The San Francisco call., 1899-09-18
TAXATION In WASHINGTON CITY

Tor years past the cost of maintaining the adj
mnistraton of Washington City has been
borne equally by the citizens and by Congress
that say by the taxpayers OF the rest OF the United
States. At the last session of Congress it was pro-
posed to compel the city itself to bear the whole bur
den OF the OF opening and improving the streets
when extended into the suburbs Against that plan
vigorous protest has been issued by the Washington
Board OF Trade and in the argument of the protest
good deal OF interesting information has been given
concerning the economic conditions of the city.
1t appears in the first place that hardly than
half OF the property in Washington is subject to as
sessment nevertheless high is the assessment that
in $780, the census year. when the count showed that
the taxes fell upon population OF less than 10000,
the assessed valuation exceeded the combined
ments of Cleveland Ohio; Portland Or; Des Moines,
Iowa; Kansas City, Kans.; Sioux Falls, S. D.; Chey-
enne, Wyo.; Fargo, N. D.; Tucson, Ariz. and Vir-
gnia City, Nev with aggregate population OF 49,
33o-beween two and three times large that of
Washington.
In San Francisco we demand the dollar limit and
consider tax burdens intoerabe when that
sum is exceeded to any considerable amount, but
the people OF Washington, in addition to their high
assessment, have an invariabe tax OF ST so on
every $1oo 1t is further noted that in OF
alton Washington is at a disadvantage with other
real estate there and live there claim residence else
where and whatever personal they pay paid
where they technically reside This state of things
grows out of the peculiar status of Washington as a
political and business city very large proper
ton OF her population go there to the Gov
ernment in way, and this gives them right,
under existing law, to claim their old homes still as
their residences They cling to the right because it
IS the only condition OF their having vote
The fact that so large a proportion Of the inhabit-
ants of the capital claim residence elsewhere has a
political as we'll as economic effect on the city 1t
is that more than anything else which deprives the
community of the advantages OF egovernment, for
as it is said since many of the intelligent citizens
would have right to vote there the political control
of the district would pass into the hands of the
irresponsible class if popular government by ballot
were established
One of the leading of the capital is quoted as
saying it would be possible to get rid of both the
dsranchsement of the District and many of the evils
of the spoils system by the simple device of law re-
quiring every person accepting employment under the
Federal Government in Washington to become a resi-
dent of the District pro tempore According to his
argument, if every Government employe in Washing
ton became voter there, self government could be
provided for the District at
The political question is, however but side issue
at present The main point which Washington in
sists is that Congress should continue to pay half the
expense of her government and nasmuch as the ma
ton owns and exemps from taxation about half of all
the property in the city would appear the claim
lust one.