The Washington times., 1902-02-08
Northwest Citizens De-
clare for More Revenue.
TOO MUCH PROPERTY ESCAPES.
All Kinds Should Bear Its
Share of the Burden.
UNEQUAL ON REALITIES.
Resolution Adopted Thanking The
Times for Its Efforts to Force Com
rrress to Carry Out Its Part OF the
Contract in 1873.

at the meeting of the Northwest Subur-
han Citizens Association held in the tia-
sonic Temple, at Tenleytown, last night
The matter was brought before the asso-
citation by a resolution introduced by Mr..
c. c. Lancaster president OF the associa-
tion, who also addressed the meeting on
the subject.
Mr.. Lancaster took the ground that the
progress of the District was seriously i'm
peded by the lack of revenue, due. as
he said. to the unequal burden placed
upon real estate. MIR. Lancaster then
made a strong plea for personal tax
law, which he estimated, would add s3,-
100000 TO the available revenue OF the
District.
Much Property Tex Free
Mr.. Lancaster said that there were sew
eral kinds of property held in large guam
titles by the citizens OF the District upon
which no taxes are paid. He said that
these large holdings go scott free, while
the cost of running the Capital City is
laid upon real estate.
He thought this was wrong in principle.
and with great earnestness advocated tho
propriety of the association placing
itself on record as favoring the ideas of
the Senate Committee on the District of
Columbia along the line OF an equitable
personal tax law, which would Law part
OF the burden OF the municipal expenses
upon the property held by rich men in the
form Of costly furnishings for splendid
mansions and upon the thousands of dol
lars invested in goods held by merchants
fer safe in the hope of gain.
Mr.. Laucnster's Resolution.
Mr.. Lancaster's resolution en- this sub
ject was as follows:
BE ii resolved by the Citizens North
west Suburban Association in public
meeting held February Z, 1902 That we
solemnly protest against the agitation
by few people Of the District in adyo-
eating an increased assessment and taxa
tion of suburban ard agricultural land for
the reason that said lands have been nav
ing taxes since the foundation of the
city without any return for the same in
public improvements, such as the open-
ing OF streets, the construction of sew
ers and water mains, and the expenditure
OF money en- county roads, whereby said
lands have been practically Improbable
and yield little or no revenue to the own
ers We solemniy declare that after a
full and careful examination of the facts
real estate both in the city and suburbs
Is assessed and taxed in excess of the
legitimate demands in comparison with a
large number of manufa curing cities
Throughout the country, and weagive pub
lice notice that any increase of taxation
or assessment on our lands in the north
west suburbs will be vigorously conteste d
and every legitimate means used to pre-
vent the consummation of such an unJrst
and inequitable burcen. which will
amount to practical confiscation.
Should Bear Its Fair Proportion.
I'VE further declare, after careful ex-
animation OF all the facts, that If the
people of the District, or the Congress of
the United States deem 1t wise and nee
essary for the best interests OF the Ma
tional Capital TO raise additional revenue
for public improvements. that personal
property which now entirely escapes tax
alton should bear its fair and Just pro-
portion OF the taxes, as now provided by
law. which has not been executed in the
past. and thereby the citizens of the Dis
trict have been deprived of millions of
sonsl property have failed to pay We
believe. and so declared. that taxation of
All property, real and personal. in this
District should be assessed impartially
and pay its jus: burden of taxation. Both
require and demand protection from the
agencies of the city government, and both
should contribute to the expenses. Be IL
further,
Resolved, That copy OF these reso-
l,.ts - HI.
missiOners. and 20 the Committees on the
District CT Columbia in the Senate and
Horse
Prof. Hooper Declares II Futile.
Prof. L. l. Hooper opposed the resolu-
tion. taking the ground that it was a thor
oughly bad one. He said there was no
way to assess personal property, and no
way to collect the tax.
All efforts everywhere to enforce a
personal tax had been dismal failures. He
cited the experience of Massachusetts.
Maryland. and other Commonwealths, and
showed that when once one form OF per
sonal property was brought 10 the tax
shambles. it Immediately sought some
other form of investment and scaped as
sessmeat.
Prof Hooper declared that under the
proposed personal tax law the corpora
tions OF the District were subjected TO
rigid assessment, and he said that as
soon as this took place 1t would be as
easy as falling off a log SO to change the
form OF the property as TO escape the
list.
Certain forms OF loan and trust stocks
were instanced, and Prof. Hooper asked
what hindered a nan from depositing his
ar in a n philadglnhla
cern temporarily, taking loan on the
same and filling out his list as not having
a cent invested in such stock
Unequal Land Tuxcs.
Prof Hooper declared realty tax TO be
unequal Illustrating his point by calling
attention to a large piece Of land near
TenIeytown which was easily worth $1,000
an acre, and was assessed on the tax
books Of the District at $500 an acre. He
said that this land was held by an invest
ment company for subdivision some time
in the future He said it was surely es-
Gaping its just burden, and that the small
property holder who happened TO own
one-eighth of an acre and had his home
upon il was assessed up to two-thirds OF
the value OF his holding.
Prof Hooper declared that what was
needed was an equalization OF the land
tax, 50 that the rich man would pay The
same iii proportion as the poor man
Then, he said. there would be no need of
tax on personal holdings, which could
not be enforced or collected.
All Property Should Share Alike.
Col James j. Ta:t spoke OF the resolu-
ISa. taking the ground that by some