Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-27
TAX ON LOCAL BANKS
DELAYING AGREEMENT ON DIS
TRICT BILL.
Report Expected This Afternoon-Pro.
vision for Filtration Plant-Ad-
vance From Treasury.

The conferees on the District of Columbia
appropriation bill are having more diff
Guilty In coming to an agreement than was
expected yesterday when 1t was supposed
they would be ready to make report to
both houses of Congress shortly after noon
today. The conferees We're together in Sem
ator AIlison's room yesterday morning, af-
ternoon and night. There were some i'm
portant items of the bill which it was sup
posed could be settled this morning, but
after having been in session until - o'clock
today they were forced to take a recess and
come. together for an afternoon session
During this afternoon 1t is expected an
agreement will be reached.
The Tax on Banks.
The tax on banks is one of the items of
the bill on which the Conferees have had
difficulty in agreeing. The Senate fixed
the tax on banks at 4 per cent on gross
earnings, and the Senate conferees thought
the managers of the bill on the part of the
House of Representatives would agree to
that. but Mr.. Cannon was insistent that the
tax should be IL per cent on the capital,
surplus and undivided profits of banks. This
morning Messrs. John Joy Edison, Charles
c. Glover Charles J. Bell, Beriah Wilkins
and others were before the conferees in re-
lation to the bank tax.
The conferees continued their discussion
after this brief hearing was over. The tax
of SIS on doctors, architects, lawyers, avn
ing makers and photographers was dis
cussed, as were other features of the
licenses proposed in the bill.
After further discussion in relation to
the tax on banks and trust companies
compromise was reached this afternoon by
the conferees by which they will tax these
institutions u per cent on their gross earn
ings.
Lighting and Telephone Companies.
The conferees will probably report favor
receipts of gas companies. per cent on
telephone companies and Az per cent
on electric lights. The Senate proposed
to tax all these companies at per cent,
which is the amount that has been and will
be required of the street railway companies
of the District.
Retail Liquor Licenses.
The retail liquor license is also under con-
sideration, it being probable that 500 will
be agreed on, though the Senate provision
was for $500.
The proposed advance from the treasury
to the District has been agreed on. with
provision that the money advanced be paid
back in three years
Filtration Plant.
For the filtration plant 5000, 900 has been
agreed on, with authority for the making
of a contract to complete the work so that
the completion of the plant within the
shortest possible time will not be inter-
fered with. 1t is expected that the filtra-
ton plant will be ready for use about two
years from next October. The letting of a
contract and preparations for beginning
this will probably require two or three
months after the District bill becomes a
law.
Business High School.
The appropriation of SIS, 900 for the pur-
chase of lot for the Business High School
was agreed on. as was the provision for a
four-room addition to the Brookland school,
and $1,000 to purchase land adjoining the
western High School, and 1894 for an
additional play ground for the Gfddines
school.