Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-01-22

partnerships, companies or corporations
which are not listed and whose affairs
are not supervised by federal or local au-
thorities. further consideration of the
subject has shown the Commissioners
that some notifications Of this bill are
necessary, as if literally construed ii
would prevent legitimate business by
reputable bankers and brokers. and the
commissioners have in course of prep
aration proposed amendments to confine
the contemplated restrictive legislation
in the premises to those concerns which
are organized to procure money by false
~ promising large returns upon stocks
and other securities, but are really oper-
ated solely for the profit Of their pro-
moters.
Favors Municipal Warehouse.
1.-The receipt and distribution of sup
plies FOR the various branches Of the
District government has become a func-
tion OF such large proportions that the
commissioners regard the construction
and maintenance of a warehouse through
which such supplies shall be received and
distributed as required by good business
policy. They believe that the purchase
OF supplies i'm large lots and the better
method OF inspection and delivery which
would thus be facilitated would result in
a material saving of money and time
Public sentiment has reached the
stage where municipal Fairgrounds are
regarded as public duty for the health
full juvenile physical development and
recreation. These recreational centers
should be equipped with the facilities for
teaching the art of swimming. in which
every child should become expert. for it's
own protection and the self possession
it would develop for the control of others
In tunes of emergency.
The efficiency of the workhOuse disci-
pline would be materially enhanced by
the enactment of law which the Com
missloners have recommended providing
Tor an indeterminate sentence and
parole system.
Legislation providing more effectiye
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.
X. S63l 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 enacted
When real property is offered for sale
Tor arrears of taxes, and is not sold to a
private purchaser. the law requires that
the collector of taxes shall bid it in for
the District of Columbia This proceed
ing Is practically Ineffective as the great
mass or the property so acquired remains
Indefinitely In the name of the District
ana the taxes remain uncollected. A
a private purchaser at tax sale because
OF the inability of the District to give
an indefeasible title thereto, which deter
many who would otherwise become pur-
chasers at tax sales from making such
Investments. If provision were made
Tor the enforcement of the tax lien in
equity. where all parties concerned might
be heard and good title be granted, it
would offer much greater ENCOURAGE
ment and security to bidders
AS personal taxes are assessed in July
OF each year and are not due and paya BILE
until the May following which is ten
months later, many persons during the
interregnum close their places of bust
neass, transfer their personal property.
leave the District of Columbia. and in
many ways arrange their affairs 40
that 1t is impossible for the collector to
pursue and collect the amounts due the
District On that account 1t is ad-
condition be adopted.
Tax Records Incumbered.
"Legislation should be enacted to au-
thorize the assessor of the District.
subject to the supervision of the Com
missioners, to cancel all uncollected
personal taxes in the month of July of
each year which are more than five
years old. The tax records are incum-
bered by mass of charges of that
kind which entail annoyance and a
waste of clerical services and record
space: A bin IS. 743o providing for
the cancellation of certain overdue per-
sonal taxes in the District of Columbia
has been submitted by the Commits
sioners to effect that object.
III. r. $3.50. to amend the act Of April
%. 1904. authorizing the laying of
water mains and service sewers in the
District of Columbia, the levying Of
assessments therefor. and for other
purposes, which provides principally
for the assessment of unsubdivided
tracts for water mains and service
sewers and defines what is water
main. and II. r. 1926. which proposes
to provide for the preparation of a
series of volumes Of plats to show the
subdivisions, etc, and that the omis-
sion of the name of the owner or the
Insertion of a wrong name shall not
affect the legality of any tax, assess
ment or sale Of property for taxes or
assessments, represent needful leg1Sla-
ton.
There should be an annual assessment
of real property an enlargement or the
office and field force in the assessors de-
partment in order to meet the needs of an
annual assessment as we'll as to anord
better data in the assessment or real es-
tate; the means Of providing a Set OF
maps for REMEMBERING parcels Oh land
within the city of Washington, ana the
creation of a board of equalization and
review Independent of the assessors who
make the assessment. The assessors who
make an assessment should not be au-
thorized to ultimately pass upon the le-
gality and equity of their own acts.
There should be a general revision OF
the laws governing the matter of the
commitment and the care of the insane
in accordance with the recommendations
made by a committee representing the
Government Hospital for the Insane, the
War NAVY and Interior Departments,
and the District of Columbia.
Demand for Loan Shark Bill.
"A school should be established for
feeble minded children, in accordance
with the act passed by the Senate Is.
544O) now pending before the House of
Representatives. There is at present no
provision for the care of feeble-minded
children in the District of Columbia.
White children are cared for in institu-
tions in other communities where they
are paid for by the District. Colored
children are not provided for at all be-