Newspaper Page Text
The Washington Oeitio
i'
22D YEAR NO. 6,719.
WASHINGTON, D. O., TUESDAY EVENING, lEHKUAllY L8, 1890.
IMUGE TWO CENTS.
NEWS OF THEWOnLD IN BRIEF
t.ocnl.
Washington fresh tery lias adjourned
Ita meeting.
Tlio I'alrof Columbia Division, Knights
l'jthlae, opened lal night wllh a crowded
house.
A mienk-tblcf Mole Frank 11. Congor'S
Who Chinchilla overcoat from his ofllco Inst
evening.
J. 1). Illicit, who Rtolo Mrs. Potter's dia
monds Jiom the Arlington Hotol, has bcon
ruirrcstcd In New Orleans.
Superintendent Harrison says thcro Is 'a
vast improvement, In the strect-llghtlng of
this city In tho past two years.
General Alger opened the- twenty-second
.luminal encampment of tlio Dcpartinont
Potomac, (i. A. li., at Grand Army Hall
last night.
A sneak thief entered tho real estate
ofllco of Frank H. Vincer, 1415 F street
northwest, last evening and carried oft a
dark lilno diagonal overcoat.
An old soldier, name unknown, was
drowned In tho canal at Georgetown last
night. He Is supposed to havo been a mem
ber of Co. C, 12th Hcg't, N. Y. Vol.
Tlio notorious hotel thief, J. II. Buck,
who escaped from tho District Jail after
lielng placed thcro for stealing Mrs. Jamo3
lliov.n-Pottcr'8 diamonds from tho Arling
ton some time ago, has beeri caught at Now
Orleans mid will be brought back to tho
District
(lot eriimontnl
Itcv. James Cook of Boston bitterly at
tacked Editor Grady In a Icctuio.
Tho President has Issued a proclamation
forbidding tho Chcrokeo Outlet to cattlo
grazers after October 1.
Tlio Canadian Pacific Hallway Company
will attempt to carry an excursion party
around the world In slxty-flvo days.
The House Commlttco on Elections will
report In favor of seating Menard II.
Clarko as Representative from tho First
District of Alabama.
The president to-day awarded certificates
Tor bravery In tho fight with robbers In
Arizona, May, 1889, to Privates Thornton
Hams and James Wheeler of tho Tenth In
fantry. The Navy Department Is Informed ot tho
arrival or the Galena and Kearsarge at Ma
tauzas en route to Key West, Fla., where
they will take on additional stores and then
return to Hajtl.
Secretary Tracy to-day rejected tho bid
of Samuel I.. Sloore fc Sons Co. ot Eliza
liethport, N. J., to build two gun
boats imd one practlcc-shlp, on tho
ground of Inadequacy of plant
and insufficiency of guarantee. At
the lecent opening ot pioposals this
firm was the lowest bidder, at $502,875 for
the two gunboats, and $245,325 for the
practice vessel. Tho next lowest bidder Is
the Bath Iron WorKs, at $337,000 forono
gunboat and 4037,000 for two gunboats.
Thej-will probably bo awarded tho con
tract for tho two gunboats.
Domestic.
No news has been received from the lost
3''rln.
Jal;o Kllraln was bested lu a six-round
contest yesterday.
Billy Mahan defeated Jimmy GrllTen at
San Krnnclsco last night.
Ono hundred striking mill hands at
Nashua returned to v.orl.
T A tialu plunged through a bridge at
Wdilta, Kau.,la6t night.
Theic vias a panic yesterday at aulusauo
nsjlum near Little flock, Arlc.
An epidemic of hydrophobia Is raglug
Uinong St. Louis dogs and cows.
Victor Cravath of Do Soto, Mo., out ot
lvotk lu Ncvv York City, hilled himself.
A girls' teralnary at San Marcos, Tex.,
lias been burned, seriously Injuring several
students.
A Kite has been mil chased for a new Pres-
"bjterlan church nt Haudallstown, Haltlmoro
County, Md.
The Itev. Joseph Cook, at Tremont Tern--pic
yestciday, made a bitter attack on tho
Jate Editor Grady.
August Kink, a shoemaker, died sud
denly in an Aisqulth-street druggery In
Baltimore last night.
A well-dressed jouug lady was found
lying on a stoop In Newark, N. J. She had
liccu drugged and robbed of $1,000.
Governor Luce denies Governor ForaUer's
statement that tho latter had asked about
the condition of tho militia in 1SS7.
Ctutts "Wells, the head man at tho Clifford
shaft, Forrest Cltj, l'a..incta fearful death
in falling down the shah, a distance of 308
Jeet.
Thomas Hughes, aged (0, was found
dead in tho road near llclfast, Northamp
ton County, Pa. The cause ot his death is
unknown.
Nebraska farmers aro making a system
atic crusado against further extension of
time for payment of the Union Pacific
iiailway debt.
Governor Beaver of Peunsjlvaula has
respited John VV. ltitdy, the parricide, sen
tenced to bo hanged at Lancaster ou Tbuts
day next, to April 9.
Fred Burton, colored, has been arrested
at Chester, Pa., charged with shooting
Jtlchard Herod. Burton claims that tho
bhoollng was accidental,
Tho Her. Dr. Maurico E. Wilson, pastor
of Westminster Presbyterian Cbuich, Bal
timore, has accepted tho call to tho rirst
l'resbvtcriau Chutch of Dayton, Ohio.
The Kearney plauingjnlll at Milwaukee
Imrncd last night. Loss, $12,000; partly
Insured. Thomas Klnnoy and J. W. Duuu,
two firemen, wcie seriously Injured, and
may die.
Judge Wallace has appointed PatrlcU
llccldy receiver of the Ameiicau Sugar Ho
lloing Company of- San Francisco, the
chatter of which has been fortelted because
it Joined the 1 1 list.
By direction of Mrs. A. T. Stewart's cr
editors the big Stowart store building at
liroadway and Ninth avenue, Now York,
-villi be sold at auction ou March la.
Xlgktren other pieces of property uear tho
stoie will bo offered at tho same time.
Foreign.
Count Audrassy died at Volasca.
A dispatch from Venice says thatoimt
Andrassy Is dead.
Sir Louis Mallet, the authority ou com
meiclal treaties, died in England.
Six persons were lost by tho sinking of a
launch in the Sol way Firth yesterday.
John P. Mott of Halifax bVpieatbed
5540,000 to local religious and educational
Justltutious.
The now Sultan ot Zanzibar, Seynold
All, lecclved all tho European residents ot
Zanzibar jesteiday and formally holstod
Ills Hag.
Tho Spanish corvettes Cistllla and
Navara arrived ut Tangier aud sailed again,
after making Inquiries icgardlng tho move
ments of the Biltlsh squadron.
