The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1909-12-16
Representative Burleson
Wants to Know Why Cor
porationS Do Not Pay.
CHAIRMAN TRIES
TO MAKE DEFENSE
Representative Smith Of Michigan
Attempts to Explain the
Situation.

BY charging that the House Cons
lmittee on the District of Columbia
had frequently neglected its duty
in a most shameless way, Repre-
sentative BurleSon of Texs today
Iprecipitated one of the warmest COLI
loquys of the present session by
attacking Chairman Samuel Smith,
| of the District Committee.
During the heat of the debats
Representative Burleson, who is
more than six feet tall, advanced
to within few feet of the rather
dininutive form of the Michigan
Representative, who heads the Dis
tTict Committee.
COMES DARING BILL.
The trouble came about during
the consideration of the District ap-
preparation bill when Mr.. Smith
asked, incidentally, what steps the
Appropriations Committee of which
Mr.. Burleson is a member, had
taken to get additional revenue for
the District.
Mr.. Smith said with reference to
the cut in the estimates:
'The building associations are as
sessed In the Commissioners re-
port at per cent OF their gross
earnings. The electric lighting
company. at per cent; Gas Light
per cent; national banks, s per
cent, and street railways, 4 per
cent I would like to know why
there is a difference as 10 corpora-
tons in the District"
Gets An Opening.
Mr. Gardner. OF Michigan. replied hs
was unable to furnish the information
and that Mr.. Smith was chairman OF
the committee that had to with these
things. This gave Mr.. BurIeson an open-
ing. and he turned to Mr.. Smith and
said
I have been a member Of this Housa
for eleven years. and this is the hrst
time ever heard a chairman Of the
committee chargeable with certain re-
spOnsibllity, with certain duties that
rest upon him. interrogate anothes
member as to why something has nos
l been done for which the interrogatoR
himself is responsible.
Has No Power
I'VE have no legislative power in the
Committee on Appropriation. It rests
with the gentleman from Michigan. Mr.
r Smith, and his committee TO mass Ieris-
Y lation increasing the revenues Of tha
e District I ask the District COMMITTEES
% why have you not done SOP Why is IL
e that these transportation companies and
. the gas company and the telephone COM
T pany have not been made to COntribute
NOR to the District support. That query
n can only be answered by the negligence
b OF one Of the committees, and that COM
T mittee is the District Of Columbia.
: Mr.. Smith interrupted here and asked
: I tnats lnasmuch as the Approximations
> Committee is charged with responsibility
= OF looking after revenues, in what re-
d spect Mr. Burleson thought they ought
f TO be increased Mr.. Burleson replied.
: Sometimes in palpable violation OF
u the rules. the Committee on Approprf-
= alton has enacted legislation in apprO-
priauon bills where the average is so
T plain as TO permit the committee to get
q unanimous consent 70 insert the prOvi-
a sion.
Automobile Tax.
only last year we put an autonio-
~ bile tax on the appropriation bin be-
cause Of the great damage being done
the streets by automobiles, which con-
10 tributed no revenue. We provided for
T. il I'm the appropriation bill because the
n District Committee had neglected their
- duty in the most shameless way, and
r we could. If members Of the District
Committee would not be here, promptly
l. 10 raise points of order, bring about q
e great deal Of most beneficial legislation
in the interest fthe District and at
II the same time in the interest OF the
n General Government IN its partnership
N with the District"
Tries To Get Place.
+ BY this time Chairman smith had be-
n come plainly vexed ct the attack OF
n Representative EurIesOn and ATTEMPTED
5 to interrupt Mr.. Gardner Of Michigan.
y also a member Of the Appropriations
Committee, poured oil temporarily on
the troubled waters by suggesting these
matters might be Strengthened out in
C committee rather than before the whole
J HouS-
Mr.. BurIeson in explaining some OF
r. the reflections Of the Commissioners es-
e Inmates in the appropriation room said
d there had been an industrious effOrt in
n certain quarters TO impress the people
: / or the District that this years bill
0 | carries much smaller amount than
n that or last. Mr.. BuriesOn said hs
Y would cite four items 10 prove that this
Z was not true.
n This bin carries about $4,000 less
than that of last year We struck out
l. $4,000 for the elimination of grade
8. N50000 was not necessary TO complete