for a benehcent
purpose. but had been misrepresented by
those who were opposed TO it.
DIT. j. W. Anderson Of J. w. Anderson
& Son. the title abstract firm asked for
a reduction Of his license on the ground
OF the falling off in business.
Captain Charles +. Taylor, Of the
wholesale grocery firm Of c. f. Taylor
& Co.. said his taxes as wholesale
l'quor dealer had been increased. and
10 was d very bad time for taxes to be
raised.
Messrs. John ]. Rankin Frank Miller
and Peter Stumpf also entered their pro-
tests against the proposed increase in the
uquor-license tax. as did Mr. Carl Wip-
perman on behalf of Hermann Schmidt
Mr. John H. Montague was the only
insurance man who complained Of the
assessments for this year.
PROFESSIONAL MEN HEARD.
Mr. n. Thomas Mosby said he was sur
prised TO learn that his hcense tax as a
lawyer had been increased about 100 per
cent. while that Of a great many lawyers
who had been practcing longer and
made a great deal more money than he
did were left in the SO class.
Mr. John B Gayle explained that he
began the practice Of law since January
] 1896. and that he had been assessed
$50 for this year. "That is all that is
necessary" said Chairman Hardwicke,
your assessment was made under
misapprehension; 1t will be reduced"
Dr. Moorehouse appealed to the com
mittee 10 reduce his taxes, saying that
collections were very poor, and hat his
city tax was raised two years ago from
SO TO $50
VEXED THE ITALIANS.
The next speaker was Mr. V. Donati
who represented himself and Messrs. II.
Nardi and j. Arrighi. and he replied 10
printed statement regarding Mr.. HiIs
remarks before the Finance Committee
on the evening previous. He said he re-
GREETED not being present at Thursday
nights session, and remarked that there
was not an Italian I'm the saloon business
i'm this city but who was a naturalized
citizen and a voter 80 far as Mr. HIPS
statement that the Italian salOOn-keep-
ers have no expenses. IS concerned, / will
only say that ] nave ten men employed
at my place. and ! do not pay "a one of
them less than S25 per month with board !
The italian lquOr-dealers do have eX-
penses: some Of them have very heavy
expenses"
Mr. Donat added. that ne did not APP
neal 10 the committee for a reduction Of
his own license, but that he appeared to
ask the committee not TO leave the !
licenses Of Messrs Nardi and Alright at !
500 lie said they had previously been |
assessed $50 each. and they had hardly |
made a living al that.
HAD ..OT MADE MONEY.
Mr.. Thomas Hucher, another of the !
Nquor dealers whose tax was increased |
$50 was next heard. He declared that he |
had lost MONEY last year. and was hardly |
able TO pay a license tax OF 500.
DR. O. ". Jones spoke OF the hard |
times and asked that his license be not |
raised and Captain Hutcheson. proprie- |
tor Of the Davenport Warehouse. sub |
nltted his appeal from the license tax |
of SIS imposed upon him. He suggested |
that the licenses upon the warehouses |
might be more fairly assessed, II the |
committee would tax all the storage /
warehouses Of the city.
Mr. Glenn. representing Mr.. W. A. !
Dunn. saskod that that eentleman's tax |
as a lawyer be reduced from $50 to $40 |
The only commission merchant before
the committee last evening was Mr.. j. |
A REYNOLDS who complained Of the tax |
Irnposcd upon him. which was $50 lie |
felt that Ss5 was as much as he should /
be required TO pay as city license this |
year.
Alr young Of the A. c. Young Com
many. appeared TO explain 10 the com
mittee that that concern was paying |
license as merchandise brokers and as
commission brokers. lie contended that |
the company should, under the law only |
be- required TO pay license as commission
brokers.
After hearing tho complaints Of ID.
gidio and A. Boglo. saloonists, ihe com
nittee went into executive session 10
La