Tho nominations lu the western division
eJ Watcrlord, li eland, to fill the seat in
the Houso of Commous held by Mr. Jasper
.Douglas Pyne, who mysteriously dlsap
peaied some months ago, will benradoon
Monday next, and tho polling will tako
plac e on March II.
Itrport ot (leologlcnl Survey.
The monthly report of the Geological
Kline) to the Secretary ot tho Iuterlorhas
been lecclved. It tells of tho severe and
htoimy weather along tho Ovvcu lltver, lu
California. Work In that section of tha
country has been temporarily abandoned
and tho emplojes dls( barged.
Lai go tracts of laud In New Mexico havo
been surveyed, taking lu tho Grand Valley
as far as BcrulltUI.
The icports of Washington, Colorado,
Montauta and Idaho will soon bo for-
aided.
Cleruiun In it II 10 Woo lit,' Course,
Haunt's thlid season In Washington
opens Thursday In Lincoln Music Hall, D
mid Ninth. The boms will bo 10.30.4:20
unci 8 p. m. Theodore Harris, Presldout
Louisville Hanking Company, wiote:
"Prof. Haupt Is a wonderful toacher,
fullof enthusiasm, and tho study ot luu
milage -ordinarily with him Is full of In
terest that never flags. His method is
dimple and seuslblo "
A practical uso of tho German prom
ised -to speak, lead aud write It. Investi
gation fx'e to all.
oil
ETHET
Senator Ingalls Makes the Most As
tonishing Revelation of All.
NEVER HEARD AN! COMPLAINTS.
Hew Discrepancies Unearthed by "The
Critic's" Investigation.
FACTS ABOUTKALORAMA PROPERTY
Details of the Undervaluation
Syndicate Estates.
of
How the Struggling Small Owners of the
Brookland Tract Aro Mulcted.
INTERVIEWS WITH THE ASSESSORS.
They Rotate Surprising Experiences and
Give Practical Ideas.
Ono of tlio Assemiors Threatened With
Ilanlslimont from the Commu
nity A IVeultliy Dyvour Who
1'roposed to Ash Congress to As
sess Ills Property All tho Asses
sors Agree That the l'oor Arrept
Their Unjust ltnrrten Uucomplaln
Incly. IVhllo tho r,orml Illch
Make All thu Titss and muster
What Is Needed for Iteforiu, as
Suggested by Those Who Should
Knon From Ilxperlonco.
It was manifestly tlio duty of tho
United Slates Senate to know all about
the tnx frauds by which the District of
Columbia is robbed of tlio tax upon nunc
than $100,000,000 annually. That dis
tinguished body should not have been
compelled to get its llrst information
about it fiom last evening's Uiiitic.
Hut in view of the faet that tho hon
orable Senate had given no intimation
that It had this knowledge, Tun Cnmc,
wishing lo be courteous and kind to
that dignified body, sought out several
Senators and explained to them that it
had tills information, but would very
much piefer that it bo used In the Sen
ate Ihnn In the newspaper. To tho ie
porter who called upon these Senators
they all said he should sec Senator
Ingalls; that Senator Ingalls was tho
chaiiraau of tho Committee of District
AiTaiis, and that it would be highly
discourteous for any of them to take
stops in a matter which camo so clearly
within the province of the Kansas
Senator's committee.
So the lcpoiter, after much search
ing, found Senator Ingalls just euteiiug
tho Senate restaurant, presumably on
the tiail of pie.
"Senator Ingalls," said the reporter,
"Tun Ciutio has information which
shows that a very gieat fraud Is being
perpetiated against the District of Co
lumbia in the matter of tax assessments.
It intends to piint its information, but
it deshes to give the Senate a chance
to tako steps lu the case beforo the facts
me laid befoio the public."
Senator Ingalls listened with a cour
teous display of intciest, but said noth
ing. "Tun Cnmc humbly bclloveSj" con
tinued the lcpoiter, "that this Is a caso
which ought to bo opened in tho Senate
befoio it is opened in the public piints,
and as you aro tho chairman of tho
Committee ou Dlstiict Allah s and other
Senntots do not think it would be cour
teous to inteifere witli your particular
business, Tun Ciimc comes to you to
seo if you would liko to offer n'lcsolu
tion of'inqulry into the matter befoio
the facts are published."
"I havo no doubt it will make vciy
Intcresting leading," said Senator In
galls, "but since I have never heaul
any complaints about the assessments,
mid do not know anything about tho
matter, I do not see that theio is any
thing I can do in the case."
"As for complaints, Senator," said
the reporter, "a gieat many of them
havo been made by taxpayers In tho
District, especially by tho poorer and
middlo classes of pcoplo, who havo to
pay n very unjust piopoition of tho tax,
while tho veiy wealthiest men escape
with much less than their honest assess
ment. Tm: Ciutic is prepared to show
lliotiuth of this If vou would like to sco
It."
"I presume it will be very good read
ing," said tho Senator. "I know noth
ing about It, never heard any com
plaints about it and," here ho "bowed
a courtly bow, and turning to rosumo
his pie chase, concluded the conversa
tion with, "I am souy to say there is
nothing I can do for you."
Now
Discrepancies Dlsiovcrod.
Tho dlsciepancles between tho true
and assessed valuo of real estate In the
Dlstiict of Columbia, as shown In yes
terday's Citmo, aro not conflued to
city piopetty. Tho samo stato of aflalis
exists as to submbau subdivisions.
Tho same line of demnrkatlon in as
sessment Is visible between tlio sub
divisions controlled by tho mllliouaiic
syndicates, who hold tlio lands for spec
ulation, and tho smaller subdivisions of
tho middle class people who will oicct
their Hltlo homes, Tho latter class
hold that If tho wealthy syndicates put
a valuo upon tho land and aie able to
realize 11 in caah sales, it Is then n tiuo
valuo for tho pin poses of tavatlou, and
tho land shmild bo so assessed.
One of tho most piomincut cases lu
point Is tho Kalorama property. Evciy
ono knows what and wheio this s.
It is a tract of land lying northwest of
tho city on Massachusetts avenue ox
tended. It was bought by a syndicate
for $200,000. They put about $100,
000 In the property grading and cutting
stieets. It was placed on the market
last spring, and tho lots sold with a
nish, The Jand Is valuable because It
XES
directly adjoins the fnsliloimblo pjr
Hon of tho cltv, and the centiu of
wealth Is certainly moving towaid
Kalorama. Within two squares of It
lots aro selling for $5 per foot. The
bulk of the Knlorama propcrtv is as
sessed at from 00 to 00 cents p'er foot.
A few cases taken at random from the
ofliclal lecoids will give n dealer idea
of the situation.
In block 10, lots 1 and 2, ami In
block 20, lots 0, 10 and 12 aio assessed
upon n valuo ot $8,407. Last Juno
llicso lots wcie bouohl by Anna M.
