The Washington times., 1902-01-09

erty above certain amount should not
be subject to taxation, as otherwise a
person could own personal property to an
unlimited amount and be free from taxa
tion, and yet others be liable to taxation
on their real estate.
You can readily see that this would
prejudice the holding OF real estate in
vestments in favor of investing in securi-
ties of personal nature, free from taxa
tion.
The necessity for a personal tax law
cannot be questioned revenues from
these sources are needed for the support
of the District
Defective as Law.
Attorney Smith Thompson. jr.: "The
draft of the law as proposed by Mr.. Dar-
nellie, Assessor of the District, to 'regu-
late the assessment and collection of per-
sonal taxes in the District of Columbia, >
is evidently intended to reach only mer-
chants, corporations, stock companies.
and fiduciary officers, and then it would
seem impossible to reach the latter class
in cases where there is no record of the
character or amount in their hands
IF intended to apply to the owner of
personal property, such as furniture and
other valuables about ones household
and jewelry. under the penalty clause
b
return. And again, if intended to reach
this latter class, no provision is made to
exempt that class of property which,
| under the existing law, is exempt from
/ sale and execution.
III this proposed draft should become
a law, which il intended to remedy the
evil now existing under Judge Clabaugh' s
( decision as to the machinery to enforce
! The collection of a personal tax | think
2 md thn CnI hna e
personal tax appraisers will experience no
| little trouble in enforcing the law
| Oppressive to Merchants.
| Mr.. John L. Prosise, manager of the E.
/ Morrison Paper Company:
"A tax of $40 on the average 81 900
| worth OF stock carried the previous year
: might do very well in country towns
/ where but small stocks are carried, but
/ such a tax would be a severe blow to the
| business interests of this city. 1t would
| simply mean the reduction of the size of
| the stocks carried, to the inconvenience of
i the merchants and the annoyance of their
| customers. A wholesale dealer, carrying
| an average stock of 500 $50. you see
! would have to pay tax of $1,000. This
would be excessive and would be opposed
! to the best interests of the community"
1 Mr.. George c. Henning, president of the
! Traders National Bank:
Il am utterly opposed to a personal
/ tax law. / think it would be a bad thing
! for the city. IT could not be properly en-
! forced, except with corporations, and one
! portion of the population would thus be
paying the tax, while the other would
not
Little Warrant for Such "a Measure
MIR. Brainard II. Warner, formerly pres
, ident of the Board of Trade:
| Il am not in favor of a personal tax
that is inquisitional or drastic in its ma
/ ture. 1t leads to more lying and pro-
( family than any other official feature CON
nected with municipal government. tax
on tangible personal property of corpora
| tions which enjoy peculiarly profitable
! chartered rights in lieu, or partly in lieu,
| of a license which requires the protec-
| ton of stock in trade by police or fire
! departments or adds to the service of the
/ street cleaning department or any other
branch OF the city government is war
/ rantcd to a certain extent in return for
! privileges conferred.
| But there is very little warrant, in II y
| opinion, for the enactment of any measure
which shall call on man to set out be
| fore the public or the city officials the
! amount of his worldly possessions and pay
| in a safe deposit company. l believe one
| of the surest ways to hurt the Capital
| is to pass an Objectionable, inquiStional
| tax law But l have no doubt our Dis
! trict Commissioners and the committees
| in Congress will act wisely in the mat
| ter and not allow legislation which will
| injure the city.