Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-27
OPPOSITION VOICED
TO TAXATION PLAN
Board of Trade Will Fiqht Bill
to Assess Intangible
Property.
MANY IMPROVEMENTS
IN DISTRICT URGED
Committee Recommendations In
dorsed-Care of the Insane One
Subject of Discussion.

Protests against the bill now pending
in Congress providing for the taxation OF
intangible property in the District are to
be made by the Washington Board OF
Trade. according to action taken at !:
meeting of that body at the New Willard
Hotel last evening. The bill was opposed
in a report by the committee on munich
pal finance, through William II. Single
ton. The object of the bill is to impose
u tax in this District upon stocks. bonds,
credits. and other kinds of intangible
personal property.
The imposition of this tax is wholly
unnecessary, as the revenues of the Dis
trict are ample to meet its expenses
said the report
In fact, the House already has passed
in section of the District of Columbia
appropriation bill a provision to cover
surplus revenues of the District into the
United States Treasury. The real object
of the bill, other than to subject the citi-
zens of this District to unnecessary and
unjust taxation. is to impose and collect
this tax for the benefit of the United
States.
Is Called Unwise.
1T is not only unnecessary, but it is
unwise. Statistics show that the peo-
pie of this District now pay taxes
upon tangible personal property equal
in amount to that paid in other cities
of approximately the same population
upon both tangible and intangible per-
sonal property. 1t is unscientific and
in opposition to the best modern eco
nomlc thought.
1T is not good policy to impose an
unnecessary, tax, simply because the
legislature has the power to do so.
THE objections to a tax upon in
tangible personal property are well
known, and among Intelligent people
and civic economists universally recog-
nized.
Held Inquisitorial.
Such a law is inquisitorial; it is a
rank departure from the principle of
equality, which Is the basic principle
of all taxation, whether it be the equal
ity Of benefit or the equality Of sacri-
flee; it holds out strong inducements
to perjury; it promotes resort to shifts
and devices to evade the law: its bur
den falls upon a few honest people,
trustees and estates of deceased per-
sons and others, while the many whom
it was designed to reach escape pay
ment of the tax, and 1t is a deterrent
to the rapid progress and advancement
of any municipality burdened with
such law"
The report also points out:
The assessed valuation of tangible per-
sonal property in this District is in ex-
cess of $35,OO0,0Oo, being larger than in a
number of states of both tangible and
Intangible personal property.
U. S. Holdings in City.
The United States owns considerably
over 80 per cent of the real estate in this
city. according to the report-of the House
judiciary committee, June /, 1874, and its
holdings are constantly largely increasing
by means of condemnation of land for
public use, thus constantly lessening the
quantity of real estate assessed for tax
alton. Notwithstanding this, the statis-
tics given in the census bulletin lis, for
1913, show that the per capita assessed
value of the real estate in this District is
largely in excess of the per capita as
sessed value Of the real estate in most
other cities of the country of approxi-
mately the same population. and the per
capita tax levy here is larger than in
most other cities of approximately the
same population. And this is so not
withstanding the fact that these other
cities are centers of wealth and manufac-
turing industries. while this city is not a
wealthy city and has no large manufe c.
turing industries. These are absolute
facts, easily shown to be such.
Not Tax Dodgers.
I'VE want it known by the people
throughout the country and by mem
bers of the Congress that we are not a
community of tax dodgers. and that We
are subjected to as heavy burdens of
taxation as are the people elsewhere.
The citizens of this District recog-
nize the fact that this is the capital
of the nation; that as such it be.ongs
to the people of the nation; 1t is their
capital city, and we who reside here. own
property and have our homes here. are
ardently in favor of whatever will pro-
mote the general welfare and progress
of the city, and are just as strongly
opposed to whatever would hinder or
clog the advancement of the city.
We are satisfied that the people of
this entire country arc proud. and wan;
to be proud, of their federal city, and