Mnnlsby for $10,82.1.
In block 20, lots C, 0, 7 and 8 are ns
sensed upon n valuo of $8,100. They
were bought by Jimma L Urecse for
$111,000.
In block 0, lot 1G is assessed upon n
value of $2,001. It was bought by
Andrew Oleason for $0,1510.
Toko one of tho less valuable ones.
Hlock 15, lot 15, assessed upon n value
of $l,40i), wns bought by II. K Viele
for $2,1U7.
In blocks 5, 7, 22 aud 25 a mimbor
of lots aggiegato nn assessed valuo of
iH.oinU. 'incy cost Ucorgo A. Ulcason
lu coin of the lealm just fcll.SKW.
These few random cases indicate
about the propoition of the difference
between tho nsicsscd valuo and tho
true value of this eolire property.
Another big tinct of land which Is
In the hands of wealthy syndicates and
Is assessed fnr below its value is that
lying between Hock Creek and tho
Tennallytown road. It Is assessed by
the acre, fiom $80 to $:100 per acre,
and is selling right along at from $1,000
to $3,000 per acre.
Mr. C O. Glover recently bought
forty nine acres of the ftosenbush farm,
lying on tho Loughborough road at its
junction with the Nidge road, for which
he paid $10,000. It is assessed at $80
act! $100 per acie.
Near this ho bought 11 f teen acres
fiom ,T. G. Qocble for $22,000; assessed
at $100 per acre.
Mr. H. II.,Goldsborough bought twen-ty-ono
acres adjoining for$2"i,000; as
scssed upon a value of about $100.
Mr. John SV. Thompson is one ot tho
henvicst factors in a syndlcato which
owns what Is kuown as tho Kengla
tract, west of the Tennallytown road.
Tho assessor says the laud is worth
$300 an acio. That suits Mr. Thomp
son and his fi lends in tlio syndlcato very
well, They, however, have a different
Idea of what tho land is worth when a
prospective puirhascr nppcars upon tho
scene. They themselves paid $05,300
for thirty-Unco and one-quarter acres of
this $300 land n short time ago. Tho
llrst man who buys one of the lots will
pay enough for ft to enable tho syndi
cate to pay the taxes ou their whole
tiuct for several years, at the present
l.'llC.
How these lands, aud especially Kalo
rama, got such a low assessment is a
matter of wonder to a gieat many
people. An assessor who read tho
uewspapcis at all was suie to obtain an
idea of somewheio near the valuo of the
piopcrtics.
East of Kaloranin Is Moildian Hill,
another suburban sub-dlvlslou. It is
altogether unlike Kalorama, however.
The lots aie owned by clerks and pcoplo
iiui u wuuuiiy us inu nuioiumii syndi
cate. The propcity is not so dcsiiablc
as Kalorama, cither. The owners of
these lots are paying assessments upon
a value that Is ruinously high compared
with tho taxation of their rich neigh
hois. In many cases lots aie assessed
at exactly the same rate as some of the
more undesirable of Kalorama lots,
although the latter aie worth live and
eight times as much as the'Mciidiun
Hill.
But the clowning injustice is in tho
caso of tho owners of Hiookland. This
subdhif-lon lies near the new Catholic
Unlveisity. "When it was opened there
was a nish for lots. Theio was some
speculation in them, of course, but a
gieat many of them wcie bought by
people who wanted to build little homes.
Departmcntcleiks, small meichants and
mechanics Hocked to Urookland to put
their littlo savings in a home. Tho
pioperty had soon passed from the orig
inal owners' hands into Hie possession
of several hundred stiuggliug, striving
people, glad to own a piece of iaud.
Soon the assessor camo aiound to get
an idea of the valuo of tho lots, lie
got it. The mifdiis operandi seems to
have been different from the manner of
assessing the valuo of the millionaire
syndicates' pioperty. At any into the
icsull wns far dltfcicnt.
In the caso of tho wealthy west-end
land-owners the propcities were assessed
at from one-tourtu to one-tenth or their
Hue value.
In tho case of tho lot-owncis of Urook
land, their lauds in many instances
were assessed upon tho prico they paid
for them when they bought them!
In tlie ono case tho city was robbed
ol thousands of dollars of icvcnuo by a
false assessment, and the tax-law was
flaciantlyand openly violated.
In tlio other case the city wrested
the last penny from the poorer propetty
holders and the tnv-lnw was enfoiced.
A few cases quoted nt random from
the recoid will substantiate this state
ment. In Hrooklaud, hlock 31, nil lots sold
in December, 1887, at two cents per
foot. They were assessed at two cents.
In this rac the assessor found tlio
"tmo" valuo with a vengeance.
In block 7 they sold at 0 cents; as
sessed at 4 and 5 cents.
In block 8 they sold for 5 and 0
cenls; assessed at 4 and 5 cents.
In block 0, sold ot 4 cents; assessed
at 3 cents.
Tho great bulk of the property was
assessed upon fiom 70 to 85 per ccut. of
its value, and, in a few cases, their
full value.
As forKaloiama, theic arc thousands
of feet assessed at live cenls and selling
for fifty. Assessed upon ten per cent,
ofjhclr value. This will ho found the
caso in blocks 0, 4, 28 and others.
The assessment In blocks 2G and 27
is at ono cent per foot.
la blocks 0, 7 and 11 tho assessment
Is at flftv nnd sixty cents per foot
wheio the land is held at $1.73 and
over, nnd scvcnty.flvo cents aud eighty
cents wheio It Is held nt $2 aud $2.25.
To sum up tho cao, tho Urookland
pcoplo pay upon 80 per cent, of the
valuo of their propcity whero thoKal
orama pcoplo pay upon 30 and 10 per
cent.
Tho attention of Tin: Cm no has
been dinwn to a curious Instance ot In
crease of assessment valuation In tho
caso of a house-holder at 2 18 Third
street northwest. That property was
sold a few ycaia ago by Dr. J. G rammer
to Thomas E. "Waggamau for $7,500,
and then sold by Waggaman to tho
present owner. Now the property Is
nssesscd at $1J),400, and the taxes of tho
occupant have rlseu aVa jump from
$120.00 to $201.
Sir. llHcknoy blioil? Somo I.lcltt,
Mi, Fielder P. Haekuoy, assessor for
tho section bounded by Twentieth
street, Hock Creek, tho Boundary and
the river, was found In his oillco In his
llvciy stablo at 2800 Pennsylvania ave
nue fast evening. Mr, Hacknoy is a
rather stout gentleman, shrewd-looking,
and a mustache and chin whlskcis. Ho
wns dressed In a neat business suit of
some dntk check goods and wore a oft
lint. He useS glasses nnd has brown
hair. The light In tho little olllre wns
not limning very lileh, and n warm
coal flio glowed lu 'tho opfln stove.
