Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-06-16
The District Bill in Conference.

The fact that the fiscal year has but two
wteks more Of life doubtless caused the
Senate to hasten the passage of the. Dis
trIct appropriation bill despite the size OF
the budget and the gravity of the lesisla-
tive provisions involved Had there been
time. however. the bill with its extraordi-
nary Iaw-making sections should have led
70 detailed debate. For the Senate was
engaged Saturday in the writing of signifi-
cant and far-rcaching statutes. the precise
end of which no man can see today In
that proceeding the process of changing
the character of the organic act. by inter
probation and successive legislation. was
carried further than ever. While acting
with more consideration than the House and
with greater care for the preservation of
Individual and collective rights, the Senate
ignored the plain mandate of the funda
mental statute and gave the District tis-
cal law running counter to the lines which
theoretically guide the welfare of the capt.
tai
Had the organic act been followed in this
case the Senate committee, while recogniz-
ing the emergency caused by failing reye-
nue. would have appropriated nevertheless
the sums sufticient-to care for both the cur
rent and the extraordinary expenses, sepJ-
rating the two in order to ascertain the
a-rount which must be raised by unusual
means. such as the federal advance. For
the extraordinary expenses. being for the
construction of large permanent works,
should not be regarded in the same light
as the items for the maintenance of the
ordinary municipal outfit. Nor should they
be met by the same means. by immediate
taxation. Having ascertained this sum. the
federal loan should have been stated in
approximate amount to meet it. Then
should have been prepared a plan for tha
gradual liquidation of this debt through
sinking fund scheme. covering a period of
twenty years or in order to distribute
the burden of capital development among
the largest number of taxpayers COmpat-
ible with good business methods.
A liability thus fixed in amount could
have been met easily by means of taxation
under the organic act. with the. Commits
sioners. named for that purpose by that
act. determining the character and scope
and rate of taxation. subject to the limi Ia
ton Of a maximum tax rate. If Congress,
Conceiving new ideals of taxation. chose to
further specify the nature of the taxation
thus 10 be imposed it could readily and
legitimately have done SO by indicating the
proportion of taxes to be derived from per-
sOnal property But as the bill now rests
in conference Congress proposes practically
TO take away from the Commissioners all
power Of distributing the tax burden save
that Of assessment. 1t has specified the
classes Of property 10 be taxed. the rates
70 which they are to be subject and has
even gone further and sought new sources
OF income by taxing business pursuits and
occupations.
Thus there is a revenue provision in the
bill which will doubtless yield sufficient not
Only 10 care fer al the current needs bus
u pay in very large amount az once the
extraordinary expenses Of the District as
well The federal loan is provided as
safeguard against possible deficit Yet it
loses its best function, that of replacing as
far as local conditions Will permit the bond
issues whereby other communities ensure
their growth and development without I'M
duly taxing the present property owners.
Il may not be too late yet to give this
character u the provision as the bill is
adjusted in conference. The District does
not cheerfully contemplate the prospect of
being placed upon heavy revenue-produc-
Ing basis for the sake of carrying on
few large works on the immediate pay
me- Mt plan.