Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-08

taxpayers prefer that the revenues be
raised from realty and tangible personal
property taxes instead. on the theory
that these taxes are the fairest, the most
uniform. the most easily and accurately
ascertained, and the most readily collect
ed of any that could be imposed? Why
should not Congress-. the constitutionally
chosen local legislature OF Washington
act as faithful and sympathetic repre-
sentatives Of these people, whose interests
are Entrusted exclusively to their legis-
lative protection. and devise and put in
operation or preserve and keep in opera
ton means Of raising the needed local
tax revenue which will pinch the least.
which will be the most popular or the
least unpopular, and which will create the
minimum Of friction and discomfort?
=" ny, on the contrary. should Congress
De tempted to play the oriental mot the
American) role of alien, despotic tax
gatherer. searching for in order to apply
ceivable form of general or special tax
that has ever been devised anywhere to
extort money from helpless taxpayers
whose taxation is without representa-
ton?
=. Will Congress decide that It is it's func-
ton. unnecessarily, so far as the raising
of revenues for legitimate public pur-
poses is concerned, to.see that the Wash
ingtonfan is blistered with every form
OF tax exaction from which any unfor-
tunate taxpayer suffers in all the world?
Because this or that municipal taxpayer
here or in Europe, under his own peculiar
loca, conditions Involving perhaps ex-
travasance, corruption. the reign of the
grarterl, pays a poll tax, a road tax an
inheritance tax. an income tax. or tax
on everything he produces and on every
thing he consumes. on every cent he
takes In land every cent he paws out
must all these taxes be levied upon and
collected from the Washington taxpayer
under entirely different conditions and
With no compelling necessity in evidence
1t has been. suggested that all possible
taxes should he imposed by representa-
yves OF the states upon residents in the
District. In order to prevent any one from.
coming to live in the District to .e.ca ne
some especiail: objectionabl bic form Of tax
alton in any of the states. The conten-
tlon is that Congress-. acting as the local
legislature representing in theory the
WasninstoniaIis in deciding fer them
selves on American. principles then. own
forms of taxation. should disregard the
wishes and welfare OF it's Wasf1inaton
constituents and as a local legislature
should decide questions affecting these
point Of other constituents in the home
districts in the states.
IT all congressman performed their
constitutional duties as exclusive local
legislators for Washington, on the sug-
gested low plane, ignoring or repn1iatins
any obligation to consider the interests Of
the local community confded to their
protection ard management as trustees.
anu baslng every vote in respect to local
concerns solely Oh the supposed selfish
or ignorant wishes OF their home consti-
tuents, thousand Or two thousand or
three thousand miles away, the logical ef-
feet OF this combined cooperative hostii-
ltE would evidently be to depopu!ate the
priying it of every attraction to tempt
the resident OF a state and by imposing
upon ii such unbearahle restrictions as
would tend to render it uninhabitable
been in effect, if not in intent, hostile
and hurtful If Congress had wished,
in the interest Of the states, to drive out
and keep out from Washington all de-
sirabie permanent residents it could
lines OF legislation In the interest of
baltimore. Richmond, Philadelphia and
other neighboring commercial cities it
has. historically, discouraged Washing
toms commercial and industrial growth.
means of self-support found in the local
industries that develop in the ordinary
American city. 1t has concentrated the
great local industries. corresponding to
plants Of other cities, in the hands Of the
government. and then by the apportion-
ment-of-ofncers law shuts out from the
classified service in these great national
local INDUSTRIES all VINO claim w aSn1ngtOn
as residence, including the growing youth
of the citX. Thus Congress denies the
capital great Industries Of its own, it
shuts out Washingtonians from the ma
tional-iocal industries; it drives out from
the city the growing youth that they may
md elsewhere the means Of seif-suppoit.
Having taken these steps to exile labor.
1t is now invited to proceed to drive out
capital By enacting an inquisitorial, un-
equal and periury-promoting form OF
personal taxation at time when the
needed local tax revenues are collected
with minimum OF friction and offense
under system to which the taxpayers
have become accustomed. 1t discourages
permanent residence in the District by
either the poor or the rich man by re-
tanning the District resident in the status
OF an alien SO far as representation in
the national legislature and electoral
college is concerned. and in a status
lower than that of an alien according to
the Supreme Court OF the United StatesJ
in his relation to the national judiciary.
With despotic and exclusive power in its
hands it taxes the District resident
heavily, in view of the limitations placed
by 1t Upon his money-earning capacity;
and some of it's members then abuse him
as mendicant. Having done so much to
make ii undesirable to live here. it is
nor: proposed that Congress. through the
imposition of an unnecessary and drastic
Inheritance tax, shall render. it unde-
S.fatIe even to die here.