Ho glanced at tho n.ticlo thiough his
spectacles and took n good look nt the
headlincH.
Mr. Hackney then settled in his clinir,
looked lit Tin: funic wllh n smile,
wlillo a colored employe on a bunk in
llic hack room listened admiringly.
Mr. Hackney talked well and Interested
his other listener even more than he
did the ad.niilng black.
"1 havo been nn assessor three
limes," said he; "1883 0-1). I have all
my books nnd papers heie," going to n
sou of cupboard about ns high as tho
top of the desk, nnd lo its left, nud
taking them nnd putting them on the
dck.
Going o er them, lie explained In du
(nil his plans of work. The "Assessor's
Field Hook" wis first shown, and It is a
ecm. It is a blank book, ruled to theso
bondings: Square, Lot, Front Feet,
Value l'er Foot, Improvements (.value,
old, now), Dcscilption, Hcmarks, The
sheets are less than four Crime col
umns wide. Then the assessors are
provided with variegated and valuable
pointers touching the real estate market
such as theso; Square 03, lots 1, 2, 3,
4, 5, with the front feet of each. A
plat of the assessor's district accom
panies the innp. Going over this, he
explained how he took the squaics in
detail, bfegiunlngwlth cheaper ones and
worked Ihioughdislrlrtustrcel by street,
until the whole work was completed.
"Willi tho meagre Information
vouchsafed me under the law, how
am I to know who owns any particu
lar piece of property ? I go at my work
in a spirit of faliiiess nnd Justice to
all. The propcity is assessed for pur
poses of revenue nnd must be treated in
that spirit. I am a fair judge of values,
having been a master mechanic for n
number of years nnd being besides
something of nn nichitect. I take in
a given square the corner lots as tho
more valuable, tlie interior as the less.
All pioperty is nssesscd the same where
their condition and my judgment make
them of equal value."
"How about the assessment of build
ings, Mr. Hackney?"
"In their assessment their cost has
little lo do with tho question. The
guiding point Is tho income-earning
quality of the house. If some one
should for any lenson build a $20,000
houso In Foggy Bottom it would lie a
bad investment, n decidedly bad one.
It could not be made to pay, nnd should
not, ot course, be assessed at its cost.
On the other hand, if a building has
notoriously enhanced in value that fact
should be considered. I lemembcr a
caso where a man came to me and said
'"Wliv, it onlv cost $7,000.' "All right,'
I leplicd, 'I'll give you $30,000 for
house and lot,' nnd so It went down at
$15,000."
"Concerning tlie chief point in the
contiovcisy, Mr. Hackney the charge
of favoiitism to the rich at the ex
pense of the pool?"
"There is nothing in it that I know
of. In my uislilct is tho-JHainc man
sion, which cost $02,000. It stands as
sessed at $50,000, the highest In the
district. It relatively is as high as
or higher than any other house in tho
distilet. It was properly done, because
Hit' hous,e stands nlone In n favoied lo
cality, open on nil sides to light and
nir. I waut to say, too, that U is a mis
take to assume that all thu small houses
belong to tho poor. Many of them be
long to tho lich, who have elected them
as speculative investments, One ie.il
estate firm has, 1 believe, as many as
250 of these llttlu houses."
"How about the law itself. Mr. Hack
ney?" "The law is very crude. It goes ito
effect on thu llrst Monday in March, and
about two weeks aio lost in getting
bondsmen nnd nrranging the prelimt
nniies. Then the bad weather is lost.
The field woik must bo completed by
the 1st of June. The assessors then
meet as a Boaid of Equalization, aud
later ns a Boaul of Appeols. Two
months aro given to this woik. Tho
statement that there wore 2,000 nppeals
is explained by the fact that these come
from tho lich. If theie arc any in
equalities existing they must be lnid to
the law and not to tho men"."
Tm; Ciutic heio thanked Mr. Hack
ney, gave ii last look nt lhashlnimr eyes
of the ncgio in the little back room and
dupaited.
Mr. Mimuiuikor'rt i;iierlonce,
"When Mr. Thomas B. Shoemaker,
one of tho nsscssois who finished their
labors last August, was spoken to he
said that he did not care, to say any
thing for the other assessois as they
would piobably prefer to speak for
themselves. As to his subdivision or
distiiet ho had nothing to conco.1.' In
legaid to piominent pieces of propcity
in his terntory, Mr. Shoemaker said:
"The Shoieham was assessed as tin
llnislied pioperty at tho valuation of tho
mateilnl on the giound. It will beio
assessed by thu Assessors oillco next
vear because it was nuiiked on tho
books as unfinished. On the Fleming
building, on G, between Fouttcenth
nnd Fifteenth, the whole board acted
upon tho assessment. Theie was an
increase of the assessment on .Too "Wil
laid's lot on Fourteenth and F of 25
per cent, over the former assessment,
and that is a pietty heavy raise. If a
man won't sell, it doesn't make any dlf
fence what fictitious pilco he has been
offcied. I understand tho Fleming
building deed calls for a cousidcrntiou
of $100,000. There is no moie leason
tor assessing it tor isiuu,uuu than it mo
deed only called for $10 to assess
it for $10. I hud heard that It did not
cost $22,500. "Wo almost invariably find
blind deeds lecotdcd, that Is, tho
amount named in tho deed is fictitious.
"Tho assessment on the Glover build
ing was not changed for the improve
ments, while tho assessment on the
ground was Increased, and such Is tho
fict for tlio "Wormley Hotel, Tlio tea
son for this is that improvements aie not
supposed to impiove, but lo decrcasolu
valuo with ago.
"The Normandlo wns assessed moie
in pioportlon than the Shoreham, be
cnuso tho Nounandlo was finished and
tho Shoieham was not. "With the light
of all the information wo could gel
both theso buildings wore assessed at a
fair valuation.
"Tho assessor has no names of own
cis on his Hold book, he Is not supposed
to know tho owners, and, in fact, no
doesn't know ono In a bundled of them.
Ho Is simply governed by tho subdi
visions given him by tlio assessor, in
which 'back ground1 often nppeais,
Tho back giound may bo owned by ono
paity aud havo an nlley house or stablo
thereon, whilo the frout may bo occu
pied by nn imposing mansion. The
back giound, In geneinl, Is not consid
eied wortli moio than one half the value
of tho fiont lot.
""Wo sec subdivisions mado ot lots
which cnu bo suspected as being done
for tho purpose of lowering taxation,
but tho assessors can only be covoincd
by the tecoidcd subdivision.
"Tho law says wo should assess the ae
dial valuo In money, but would It ho
fair to assess a property at wh.U we
heai others say the oncr hns been
olfeied, or what wo think it woul 1
In lug at a foiccd cash sale, whether
the day bo rainy or not?
