The Washington herald., 1913-01-23
NapaSement of Charities.

| The Commissioners have recommended
| the creation of the Office of director of
charities and corrections in lieu of the
board of charities. The board OF chari-
! ties was created 10 meet condition OF
embarrassment in the correctional and
eleemosynary affairs of the District which
were in whole or in part supported by
| public funds. 1t performed that service
| in a highly satisfactory manner and
! evolved a system of supervision and con-
! troI in that respect which is fully appre-
! ciated by the Commissioners and the pub
| lie. But the occasion for the creation of
! that board has accordingly practically
| ceased. and it is believed that the affairs
| now managed by it could be more ef-
| feCtively administered by a single eX-
eCutive
Better provision for the care of the
| sick and injured who depend upon mu-
! nicipaI aid should also be provided in a
municipal institution specially construct
| ed and equipped for the most efficient
service.
The efficiency of the workhouse disci-
! pine would be materially enhanced by
the enactment of a law which the Com
| missioners have recommended providing
! for an indet erminate sentence and pa
role system.
Legislation providing more effective
means for the collection of real estate
| taxes in arrears is greatly needed. 1t
| is hoped that the measures proposed by
the Commissioners. and embodied in H.
| r. 1851 of the present Congress, to pro-
| vide an additional method of enforcing
and foreclosing tax sales and tax deeds
| in the District of Columbia, and for
other purposes will be promptly en-
acted When real property is offered for
sale for arrears of taxes and is not
sold to privGte purchaser, the law
requires that the collector OF taxes shall
bid il in for the District of Columbia
! This proceeding is practically ineffective.
as the great mass of the property so
asquired remains indefinitely in the name
of the District. and the taxes remain
uncollected. large amount of prop
erty fails to find private purchaser
at tax sale because of the ina bility of
the District to give an indefea sible title
thereto. which deter many who would
otherwise become purchasers at tax sales
froH making such investments. If pro-
vision were made for thu. enforcement
Of the tax lien in equity, where all
parties concerned might be heard and
good title be granted. it would offer
much greater encouragement and secur-
ity to bidders.
Need Legislation.
"As personal taxes aye assessed in July
able until the May following. which is
ten months later, many persons during
the interregnum close their places of
business transfer their personal prop
erty, leave the District OF Columbia.
and in many ways arrange their az
fairs so that it is impossible for the COL
lector to pursue and collect the amounts
due the District on that account It is
advisable that legislation to cure this
condition be adopted.
Legislation should be enacted TO au-
thorize the assessor of the District, sub
joct to the supervision of the Commits
sioners. TO cancel all uncollected personal
taxes in the month of July of each
year which are more than five years
old
Permanency of position. and pension
after retirement are advocated as a
means of assuring efficiency in the Of
fees of n~-commissioners. With
this Improvement, slight increase OF
salary would meet the demands of per-
sonal need and official dignity. the re-
port states. Not political partisanship,
but fitness, alone, has been considered
by the Commissioners in appointment
of District employees, thus affording an
effective civil service policy not ac-
tually required by law.
The Commissioners have always en-
couraged the cooperation not only Of