Evening star., 1902-05-02
FOR A PERSONAL TAX
House Passes the District
Bill With Amendment.
NO DIVISION TAKEN
ATTEMPT TO RESTRICT APPOINT
MENT OF ASSESSORS.
Proposed Limitation of Auditors
Powers - Pay Of the New
Police Justices.

The District of Columbia appropriation
bill was taken up in the House of Repre-
sentatiyes at 1910 today and the reading
OF the measure by sections was begun
When the provision for the assessors Of
flee on page of the bill had been read
MIR. McCleary stated that on behalf of the
appropriations committee he wished to
withdraw the personal tax amendment Of
fered by him Wednesday and substitute the
following:
Personal Tax Amendment.
THAT for all purposes of assessment and
collection of taxes upon personal property
In the District of Columbia the act of Con-
gress approved March 3, 1877, entitled An
act for the support of the government of
the District of Columbia for the year end
ing June 80, 1878, and for other purposes
as amended by specific acts of Congress. is
hereby declared in full force and effect
and to have been continuously so in force
since Its enactment; and that the board of
assistant assessors created under the act
of Congress approved August a. 1894 be,
ana they hereby are, clothed with the
duties and powers of the assessors men,
toned In said first named act and under
the direction of the assessor, they shall for
the fiscal year beginning July l. 1892, and
consequent HScdl years assess personal
property for taxation as required by law; !;
and said board of assistant assessors, to-
gether with said assessor, are hereby con-
stituted a board of equalization appeal and
review of the assessments of personal prop
erty; and hereafter said board shall, be-
tween the 1st day of September and the
31st day of october in each year hold daily
sessions for the purpose of equaliZing the
assessments heretofore made by them and
of hearing and determining any and all
appeals from the valuations heretofore
made by them.
Provided That the tax on personal prop
erty shall be due, payable and collected as
now provided by law: Provided further,
That each national bank, as the trustee of
its stockholders, through its president, sec
retary or cashier shall make the like re-
turns and pay the same taxes as other cor
porations are required to do in said first
named act: And provided further That the
assessor and the three members of the
board of assistant assessors authorized by
the act approved August IA, 1894 whose
salaries are herein appropriated for, shall,
within ten days after January !, 1893 be
appointed by the President for term of
three years each. except that the terms of
each OF the three members of the board of
assistant assessors shall terminate as fol-
lows: One each year. to be determined by
lot among the three members of the board
first appointed.
To Restrict Appointments.
AS soon as the amendment had been read
Mr.. Mudd moved to amend the proviso by
making bona fide freeholders and residents
of the District eligible for appointment as
assessors. He said that while he had
number of constituents who would be glad
of places on this board, he thought it would
be for the best interests of the District to
select its assessors from among it's property
owners.
Mr.. Benton of Missouri, democratic
member of the appropria tions committee
opposed Mr.. Mudds amendment vigorously
He said that what was needed here was to
take the whole matter of assessment out of
the hands of those interested in property.
On rising vote, which followed Mr.. Ben
tons remarks, the Mudd amendment was
defea ted by 26 to 65.
Mr.. Mudd at once moved to strike out
the whole proviso in the McCleary amend
ment.
On this Mr.. Cowherd took the floor in op-
position to it. Tax regulations in the Dis
trict of Columbia, he said, should be taken
out entirely from local influences.
Mr.. Grosvenor made some comparisons
between Ohio and the District regarding
taxes, from which he drew the conclusion
that taxes here We're exceedingly low.
What we want to do he remarked, "is
to make the capital city a little too warm
as a city of refuge for persons who would
come here in order to escape taxation on
their personal property
Mr.. Burkett's Statement.
Mr.. Burkett of the appropriations COM
mittee submitted a statement to show that
the general government had more than an
equal share in District expenses.
THE following objects of expenditure ;"
he said, now conceded and accepted as
proper charge on the federal treasury and
the District revenues Jointly under the act
of 1878 were for many years subsequent to
1878 borne entirely by the United States
government, namely:
From 1873 1892, inclusive. Freedmen's 8
Hospital, now appropriated for at $54 600
an average annual charge of only $4,000
on this account against the District for
the fifteen years would amount to 1878 600
From 1S1S-1S96, inclusive, maintenance
and expense of District of Columbia jail
now costing S4SCO0 per annum, an average
annual charge of only $4,000, on this ac-
count for nineteen years would be $780,
600
From 1S7S-lS93 inclusive. salaries,
judges of the Supreme Court, now costing
charge of $13,0OO against the District for
sixteen years would be $4,000
From 1S7S-1S!D. inclusive. Providence
Hospital, now costing $4,000 per annum
an average annual charge of $500 against
the District for twenty-five years would
be $4,000.
From 1SS6-1S9a, inclusive, Garfield Hos
ptal. now costing $4,000 per annum, an
average annual charge of 5000 against the
District for fourteen years would be sos, ,O0O
From 1S1S-1900. inclusive for improving
policing and lighting city parks, now cost
ing more than 100000 per annum, an aver
age annual charge against the District of
100000 for twenty-three years would make
$500, ,0CO.