The times., 1899-02-08
TO TAX WHBELMEN
ONE DOLLAR A Year
Attorney Thomas Submits a
Draft of the Bill.
Would Yield an Annual Revenue Of
$4,000,
Changes to he Made by the Commits
sioncrs Before the Measure
Goes to Congress.

Considerable progress had been made
by the District Commissioners ip their
efforts to secure legislation whereby most
of the $1,000 bicycles in the District of
Columbia may be taxed.
S. T. Thomas, their legal adviser, yes
terday submitted the draft of a bill having
this object in view. The draft was pre-
pared at the request of the Commissioners
and will impose n tax of one dollar on
every bicycle owned in the District with
the exception of those the property of chill
dren under the age of Ii years. If ap
proved, the bill will be introduced in Con-
gress within the next few days.
Before acting on the matter of advising
such a tax the Commissioners addressed
letters to the mayors of all the large
municipalities of the country for the pur-
pose of ascertaining what regulations are
now in force in other places relative to
taxing wheels.
a draft of proposed bill was also sub
mitted to the Commissioners by the Dis
trict Committee of the Senate. but the
former recommended that as the entire
matter of licenses was then being con-
sidered by the Attorney for the District,
no action be taken at the time.
When the letters from the mayors of
other cities were received, they were re-
ferrcd TO Attorney Thomas. Some of the
large cities impose a tax of one dollar a
year on wheels, and the money is generally
devoted TO the Improvement of roads. In
most instances bicyclists were in favor
of being taxed provided the money was
used for the purpose indicated. In other
instances there was some little opposition.
In some Western cities il was found that
not only home wheels, but bicycles ridden
by persons passing through such places
were subject TO a tax. This resulted in
considerable loss 10 merchants of the fee
eXacting towns, as bicycle riders soon
learned of the regulations and always
avoided such towns. AS such legislation
proved unpopular, Attorney Thomas has
been careful to impose, in his draft, tax
only on wheels owned by residents.
In some municipalities the courts have
declared that the city has no right to i'm
pose tax on bicycles. Some held that
it was unjust discrimination. and others
ruled that the municipal government had
no just authority for the imposition of
tax. Attorney Thomas does not think
these DEGREES will affect similar legis-
lation within the District of Columbia.
The draft as submitted by Attorney
Thomas has not been approved by the
Commissioners. Commissioner Wight said
yesterday evening that he would recon-
mend certain changes and additions. He
thinks there should be n clause requiring
all cycles to be tagged or marked with
an engraved number when a license is Sc
cured. He also thinks provision should
be made relative to the use OF the funds
which would be collected by such a tax.
This revenue would aggregate about $50
| 600 a year. He believes that the money
| thus collected should be devoted TO some
specific purpose such as paying bicycle
| policemen who enforce the fast riding law
and in improving roadways. With these
| changes the draft will probably meet the
endorsement OF the entire Board of Com
missioners.
The draft in its original form as pre-
pared by Attorney Thomas follows:
! Be it enacted That the OF any bicycle
! or tricycle. used upon the streets and roads OF
| the District of Columbia shah pay annually a
| license fee OF 81 for each bicycle or tricycle.:
! Provided. That this shall not apply TO bicycles
! or tricycles used by children under u wears Of
| age. nor 10 bicycles OF tricyclcs owned By non
| residents of said District.
| That any person liable 10 license tax under
| this act who lab 10 pay the same within thirty
davs after the beginning OF the fiscal year shall,
/ on conviction thereof in She Police Court, be
punished by a fine Of not less than 50. in addi-
ton TO the license tax, more than SO IN ad'
diton to said tax, he recovered in the name "i
| the District OF Columbia other fines and pen
| altics are recovered
In Chicago and Indianapolis tax OF 81
| is imposed on all bicycles. In 81. Louis a
similar tax is imposed, and the same may
be said of many other cities.