Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-12-16

of the property Of the District OF Column
bia that many people believe II. and many !,
members Of Congress believe II: ana IL
never had an iota of truth in It,"
Il am glad that some of these points
have been brought out" replied Mr. Caro-.
,bn ps, h9pe ssy T
Complaint has been made Tor years IN
the House and elsewhere-and l call the
attention of the chairman OF the District
committee TO it right here-as to the cut
ting to the quick of the estimates OF the
Commissioners. In this years bill all that
is required is given. The Piney Branch
bridge is fully appropriated for with much
less than last year, and so on with the
other estimates aggregating nearly $500
coo
Representative Samuel w. Smith OF
Michigan. chairman of the House District
committee, interrupted at this point
Apportionment Of Taxes.
while you have cut down the esti-
mates.' said he, Il would like to know
what steps the committee have taken
looking to getting additional revenue from
the District To illustrate. on page of
the Commissioners report / see that the
building associations are assessed per
cent of gross earnings; the electric light
ing companies. ) per cent: gas light . per
cent; national banks. per cent: street
railway companies, PEI cent. L would
like to know if you can explain why there
is that difference to corporations here in
the District. / would like to know fur
Their. too. if that is regarded as fair
assessment upon these various associa-
tionS and railroads?"
II wish" replied Mr. Gardner, that /
could answer the gentleman's question
SO as to give him the light he requires.
for he is the chairman of the committee
that has to do with just these things.
The committee on appropriations has not
Abe power to increase the taxes on these
different institutions he mentioned. 1t Is
no part of our prerogative.
"But in looking about for revenue In
the District, suggested Chairman
Smith. If in your Judgment building as
sociations are not paying what they
should. what have you got to say about
it? And if banks and electric lighting
and gas companies and street railroads
are not paying enough. what have you
got to say about that?
Debate Grows Spirited.
At this point Representative Burleson
of Texas, a member of the District SUD-
committee of the appropriations COM
mttee, took hand in the game, Wnlch
got good and hot right away.
Il have been a member OF the House
eleven years." said AIr. BurleSon. land
this is the first time l ever saw and
ever heard chairman of the committee.
chargeable with certain responsibilities
upon him. interrogate another member
as to why something has not been done
for which the questoner himself Is re-
sponsible.
why, we have no legislative power
in the committee on appropriations. IT
rests with the gentleman from Michigan
and his committee to pass legislation
increasing the revenues of the District,
and l ask the District committee. Why
have you not done SO?
why Is 1t. ! ask you members Of that
District committee that these transpor-
tation companies. and the gas company,
made to contribute more to the support
of the government of the District OF
Columbia? That query can only be
answered by the negligence OF one of the
committee on the District of Columbia. :"
Laughter and applause).
Mr.. Smith Persists.
Yes, yes. and thank you." replied
Chairman Smith of the District commit
tee. land just the same I would like to
ask the gentleman for information. II he
can give 1t. Your committee today is
charged with the responsibilities Of look
ing after the revenues OF the Distrlct,
and II you know where In your 1udg-
ment, the revenues are to be increased,
1 would like to know where, and IN what
respect" .
Sometimes" said Mr.. Burieson. "and
in probable violation of the rules, the
committee on appropriations has enacted
the outrage is so plain as to permit the
committee to get unanimous consent to
insert the provision. Only last year we
put an automobile tax on the appropria-
ton bill because the members chargeaDie
with the responsibility Of looking after
the streets Of the District called attention
to there being great damage done 70 tne
streets by automobiles. which contributed
no revenue toward the maintenance ana
repair Of those highways.
1--WE provided for it in the District APP
propriation bill because the Dfstr1ct COM
mittee had neglected its duty In the most
shameless way: and we could, II members
of the District committee would not pc
here-prompt to raise points of order-we
could bring about a great deal OF bench
cial legislation in the interest of the Dis
trict of Columbia, and also at the same
time in the interest of the general gov
eminent in its partnership with the Dis
trict.''
Mr.. Smith persisted In his inquiries
until Mr. Gardner suggested to him, IL he
wanted the information in question. to
call Mr. Burleson before his own COM
p,ittee on the District and not take up the
time Of the whole House.
Mr.. Moore's Proposal.
Representative ]. Hampton Moore Of
Pennsylvania proposed to Mr.. Burleson
that he change places so that Moore could
go on the appropriation committee and
Burleson go to the District committee. OF
course TINS raised laugh anu CHen MT.
Burleson took the floor
There has been an industrious effort In
certain quarters. said he. ito impress
the people of the District and the MEM
bership of this body with the belief that
this bin carries a very much smaller
amount than the last. 1t Is not true. and
/ can cite to you four items In proof OF
what i say. This bill carries $4,000 and
odd less than the bill passed last year.
Necessarily. we struck out $4,000 for the
cit st 10 Ci nc
it was not necessary to make an appro-
priation OF $4,000. as $4,000 win COM
plete this work.
Eve eliminated $4,000 for the 18th
street bridge, as that was tn last APP
preparation necessary for its completion.
We reduced the appropriation for the con-
struction of country roads by 22.O00. be-
cause we were asked by the Engineer
Commissioner to do this and to increase
the appropriation for repairs. We reduced
the appropriation for school buildings
apparently by $26SOO0.
AS a matter of fact we did not reduce
this appropriation by any such sum. be-
cause we provided for certain buildings
by making specific appropriation of q
given amount and then by authorizing
contracts to complete those buildings. and
instead of being a reduction of $28S,COO 1t
is only a reduction of a few thousand.
The committee was justified in this action
because a number Of appropriations which
had heretofore been made for the erec-
ton Of public school buildings have not
been expended
That is notably true of the Western
High School. where. although an appro-
of uyoc mn q