Evening star., 1911-06-02
A Hint to Berger.

A Hint to Berger.
REPRESENTATIVE Berger, socialist. heartily
Endorses a national-local expenditure TO
maintain the Straus milk laboratory In
the vital interest of the babies of the poor
of Washington; but indicates hostility
toward national participation In expendi-
lures for general capital maintenance.
viewing the latter as gifts for the bene-
ft of the rich winter residents OF Wash
ington.
Mr.. Berger Is right in emphasizing the
truth that the nation Is properly con-
cerned in the babies and in the men and
women of Washington-babies OF larger
growth-even more than In horses and
chickens, or, he might have added. than
In public buildings, parks anc monuments.
He is wrong in his assumption that he
Is defending the poor ana applying pr1n-
cipIes of Justice to the rich in encourag-
ing the nation to shirk its financial OBJ
legations toward the capital.
The real taxpayers Of Washington, the
true capital builders from the beginning
to this day, are the Washingtonians OF
small means. whose names swell the tax
list. the census and the directory. AL OF
their interests. however little, are here
their homes, their families, their accus-
toned means Of self-support- They are
tied to the soil, serf-like. The rich win
ter resident, who has built fine house
here and appears on the city's tax list
as a contributor both to real and per-
sonaI taxes. can quickly eliminate his
name from our tax list In resentment OF
any annoyance, or In response to any
personal whim. He can avoid the pains
and penalties Of tax-dodging by ceasing
to be a taxpayer at all
The small taxpayer OF washington Il
interested in uniformity of assessment.
He Is vitality concerned IN having all
taxable property respond In proportion to
its. value to assessment and taxation. 1t
il not In his interest, however. to I'M
pose special taxes upon rich taxpayers
Of the transient class. with the result
of eliminating them from the personal
tax HIST, and OF leaving him to bear alone
the burden of capital maintenance that
falls upon the local taxpayer.
II class distinctions are to be made. the
yach employing class In the District con-
csntrates In Uncle Sam. monopolist.
with millions at his control, who owns all
the great factories and workshops and
employs many thousands Of workmen.
who controls absolutely local affairs and
whose tendency has been for a century
to shut out all large employers but him
SELF. The poor. the employed class Gin
whose interest Mr.. Berger's sympafhies
ahould be eniisted). is that OF the local
taxpayers, who have nothing to say con-
earning the amount and the disposition
Of their taxes.
Uncle Sam. having full control. II wisely
developing Washington as q national city
with a street-plan and . park-plan OF un-
exampled grandeur and expense. Uncle
Sam has also vastly increased the cost Of
capital maintenance by bringing here
thousands Of former slaves through the
freedmen's bureau after the civil war.
Uncle Sam has kept the city poor in tax
able resources, by blocking its Industrial
and commercial development and by fos-
tering its growth only along the lines OF
an attractive residence city.
Mr. Berger is now disposed to exempt
from taxation Uncle Sam. the mult-mil-
iionaire representative Of the wealthy
cmpIoyers' class in the District; and to
double the taxes Of the class of the poor
and the employed. He believes. more
over. that the poor renter pays the taxes
in his rental: and he proposes. paradox
caliy to reduce the poor mans rental by
doubling the taxes. In order to avoid
alleged tax-dodging by the transient rich.
ne would double taxes upon everybody,
rich and poor alike. regardless or the OBJ
yious fact that the transient rich could
escape altogether. leaving the whole Of
the increased burden upon the small prop
erty owners, the real and permanent
Washington taxpayers
Mr. Berger. under the Constitution. Is
under as great and as binding an obliga-
ton to care for his District constituency
Is for that In Milwaukee. AS q socialist
he Is the natural protector Of the men.
women and babies OF Washington against
oppression. Uncle Sam Enthusiastically cor
responds in Washington to the dominat-
ing. wealthy. monopolistc faotory-own-
Ing and employing class in Milwaukee
The local taxpayers OF small means and
little influence just as Enthusiastically cor
respond to the employed class in Milwau-
kee. whom Mr.. Berger in q special sense
represents.
In The Stars opinion Mr.. Berger will
in the end be found, without q shadow Of
doubt, sQuarely and enthusiastically ON
the side OF the people OF Washington.
the valued champion Of the employe tax
paying adults. as well as Of the babies, Of
the capital