"I commented to assess on tlie 15lh
of Mairh, and to refer lo tho Shoieham
again it was assessed nbottl tho llrst
week of my labor, nnd I am well satis
fied that $00,000 would cover tho worth
of the mntcii.il then upon tlio gioutul
"Willi the exception ot Sampson nml
Coicnrnn streets tho ground it all or
my district (which lies between Tenth
and Fifteenth stieets) wns consldci.ibly
Incicnsul. I consideied Coiroian street,
between Thirteenth nnd Fouiteenlh, as
not having advanced in valuo.
"One ica'son thcro appeals to bo such
a dlversiiyiis to valuations lu various
portions of the city is becnuse theio a.e
twcho different assessois for as many
dllTerenl sections, and with as many
diiTcient Ideas of valuation. Moieover,
tho mnjoilCi of thcin aie generally new
men, nnd ificy have to work nights nnd
Suudays to llnlsh their woik In the 150
days allowed. In such great haste
eriors must.be committed, oil of which
would bo' changed by nn act creating a
pcimanenttonrd of Assessois"
Sir, Itheem'K Onto Threutonoil,
Mr. .TohnrA. Hliceni wns leading tho
news In the cosy parlor of his resi
dence. No. t21 Seventeenth stieet. Mr.
Hheem wasMho assessor In charge of
the Fifth District, which comprised
Hint section or the city leaching from
tho river front to the Boundary, bo
Iwecn Fifteenth and Twentieth streets.
"Thcro aie somo discrepancies in
The GiutkJs nrticle." said Mr. Hheem
when the stibject was broached, "and
cilllclsms of tho same tenor were pub
lished wbiloVwo wcro making tho assess
ments. Thj! last assessment previous
to that we completed In August Inst was
made In 18t0, and was a low one. We
increased this considerably, and in my
dlstiict I, wftuld venluic to say' that tho
inciease waV 331 per cent. I see there
isnparngiafh relating to 'Tho Shore
ham.' That assessment wns made nt
the Assessor's oOlce. "When our
woik wii being done the
hotel was unfinished nnd wo
did not, under the uile. assess un
finished buildings. At the lime tho
assessment was being made the piop
erty at the northeast corner of Six
teenth nnd K stieets, which, I believe,
is of much greater value than that upon
which 'Tho ShorchnuV is situated,
was sold and hi ought less than $3 per
foot $4.80, 1 believe. I think the as
sessments mndc by the special assessors
was just. "Where thcro was doubt wo
gave the benefit of It to the propeitj
holders, as it was right and proper we
should."
"How about the discrimination be
tween the rich and the poor?" asked
the reporter.
"That is the veiiest bosh," replied Mr.
Hheem. "There was no discrimination,
w hntc cr. And. let me tell you one thing,
wheru one poor man requested a ie
assessment of his property and a reduc
tion thereof, ten rich men came before
us. John W Thompson and the Wll
loids wcie energetic in their desire for
lcductlons, and Archibald Hopkins told
me he wns going to Congress and hnvo
It assess hi6 property. Theio weic
tlii cats even made that I would be mn
cut of town, and by wealthy men, too.
"Why, a Justice of ho Supremo Court
Judge Harlan camo before the asses
sors, accompanied by a lawyer, and was
almost bitter in his criticisms upon what
ho thought wns tho unfair assessment
of his piopcity. Vciy few poor per
sons made nny kick at all. Theysccmed
a thousand pel cent, moio satls'ficd than
the rich."
"I suppose you had sullleicnt time in
which to peilorm your work, did you
not?" suggested the Inlet viewer.
"1 should say not," Mr. Hheem ejac
ululid. "Woweie imbed to death, to
speak llguiatlvely, and 1 even woikcd
on my books on Sundays. The system
of assessments heie should be ladienlly
changed. There should be a perma
nent Board of Assessors appointed an
nually, which should have nothing else
lo do, and they should woik all tho
lime. And, again, the pint books of
the District should be renewed. They
aie about fifty or sixty ycais old, and a
man can scaiccly make head or tail of
them. Theie should bo a wholesome
reform in the assessment methods in use
in tho Distiiet, aud tho sooner it is ac
complished the better."
What Sir, Kitllifux Sn.s.
Mr. Thomas B. Knlbfus was one of
the twelve gentlemen who made the
assessments upon which tho propcity
owncrs of tho District nio taxed. Mr.
Kalbfus was in chaigo of the dlstiict
lying between First stieet west and
Sixth street cast, and extending from
the Boundary to the liver front. Ho
was about leaving his residence when
his views wcie solicited upon the sub
ject of the lecent assessments.
'I have ojuly glanced o.y,er--,Tui:
'Clinic," snid'Mr. Kalbfus, "and 1 can
only say that the assessors did their
duly conscientiously. The tioublc in
the first place regaiding the inattci
aiiscs from the faet that the time at our
disposal, was entiuly too limited. In
cludiiig Sundays, we had only 110 days
in which to make our examinations and
assess the pioperty. "When wo hod fin
isned the actual woik of assessing wo
weio compelled to sit as nDoaid of Ap
peal and hear committees and individ
uals innumeiablo plead for icducttons.
This prevented us fiom going over each
district together, ns wo desired to do,
nnd each assessor's findings were
adopted without that investigation
which would lead to a more thorough
equalization of values between tho vari
ous sections of tho city.
"To give yon somo idea of our woik
as a Boaid of Equalization, you should
see tho number of nppeals mado aud
acted on, each one lcquirlngn re-cxaml-untlon
of tho piopcity. Delegations
came beforo us and demanded that wo"
make lower assessments, somo threat
ened us, nnd othcis predicted nil sorts
of disaster to tho District unless we
made n lower assessment. This sort of
business continued over a month alone.
In a few cases wo were convinced that
the ground assessment was too high,
and wo lcducc.l It. Ou houses tho up
peals weio generally small, aud In most
cases wcie allowed. Still wo Increased
tho assessment over $22,000,000 for
which wo have been louiidly de
nounced. "It Is a mistake to supnosathal wo as
sessed the moncitv at its cutiic value.
or that wo were Inllucnccd by any but
the best motives In pcif owning our
duties. "Wo believed that wc should as
sess piopcity at what It would btlng
under the most advciso cheumstancos
and tho auctioneer's hammer, and wo
cm lied out that idea.
"What piopcity sells for Is not Its
value; piopcity has been bought at a
high pilco and sold at a low one The
general uilo of tho assessois In fixing
values was not as to what piopcity cost,
but what It w 111 sell for uiidor tho most
disadvantageous elrcumstaiicos, and our
assessment was mado aceoidlnglv. A
caso In point Is the Mallby Ilouso,
fiontlug on Capitol P.uk. This issoss
ment wns made nt a figure that would
seem to bo pcifectly ridiculous If cost
was ceusldeied, but we bellovcd It to
be dead piopcity nnd the as'isincnt
wis made ntrordl.igly.
