Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-19
Fair-Play in the Senate.

The first step in the direction of fair-piay
for the taxpayers of Washington which
equity urges upon the Senate is the sepa-
ration of the items of proposed District ex-
penditure into those which constitute
proper charge upon the current tax reVe-
nues and those which from their nature
are not thus properly charged except IN
part. The former expenditures and the
suitable proportionate part of the latter out
lays make up in the aggregate the amount
to be one-half raised in some way py the
annual tax levy in the District. the part
of the latter class of expenditures which
is not properly charged to current revenues
ia to be met according to sensible prece-
dents, either by national advance OF os
q bond issue. Justice demands this sepa-
ration before the task of determining meth
DDS and rates of local taxation is begun 1t
IS the preliminary labor of ascertalnlnS dell
nfteIv the amount of tax money which the
District can be legitimately required 10
raise. and the obligation to perform 1t Is
not in the least affected by ones individual
theories concerning the wisest and most
equitable method of raising liiiS SUM ai'e'
II has been ascertained-
The Houses action concerning the per
sona1 tax is based according to the COM
,,,;t,es,s ranort and declarations on the floor
-
of the House on the necessity of addltlonal
revenue to meet not only current expenses
hut the cost of certain great public I'M
movements. municipal or national
In order even to modify in the Senate the
o,nrass,ve anachronisms of the dead ana
dacaving personal tax law OF 1871. Which
tho House has resurrected. some money
raising device must be suggested which VIII
logically and reasonably provide part AT
least of the funds to be derived under the
drastic and inquisitorial provisions OF law
intended to be applied to the wideiy-diner-
ing financial conditions of another genera
ton.
A national advance for permanent mu-
nicipal improvements, reimbursement to be
made under a sinking fund arrangement
covering a long series of years. constitutes
such a money-raising device, which can be
pressed upon the Senate and House on its
merits without involving either hostility 20
or approval of the principle of personal
tax. Such an advance, for filtration, sew
erage. Anacostia flats Improvement. munich
pal building, grade crossings elimination,
street extension on the half-and-half basis,
or other similar improvements. would be
provided by Congress in conformity with
the precedents set by other municipalities
sense. on the familiar principle that pos
terity should help at least to pay for that
which pOsterity will especially enjoy.
The first amendment to the District ap-
preparation bill urged by the community
upon the Senate and adopted by that body
should be the provision of this national adj
vance for specified objects. 1t is wrong.
oppressive and bankrupting in tendency to
attempt to collect the full cost of such i'm
provements from the taxpayers of the pres
ent and immediate future. If the principle
Is once adopted of meeting such expend-
lures from the current revenues not even
the drag-uet and confiscatory provisions of
the out-of-date personal tax law of 1877
Will raise sufficient funds for that purpose.
Those who principle favor personal
tax believe in reducing its inquisitorial and
perjury provoking provisions to a minimum,
AMI in avoiding, far as it is possible,
double-taxation and excessive rates of tax
alton in forcing their theories upon the
community. But. as The Star has already
bic modification in the law of 1871 and in
deed in order 10 escape a financial path
which leads straight to tax confscation and
municipal bankruptcy like that of 1880 the
public improvements must be removed
promptly and decisively. from the current
taxpayers