Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-12-09
LF-AND-HALF PLAN
Citizens Declare for Organic
Act of 1878.
DIVISION OF EXPENSE
EXTRAORDINARY EXPENSES TO
BE MET BY LOAN.
Union Station Discussed-Reclama
Of Anacostia Flats-Association
Transacts Business.

| Transacts Business.
| At last nights meeting Of the Northeast
| Washington Citizens Association 'Presi-
| dent Tucker announced that the members
| of the executive committee had decided to
| take part in the reception to be rendered
| Commissioner West. Three members, DR..
| Starr Parsons, DR.. L. D. Walter and Maj
]. B. Burke. were appointed to represent
the association on the general committee.
Mr.. w. ]. Frizzell. representing the execu-
tive committee of the association, presented
| a series of resolutions, reciting that the as
ISOLATION heartily concurs in the recon-
mendations contained in the Commission
ers' annual report, urging the reclamation
| Of the Anacostia flats, the increase and bet
! terment of the police department and the
needful revision of laws relating to eXemp-
| lions Of real estate from taxation. The
resolutions further recite:
THAT we concur in the following recon-
mendations: That current revenues should
| be devoted to current expenditures; that
the half-and-half principle of the organic
| act Of 1878 should prevail in all approprla-
| tions made for the District of Columbia;
| that 1t would be better to wait for any i'm
| provement than to have the cost of 1t paid
| exclusively from the District revenues;
| that the increase OF taxation by the tri-
| ennial assessment of real estate and by the
| personal tax and license law will provide
a revenue ample to meet all current ex-
| penditures and to provide for sinking fund
obligations; that the cost Of extraordinary
| improvements should not be paid out Of the
| current revenues of the years when they
| are made: that future years should share
| the burdens as well as the benefits Of such
| improvements, and that we fear that unless
| such a course is pursued taxation Will
grow akin to confiscation or the present
nd
must go unSatiS1ed.'
The resolutions conclude:
"That we feiterate our approval of the
| proposition to carry on the work Of the fiji
| tratfon plant and the other extraordinary
| Improvements in contemplation, the same
| to be paid for by means of loans to be ne
| gotiated from time to time, repayable out
of a sinking fund to be created for that
| purpose
The resolutions were adopted.
Proposed Legislation.
President Tucker, as chairman of the COM
mittee on proposed legislation, spoke of the
| action taken last week by the District COM
| mittee on the question of the union depot.
! He referred to what the association had
| done in the matter Of getting rid Of the
| grade crossings and presented figures show
| ing the number of accidents on the rail-
roads during the past thirty years. There
| were 1877 persons killed and 2S5 seriously
| injured. Since these statistics were COM
| piled, he said, other people have been Killed
| and injured While the members OF Con
| gress are trying to settle the question OF
| locating the depot on the Massachusetts,
| avenue or street site, he said the killing
| OF people continues.
Mr. Frizzel1 spoke Of the progress made
| by the District committee in the matter OF
| securing the union station, and said every
| thing looks favorable for the passage OF
| the bill next week. During a discussion Of
the matter in the Capitol, and when the END
seemed near. one member OF the commlttee &c
| said some people opposed the granting OF
| a sum of money to the railroad companies
This member he said, cited The Evening
| Star as being opposed to it. Mr.. trlzzell
| said he did not enter into an argument over
the question but he knew the member was
mistaken, so far as The Star was concerned
The Star a Factor.
Mr.. Tucker said The Star had kept up
continual fight for union station since the
| passage of the act Of February IL, 1901,
| when the people in general had not the
slightest idea of overcoming the provisions
Of that BILL He said be believed that the
action of The Star was what brought about
the present favorable conditions ,
THE Star has been back Of u.s. he said,
'1n our efforts to get rid Of the grade cross
ings, and the paper has been one OF the
strongest factors In the matter.
In conclusion he said he could see no
reason to complain Of the treatment OF the
the association owed them vote OF thanks
and a banquet. =,
Mr. Andrew O. Nash, chairman OF the
committee on assessment and apportlon.
ment of appropriations, presented report
which was made in pursuance OF q reso!u-
ton adopted two months ago, as onered py
Mr. Frizzell This resolution was that the
association enters solemn, unalterabie ana
uncompromising protest against the assess
ment recently made on the real estate IN
the District.
Assessments Of Realty.
The report presented by Mr.. Nash reads:
"In the matter of the resolution recently
referred to this committee respecting the
recent conduct of the board of assessors
toward the taxation Of real property, we re-
port back that at meeting of the commit
tee November g. 1t was the unanimous opln-
ion of the members present that the reso-
luton should pass for the following rea-
sons:
"1st. There is no necessity for the ex-
cessive increase of the assessment rate, or
1t would not be necessary If our legislative
body had rightfully recognized the due pro-
portionate charge upon the private ana
public property within the District, ana nao
granted in the recent past as IN the pre-
yiously recognized rule one-half from the
ma ttonal treasury, for the equitable reason
that the public property was as extensive
as the private property within our poun-
dary.
"2d We feel an injustice has been exer-
cised by the board of assessors in Its re-
uuirement that each holder OF prop
erty or his agent shall determine by per-
sonal inquiry the procedure and action of
the board, within a very limited time, SO
that only a fractional portion OF the own
ers Of property become familiar with
its action within the time granted, en-
abling 1t to assume thereby, under the
rule Of percentage, that general consent Is
in evidence.
..3d. 1t is noticeable that the District
| government has become extravagant in It's
| award of salaries, pensions. and having
a plethora of employees In some bureaus
| and some other expenditures. and we be-
| lieve II proper retrenchment were the
usual procedure one great reason for the
| increased assessment and alleged needful
| income would be somewhat obviated.
Government and Private Property.
"a BY the compilation of the assessor in
| 1900 under the assessment OF 1S9S-99. we
| notice that the property of the United
| States Is listed to be $2O4 1927 ,S91; that Of
| the District $3.676, $50; public and private
educational institutions, S,271 .619; eccle-