"What wo need In tho Dlstiict," con
tinned Mr. Knlhfus, "Is n pcimanunl
lloiud of Assessors which will not bo
ciampcd for time nud which will bo
nblo to give the subcct of assessment
the raieful supervision tltat It deseives
and demands. It Is the height of ah
suidlly lo say that District pioperlv
should be assessed at Its full value.
"Were this so, it would put tho District
bark twenty years; It would dilve the
lnvcato.s who, are seeking tho Capital
as a profltabfeilcld elsewhere, nnd Con
gress would undoubtedly withdraw all
llssuppoit."
Mr. llrlBhl'H Dlntrli t.
"William T, Bright, tlio Assessor fiom
the southeastern districts, extending
from Sixtli stieet to Eleventh street,
and fiom tho Boundnry to thu river,
when seen, said that none of the unfair
assessments wtio In his dlstiict. "Theie
nio M'tv few expensive propel ties In my
dlstiict," said Mr. Bright, "and I hnvo
endeavored to nssess nil fairly. There
have been only a few appeals tnken
fiom my valuation. I have made n
caicful study of the value of piopcrtics
in the district, and they nio generally
assessed nt from 00 to 70 per cent, of
their vnlues. On unproductive land
the late Is lower."
lr. Mi.Ii'h AIgIIkiiI.
Eplnalm Nash, the assessor for the
district lying between Flist street north
west nud" First street southeast and the
Bmuidaiy and the river, said that un
doubtedly much of tho pioperty In the
northwestern pnit of the city was as
sessed at too low intes.
"The assessors do not Interfere with
the values fixed by ono another, how
ever," ho said. "I see that none of the
Instances of loo tow valuation me In
my district, which does not includo any
of" tho fashionable or business portion
of the city. In my assessment I aimed
to place the values at ono-half of what
the propcity would bitng ftt a fair pri
vate sale
"The law of the Distiiet about as
sessments is very defective. As things
are now all appeals are lefcncd to the
assessor who makes tho assessment
complained of, nnd lie, of couise, is not
inclined to undo his own work. Then
again thcro is no uniform basis of vnlu
nllon, as each assessor fixes values
to suit himself, so that the assessments
of similar houses on opposite sides of
the same street arc often quite diiTcient,
because made by two assessors who did
not ngice as to values.
"Congress should pass a law creating
a boaid of revision, which should hear
all appeals, and should also have the
power to equalize valuations. There
should be somo definite rate of assess
ment, and the assessors should be given
more time in which to do their work.
The trouble is that Congressmen ate
more interested in the affairs of thelt
own States and districts than in the
Distiiet of Columbia, and poy too little
attention to it."
Mr. Ciohlun'M StHttitneiit.
Stephen M. Golden is thuagricultur.il
assesspr for the Distiiet, and estimates
tho value of property in and around
Anacostia. After a two-mile walk over
a country road last night "Mr. Golden
was found at his home ensconced In a
soft-bottom easy chair reading Tun
Ciiitic's eipote of the iudlscilmlnato
tnx fiauds. Ho was at fiist very leti
cent about expicsslng his opinion rela
tive to thu subject, but finally admitted,
in so many woids, that the wealthy tux
payeis bu'lldocd the tax assessois of
the western portion of the District into
an under-estimate value of thcii piop
erty. "There is no doubt that a great evil
exists in this diicdion, which is caused
by tho influcuco of the wealthy class of
tux-payeis over the assessors. As a
matter of fact, the assessois never enter
a wealthy man's house, but simply
make the cstlinntc fiom tho otitsldo of
the house. In nine cases out of ten
they do not know what the propcity
they arc assessing is actually woilh.
"There is no doubt that tho valuo of
piopcity Is ycaily incieasing in tho
District, and when an assessor estimates
the value of propcity above what It was
years ago the taxpayeis immediately
pounce down upon him and demand an
appeal nnd usually has his amount of
taxes i educed,
"My first impiession was when I
read Tun Clinic's eijmc that ex-Assessor
Fish had a hand in it. Fish is
right, and I always maintained that he
was. When ho was appointed Asse-sor
ho wns nbout to put into elfcet the pio
visions of tlio Inw, but well, bo got to
drinking nbout that time nnd was
ousted, and the law was never
carried out. As another instance aside
from those cited in Tiik Ciutic is the
assessment levied on Willard's Hotel.
It icnts for $25,000 a year; besides, tho
tenant pays the taxes. It wns assessed
'for bitty $50,000, and even at tlintiiguic
the owner of tho building came
down on tho assessois and had
it icduccd. I said at the time
to the Boaid of Assessors that it
was a gioss outiago not to assess tho
properly at least fo"r moie than doublo
wbnt the rent was, but they could not
stand the picssuie biought to bear on
them by the ownci. Of course the
law is not lived up to, and nn unjust
disciimination is bcin mndo against the
poor people in favor of the rich. I havo
known of Instances where poor people's
houses bnvebecn assessed almost doublo
the actual value of their property.
"I am a believer in low taxes, but I
do not believe such an unjust ilNcrlnil
untlon should exist."
Mr. Citrpenter'M Trlttlx unit lili-na.
Ex-Assessor 15. D. Caipentcr was
found In his coy suburban homo at
Biightwood. "I don't believe -I am
the man you want to see, for my term
of ofllco expired by limitation last year,
aud thank foitutio 1 am no longci au
assessor in tho Dlstiict of Columbia. I
was first appointed as assessor In 1870.
and fiom this you will sco that I pci
formed thirteen yeors of faithful serv
ice for tho District in n position whero
a man receives moio abuse and le3s
credit thau in any othei within the gift
of tho Government.
"I will admit, as is stated, that tho
small piopcity-owneis sulleitosome
extent by being, in somo Instances,
called upon to contilbuto moio to the
tnx fund than tho larger pioperty
owncis do. Now, this caunot bo nttilb
utcd to any dishonesty on tho part of
the assessois or the Boaul of Equalisa
tion for this icason
"Linger piopcity ovvncis tako moro
pains In giving In thcii schedules, and
the valuation of their property can bo
moie easily estimated than that of thu
pooler classes. You go to tho homos
of the poor, and nlno cases out of ten
they will bo away fiom their homo at
their woik Ifjou ask tho lady of the
house what the value of her piopcity
Is, she will luvarlably say she knows
nothing about it, or look upon you as
an Impudent lutiudcr In family affairs,
aud say that It Is none of your business.
To go fuither, it Is very much easier
tojudgo tho valuo of a house costing
fiom $l,-600 to $5,000 or $10,000 than
on a house that costs $50,000 or $100,
000, and the icsull of this Is that fie
qucntly Hie smaller property owners
pay moio taxes than the others', became
tlio assessois know moio about It.
