Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-03-26
BUSINESS AND PROFESSIONAL MEN
uEFoRE FINANCE COMMITTEE.
COMPLAIN OF INCREASED LICENSES.
Many Had Their Special City Taxes
Doubled--Liquor-D Out i'm
Large Numbers to Oppose This
Lawyers and Doctors Also.

lltl-1hll UuliAAl1 a vast iHiNUIs Mtii
Of all classes filed that portion OF the
structure. and Immediately around the
doors leading into the offices of the Com
missioner Of the Revenue the crowd was
dense Lawyers and doctors and saloon
men were all huddled together, and all
we're there with one common purpose
that Of having the committee, which was
about to assemble in the Commissioner 5
rooms, to reduce their license taxes.
which had been recently raised for this
year, in many cases as much as 100 per-
cent.
For some days there mas been much
talk here, especially in the branches OF
business affected by the Finance Commit
tees action, about the increase Of special
city taxes for 1897. when times are 50 duh
and most commercial and professional
men are finding IL difficult 10 meet their
expenses. The heaviest increase the COM
mittee made was I'm the assessments or
the liquor-dealers. The jumping Of sixty
odd from the SO 10 the 500 class, when
50 many were conducting their places
largely on borrowed money. was not easi-
ly understood by those personally inter-
ested. Wholesale liquor were also
s.-acasc4 nIgner license-taXes this year.
and they think the action Of the Finance
Committee in this respect bears rather
heavily upon them.
TO RAISE MORE MONEY.
The object Of the committee was plainly
to raise more money for the city, and the
classes who were brought within the
bane. Of the higher taxation policy raised
their protest, respectfully and appealing
ly last night. but at the Same time with
that earnestness and vigor which always
counts for something.
The story of the meeting in brief is
that the professional men Of Richmond,
with the exception of some of the Oldest
and best known Of them. do not make
much money; that a great many Of them
do not make a living; that quite fair
proportion Of the younger members of the
professions do not collect enough during
the first year or so of practice to pay for
their board and clothing. But the narra-
tive does not end here Chapter No. 2
points to dull and discouraging situa-
ton among the liquor-dealers, especially
those in the retail trade.
The committee heard the complaints OF
all who were present. allowing every
man ample time in which to state his
grievance. While no action was taken,
the members by their various lines OF in
quiry. intimated that some changes in
the assessments as they stand upon the
books at present might be made.
GETS DOWN TO WORK
It was nearly O'Clock when Chair
man Hardwicke called the committee to
order There were present. besides him
self, Afessrs Cottrell, HarrelsOn, Zim-
mermann. and Wallerstein. As soon as
the body assembled Chairman Hardwicke
stated that tie business before the COM
mittee was important and that a great
many citizens were waiting without to
be heard. He added that. if there was
no objections the committee would first
hear from the Richmond Telephone Com
pany. upon which the committee had
imposed a special license-taX Of $500 for
this year.
Captain 4. B. GuigOn. general counsel
for the telephone company. appeared
and spoke at length upon the subject Of
this specific tax He said he had no
idea that the city was 10 impose any
tax, other than that provided in the or
dinances. upon the telephone company.
He explained that by the imposition Of this
special tax his company would be assessed
I'm state and city taxes to the amount
of 10 per cent. Of its gross income. which
would be the highest taxation he had
ever heard of. Captain GuigOn went on
10 say that the company. by the terms
Of its ordinance, was required 10 furnish
as many phones as the city might re-
ouire at so apiece per annum, or at
dead-loss 20 the company Of $2G from a
business standpoint.
Commissioner Of the Revenue Mum
ford was instructed TO make a note Of
Captain GuigOn's complaint.
THE LAWYERS ARE HEARD.
The committee next took up the com
plants of the lawyers. and there were
lots OF them to be heard. First 10 lay
his grievance before the committee was
Mr.. William Flegenheimer. who stated
that his tax had been put up from so
to $50 and he did not feel that he should
be assessed a larger amount. i'm view Of
his viclssltudes.
Mr.. Samuel j. Parrish next appealed
to the committee for fair and equitable
adjustment Of the licenses Of lawyers.
He would be satisfied if they were taxed
81 600 each per annum.
Mr.. II. St John Coalter and Mr.. Marion
L. Dawson spoke upon their assessments,
which they regarded as excessive.
The next speaker was Mr.. Leigh r.
Page. who. upon entering, stated that he
and those with him were lawyers Of the
first class. eve. IN other words" said
MIR. Page, jocundlyS "are second-class
lawyers. who we believe. should be kept
In the first (or lOwesO class" This re-
mark was the cause of considerable
laughter. Mr.. Page stated that # the
committee had elevated his license with
the idea that his income had increased
Il was erroneous. as last years business
was worse than any year since he had
been practicing. do you elevate the
license-taX of a man as his income ex-
reeds what he spends Mr. Chairman"
asked Mr.. Page. somewhat TO the amuse-
ment of all
ooh. no." replied the Chairman. I'VE
usually LET the lawyers stay I'm the first
class until the fourth year. and then put
hem up TO the second. OF course. this
IS not a fixed rule Of the committee. be-
,ause AT times other conditions enter into
he question"
Mr.. Page said: 'Well, I suppose 1 have
no ground upon which TO base my COM
,laint." lie went on TO say that he had
,een requested by Judge Staples and Mr..
b. b. Munford. Of the firm Of Staples &
,Iunford. 10 state that both were sick,
md that their income decreased last
,ear. He added that Judge Stapless
iealth was such that he would hardly be
,ble TO attend TO much professional work
his year.
PREFER THE FIRST CLASS.
Mr.. A. II Chalmers made an appeal TO
10 kent in the first class. He was fol-
owed by Mr.. James W. Gordon, repre-
enting himself and his partners. Messrs. |
4. NJ. Smith. Jr.. and William A. Mon |
,ure. He thought each OF these gentle |
nen had been assessed too high. He did !
lot propose 10 give to the committee the
business arrangements OF the firm. but
would say that all the members OF the |
irm did not hold an equal interest In the |
oncern, and that last year by the defeat
4 Mr.. Smith for the position OF Com |
Attorney. his revenue had |