Evening star., 1943-11-14

fACW SdW WdS SOukNC 10
Reossessment produce it, but it was
Needed felt by some that a re-
assessment of real estate
would not only yield extra money, but
would distribute the tax burden more
fairly. AS described in The Star of No.
vember H. 1898: Indications at the
District Building point to new assess
ment. Each day brings to light errors Of
the most glaring sort and considerable
injustice, 1t Is asserted, has been done to
a large class of taxpayers" A perusal
Of the rest Of the account shows that
there was hopeless confusion in the rec
ords, with numerous instances of houses
not taxed at all and, as If in compensa-
ton, owners of vacant lots were charged
for nopexistent houses thereon. The net
result, as might be expected, WAS a loss
to the District, because no one was fool
ish enough to pay taxes on imaginary
dwellings and there was nothing on
which ITO forecfose when payment was
refused. The reassessment occurred
later. . 80" 80
For an instance of futile fight against
the inevitable, The Star of November
IA. 1893, recorded a COM
Rurol Free plant against rural free de-
Delivery livery, a service now taken
for granted but then in the
experimental stage, having been in ef-
feet only two and half years: First
Assistant Postmaster General Frank H.
Jones is a pronounced opponent of rural
free delivery" He gave many reasons
against it, although he had at his dis
posal no less than $1o,0OO,0O0 voted by
Congress to try it out further One of
his reasons is interesting as a study in
rural psychology Of the gay COS. After
the novelty of having letters delivered to
the door had worn of, the villagers and
countrymen actually preferred to 60 to
the post office in the evening, as they
had always done, and use it as a COM
munity center Of gossip and exchange of
news.
While awaiting the Presidents mes
sage to Congress much speculation was
indulged In on what he
Naval would ask for the NAVY.
SpecuIotjons Opinion was divided.
Said The Star Of No
vember IA, 1898: "A little advance in
formation on the subject would be
keenly appreciated by naval folks es-
pecially, and they are eagerly waiting
for tips. There are many reasons why
they should be anxious, for the air is
full OF rumors regarding the Presidents
policy IN relation to the Navy" Argu-
ments for larger Navy at this time
centered on possible trouble in Hawaii,
then in slow process of annexation by
the United States. Even the possibility
OF trouble at Pearl Harbor was mem
toned, for tt was valuable coaling sta
ton coveted by other nations.
1t is easy enough to look back so years
and realize that there need have been
no alarm over the orderly
Needless annexation of the Hawaiian
Alurm Islands, yet the public of
that era had no such advan-
tage and were greatly concerned, their
anxiety being aggravated by scanty and
vague reports. Official silence was an
other cause of worry, as indicated In
The Star Of November Is, 1898: 1T is
very evident that the administration is
in possession of some information bear
ing on the Hawaiian situation which is
secretly guarded from the public. That
it is regarded as most important is indi-
Gated by the deep and impenetrable
mystery that surrounds it." Here, refer
ence was made to cipher telegram, 50
cryptic that even the experts charged
with DECIDING it had trouble. There
were alarmists who concluded that war
with Britain was in the oflng, and any
number who expected hostilities with
Spain, Germany, France and China. A
scattering few thought the Japanese
might take hand, too.
Color to the German threat was added
by the Kaiser's opening address to the
Reichstag, in which he asked for tre-
mendous increases In the budget for
military and naval expansion, or, as he
put 1t, legitimate defense against the
ambitions Of other unspecined nations.