"Tlicro has been u picvalcnt Idea
among the property ovvncis, leal estate
men, meichants nnd othcis," continued
Mr. Carpenter, "Unit It was notavvlso
policy to bilng too heavy nn assessment
on some propeitlcs, ns It would have a
tendency to drlvo capitalists nwny
fiom the rily, nnd the loss Hint would
he sustalncdiii this ditectlon would bo
moio than If u higher valuation was
placid. This idea lias, I think, been ac
ceplid also by the Hoard of Equaliza
tion ns the one most beneflcinl to thu
meichants of the cltv mid District.
"The position (if nsscssni is, as I
have ascertained by experience, the
worst that n man can possibly bo called
upon lo fill Hois peipelunlly plnced
between two Hies, and, I tell you, they
aro scoreheis sometimes, too. They
nio itqulml lo perform their work
under a law that is u vague one and
Hint is liable to be misunderstood and
misconstrued. No clcnrly-dellned
rules aie given to be followed by as
fessois in tlie valuation of property
If It only said confine yourself to a
two thlids or tin eu fi.ui His valuation
wc would know what to do. but It does
not Consequently, wc nro left to go It
blind. All Hint Is itqulredisn fair
cash value, and many times it is a dell
cate matter to do this when wo know
nothing about It.
"Tlieie Is a vciy iiigcut need for a
new Assessment law, and promptly too,
and I nm decidedly In favor of a pet
Militant Board of Assessment, which
shall confine its time to this work. Give
this board the powers to change assess
menls any time during tlio year. See
what a farce of a lnw we are asked lo
woik under nt the prest nt time. It Is
onu Hint cannot possibly be followed,
and never is.
"For instance, we nro elvcn live
months in each year in which to com
plete the atinunl assessment. One-half of
this time is presumed to be tnken ti in
gnlheiing llic nccessaiy data and the
other in putting it in shape for report
and sitting ns a Board of Eqiialintiou.
Wo must not exceed 150 days at the ut
most completing the work and our com
pensation for this is limited to $5 pur
day. j.H Is absolutely Impossible to get
men who will perform this service for
that money, and devote their lime to it,
and- I am thoroughly-well convinced
Hint there oucht to be a indiral change
in this law soveuiing assessments
"Perhaps, as you well know, the
Equalisation Board in the District is
constituted of twelve men, and, as a
rule, ten of those men are reliable. Of
couise, all aie not constituted alike
when it comes to well balanced judg
ment, but, as a whole, they nic con
scientious and careful w hen it comes to
the pciforinnnccof their duties.
"Theic is another thing which I
wish to call to your nttcnllon. In
Washington, like cvciywheru else,
theie aie a number of these "single
tnx idea" men, who, In order to entry
out their principles, will make torn
plnints thntccitnin properties wcie not
properly assessed. Now, they only do
this for a purpose. 1 lemembcr
that a complaint was mado be
fore tlio Equalinllon Board last
year by one of these fellows,
that Saks &, Co., on Seventh street,
wcie not assessed fnlily. This build-
ing is one of tho exceptions In the ma
Joiilyol'tbe mercantile establishments
in the city. All the floors aie in ono
single department, and not divided,
consequently theie is not that expense
Hint can bo attached to the others lor
partitions, plastering, doors, etc. The
complaint camo puicly from the singic
tn. men, mid wns not indorsed by "tho
proprietors of the building. Complaints
of n similar puipoit came in lclntiou to
many other buildings in town arfd from
the same souice. These Ilcniy George
followers want no classification as be
tween leal estate and impiovcmcnts,
and thcii appeals embairasscd the
boaul not a little."
"I want to cite this to illustiatc that
a man who owns a lot 100 feet in depth
can consider himself just as well, If not
better, olf than the one who owns ono
125 or 150 feet In depth. Ileal estate
men will agree that lots of tho latter
depth aie of no benefit to the owner,
unless they can be used lor stable
loom "
I.OTlhllY SOU T..M Kits.
tu OileaiiM Combine Ti Iiik to !rorin
uTriiHt."
jiiii:x, Movi., Feb. 1?. It is ic
poilcd that the Louisiana Lottery
sehemeis, who wcie knocked out lu
Noith Dakota, aio negotiating to buy
out the Iontann Lottery Company so
as to gain u foothold in this State.
This minor lacks confirmation, yet
ninny believe it in view of tho boast of
tho lottery schemers that if they wcro
defeated in North Dakota they would
tiy to work Slontana.
Lotteries aie openly conducted In
Montana, and the business of selling
loltciy tickets is extensively carried on,
though both appear to be pioblbited by
law.
ASSAl'I.T ON A VOUNG I.AIIV,
Found I.J inc in tlio Slret After llnlnc
DrugcoU ami Kolilietl.
Ni-vv uiK, N J , Feb. 18. Eaily last
evening n well dressed and haudsome
young lady was found lying on a stoop
in Commerce street, nppiiicutly diunk
She was taken to the police station,
wheio n physician found that she had
either taken poison or been diugged
Altei two bonis' hard woik the physi
cian succeeded in bringing liei to con
sciousness. She then said her naino
was Wllhclinlna Lcstilng, and that she
hnd recently tome from Carstadl, N J.
When she t cached Newark In the
afternoon she had !I Olio In hei pocket
She said she had tome to Newark to
look foi friends and 'was Induced to
enter a notorious icort, wlieio she was
assaulted and lobbed The polko are
Investigating the mysteiy.
Death nt ii 1'M'fill Cltlcn.
"Miiw.U'M:r. Wis, Feb. 18. C.
Latham Sholes. the invcntoi of thu
typewriter, died last night at his homo,
Xo. 810 Baeinc street, nt tho ngo of 71
years. Jlr. Sholcs was a pioneer jour
nalist ol Wisconsin. In 18:17 he be
came associated with his brother, C. C.
Bho)es,iu editing and publishing tho
lrftfoutiH Democrat, nt Green Hay. In
18 10 the paper was removed to South
poit. now Kenosia, where Mr Sholo
icmaincd until 1857. Sinco that time
Mr. Sholoshns been connected with the
Sentinel nnd, Inter, the Daily Arm.
Plnco his invention of tlio typewriter ho
has been living n ictlicd life, and for
sometime past hns been in fulling
health lie is suivlved by a largo
fmnllv .
Wlikh Is tlio l'uvorltu?
Ol more than 30 brauils a total ot 3,0'W.
811 cases 'f champagne wcro Imported lu
tho last 10 years. Of this about one -quarter
was (i. II. Minimi A. Co'6 Extra Dry, the
choice of the counolsscurs, or over "11,000
cases moro than ot any other brand,
THE WOMEN IN SESSION.
Annual Convention of tlft National
SuiTraso Association.
