Evening star., 1906-02-24

Improvement involving the employment of
labor or building material, snail be con-
sidered contractor but this section shall
not apply to merchants, jobbers or su5con-
tractors doing business under a licensed
contractor"
Section Declared Imperative.
The portion of the license act of July /,
1892 which this section is intended to super
sede," the assessor says, has been declared
Imperative on account of its ambiguity and
vagueness. and remedial legislation should
BE- enacted thoroughly defining all business
affected so that the law will stand the
test of the courts. and that the District
will longer lose revenue from this
source
More specific regul lt,on of so-caIeJ claim
agents is contemplated in section three
which follows:
That the license tsx imposed by the
act of Congress approved July ], 1902. upon
claim agents, shall hereafter apply to those
persons, firms or corporations who make
business of prosecuting claims against the
government of the United States or the
District Of Columbia, and also to collection
agencies.
1T has been decided tEat the license
charged cigar dealers is not applcu be
to dealers in smoking tobacco. chewing to-
bacco or cigarettes" says Mr.. DaIneille.
1T is manifcstiy ineQuitable to impose a
license tax upon dealers in cigars ana not
uUon dealers in other forms of manufact-
IN ed tobacco" and in section four il is spec
fled that an annual license Of $40 be
charged dealers in all forms of manu-
factured tobacco
The Assessors Views.
In his letter the assessor stated his belief
that an annual tax of 500 upon brokers is
sufficient and the scope OF the proposed act
Is thus arranged;
THAT an annual license tax of 500 is
hereby imposed upon all brokers Transact
ing business in the District of Columbia.
Every person firm, company or association
not Incorporated Except insurance and real
estate brokers acting as SUCH, that soicits
business from the general public by adver-
tisemeat or otherwise. and that purchases
sells or nesotiates for others securities
shares, stocks, bonds, exchange, bullion,
coin, money, bank notes or promissory
notes, or that deals in futures on market
quotations of prices or values on mercha1-
disc shares stocks, bonds or other securl-
ties or accepts margins on prices or values
of said shares, stocks, bonds, merchandise
or securities. shall be deemed a broker:
Provided That the foregoing enactment
shall have no reference whatever to the
provision of the act of July l, 1882. respect
ing private banks or bankers o. the WASH
ington Stock Exchange, but the provisions
of said act shall remain in force and effect
With respect to licenses issued to brokers'
private banks or bankers. and note broke s.
the license year shall begin on July / and
terminate Oh ute Op VI Cel|ii yea"
Intent of Section 6.
The purpose of section Is fully ex-
olained In the assessors letter, as well as
the class of business to which 1t applies
That portion of the letter reads:
"It has been learned by experience that
1t would be well to have the Commission
ers empowered TO direct the assessor 10
refuse to issue licenses in the cases OF nu-
concerts and so-ealled entertainments
also circuses of Objectionable character. II
has also been found that some objection
able persons conduct employment ornces,
information bureaus and intelligence Of
fices. so-called. under licenses which, under
existing law, this office is obliged to issue
to them upon application. There Should De
authority vested in some one to refuse to
issue such licenses The granting OF IL
censes o fthe kinds mentioned is often very
Objectionable in residential localities. The
Commissioners should also have author ty
to direct the assessor to refuse to issue
licenses 10 dealers in second hand personal
property and to pawnbrokers. No person
should be granted a license OF this kind
until his or her character is aseertained.
The granting of these licenses indiscriml-
nateiy is conducive of coiiusion between
the Iicensee and the person who obtain
personal property BY other than honest
means.
Power Conferred
Section empowers the assessor to issue
all licenses referred to in the list. and pro-
vides that payment therefore shall be made
to the collector of taxes.
The penalty for violations is fixed, In sec
ton 8, at not more than $500 fine or i'm
prisonment not to exceed thirty days, in
the discretion of the court.
Section 8 empowers the excise board In its
discretion, to issue license to the Colum-
bia Golf Club.
The license year with reference to all lSen
terprfses effected by the bill. excepting
brokers', Is to begin November l and end
October 81 of the succeeding year.