MRS. STANTON TUB PRESIDENT.
Mr. Foulko of Indiana Addresses tha
Assemblage at Length.
llirntilnc llinin llic, (Imititltii
(JliurrliRn UetitlM or thi
I'riiiecilliic" Mr. Nlitnton
lo I.vmoror lCiiroi,
l.i tlm
li'
AlllMIt
Lincoln Music Hall was roinforiablv
filled and tiucotnforlably chilly when
the convention began its open scs-d'iti
this morning. It was nn almost ex.
elusive feminine gathering, and the few
men who wcie to be seen here sua
there were of mostly well-advanced
joins, and bad the nppenrnncc of
clcidjiiieii, college pi ofessors nnd othcis
of the childien of light The appear
nncc of many of thu delegates wns most
striking. Mrs. Elizabeth Cudy Stan
ton was conspicuous by her beautiful
snowy hnir and portly figure, nml
among the men, .lobn Hutchinson, nn
old lime i cformer, showed n head of
hnli that far surpassed that of iniiij of
the woman suflragists
On the stngo nnd In the audience1
weio to bo seen .fulla Wnrd lloweo.
Lucy Stone Blnekwell, Isabella Burlier
Hooker, Iltv. Olympla Brown, Henry
B..Blnokwtll, Mr. Wnulnll. president
of the Fai mors' Alliance of
S-outh Dakota; l'litube Cocns, the
woman lnvvjcr of St Louis, Liilic Deve
reuv Blake, Dr. Edson of Washington,
Susan B. Anthony, Mi. Cnlby, ami
many timers wuose laces nro inmilim
at the annual gathering of the advocates
of woman suflrage.
Mis. Stnnton, the president, was le
cclved with cheers as she ascended Hit
singe. Itefeiring to her going iilnoad.
she said
"I can assure you that in going I
England as pieslilent of tho National
American Woman's Suflrage Associa
tion f feel It agieater honor than if T
had been sent as a Minister Pleiilpoten
limy to any court in Europe."
.lobn Hutchinson was introduced, and
sang a song, "I May Not Boa I'lophet."
in which he piedicted the triumph of
wotnati in securing her rights ami the
vicloiy of all other reforms.
Mis. Cally lead Hie usual series of
i ('Solutions, which, In part, referred to
divorce, nnd demanded that there be no
fuithei legislation on the bubject until
women vote. The chief resolution was
this one, (blowing down woman'b
gauntlet to the ihiiich.
I!ri eh ", That the tlinu ha come for
woman to demand of the Church the sua
equal recognition shu ilcinunils of theState
to assume her right and duty to tako part
in the revision of Ilible, prajtr-hooks and
ciccils; to rote on ull questions of Inn!
ncss; to fill the ofllcts of elder, deacon,
i-iimlsj-scliool siipcrlBtcnilL-nt pastor anil
bishop; and havo the right to sit In eccle
siastical ej noils, assemblies and conven
tions as delegates, that thus our religion
may no longer reflect only the masculine
clement of humanity, and that woman, tho
mother of the race, tic honored as she mu-t
he licforewo can havo a happj home, u
rational religion and an enduring govern
ment. Heading fiom n manuscript, Mrs.
Stnnton gave a long and intcic'timr
sketch of the AVomiiii Suffrage move
ment She predicted that in ten 'ycai.s
women would bo voting in evciy State
In tho Union. Speaking of the piescul
debates over the damnation of infants,
she said that If women had their rights
no such horrible doctrines would In
taught.
"All that the fieedmen and the
women ask to day Is justice," she said
in conclusion, intiodueing her daugh
ter, Mis. Blatch. of England, a vciy
comely young woman, with hei moth
ei's soft intonation of voice, who gave
an account of the woman, sulfiage
movement in Englnnd.
Hon. William Dudley Foulke of In
diana followed in an addicss lcgarJlu
ci imes against tlie suffrage generally, In
which ho langed from Indiana to South
Carolina, and then ciossed the sets to
Itussla.
"Let us nsk ourselves, we men ' ho
said, "how wo would like to be disfiati
chiscd, and then apply the same aigu
ment to women. If woman has inllu
ence she has the right lo that, and to
vole, loo. It makes no diiloience
whcthc! all women want to vote As
long as one woman wants to, jii-,tico
demands that she should be allowed to.
1 find it haul to undeistnnd the law
giver who prcfcis thu legislation made
by i ho Idiot and the paupci to that
mudo In woman."
Mr. Foulke spoko of the neeessitv of
hnimony and zeal in fotwotding'the
rnusc of Woman Suiljage. Other
measures should be eliminated, amino
other icform consideied. The otgnn
iatlon is foi Woman Sufltage, and foi
Woman Suffrage only.
"It seeks the ballot for women, ' lie
said, "because it is eternally right.
Let us woik in a spirit of infinite for
benrance Men call us dreamcis ajul
impracticable. But the dieam of one
geneiation becomes the realization of
the next.
"Woman too, has dreamed, dteamed
of the time when, equal with her
brotbei In tho least jot and tittle of
evciy civil, social and political tight
sheshnll hnvo the power to exeieUe
jointly with htm that right of sov
eielgnty, that right of sullrage,
upon which the security for evciy
olhei right depends Aliendy half the
piayer is granted, One by ono tho bar
liers of iegal incapacity have beci
thiovvn down and the gate to manv an
avenuo to honor and wealth and piofit
which hns been closed ngnlnst hei. ii"W
yields to the picssuru of a vvomin b
hand.
"Heie, loo, tho gt eat work goes ou
steadily to Its consummation. The
little icvcrses which come from timet J
time, such as tlie denial of suftiago In
the Slate of Washington, aie only th
exceptions which sorveel to show moro
clearly the gencial drift of tho tide.
"SMiall wo believe that theso aio per
mnuent obstacles'' We might ns well
say that the Mississippi will not reacli
the sea because theie aie eddies lu tho
eurient Tho piogiess of humanity Is
ecttnin. It wiil not stop until man and
woman nic equal In evciy right befoia
the law, nnd government everywhere
derives its Just poweis from the coiim nt
of Iho governed "
Miss Anthouv gave out several tu
ticcsiegnrding tlie meeting, nnd during
these Mrs. Stnnton aiose to take her de
parture. Tho women waved their
iinudkeichiefs and the tow men presm'
gave a somewhat feeble ebeei.
Anolhci session w ill bo held this eve n
ing, when Mis Isabella Beechcr liar
per of Connecticut will sponk on "The
Centennial of 1802," Mary Sevmour
Howell of New Yoik on "The
I'icsent." and Laura Ornilston Chant
of England on "English AVomcu i'i
Polities.
You eau order The Critic by postalc 'i '.
It will bo sent to jour address every ev .
lii,forS5ceuts.
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