Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-03

ministration has been gradually to re-
move taxation from improvements.
the policy tf is Ssi1E ct"rs r9
much the same results. And the idea Is
spreading through all the western Ca
madam cities and also into the Amer
lean cities In the neighboring northwest
ern states. Seattle just a few weeks
ago passed an ordinance for a progress
'sive exemption OF Improvements from
taxation and q corresponding increase in
the taxes on ground values And this
id ss Is coming ns N Up in y. Of 0ur cities
commission to inquire into the ominous
question Of congestion of population.
which has resulted ina report favofing
q graduated exemption Of all buildings
UP to 80 per cent of their value, and of
course q corresponding increase In the
taxation on land values.
This Is the real significance of the IA
nous budget victory won by Lloyd George
in Great Britain. That budget fight had
a revenue aspect, but it's inner meaning,
as explained by the brilliant chancellor
OF the exchequer, was really to force
land out of the hands Of non-users into
the hands of users. In Germany bill
imposing additional tax burdens on
ground values, and not long since Japan
put through a bill to make a new and
better valuation of the land in the cities
dens there and at the same time to tax
spectators out and to tax users in.
Burden on Land Holding.
Washington, therefore, has a thou.
sand precedents. She can use the tax
instrument to make the city thrive. She
can remove burdens from business activ-
tiles and from land using to mere land
holding. Holding land out of full use
will be discouraged, but every other
activity in our splendid city will be en-
couraged. Who would not be for this
kind Of Washington? Surely the pub
lic-spirited citizens must be. The princi-
pie has in fact only to be understood
to enlist general support.
"Of course. there are many other ques-
tions calling for attention in our ma
tonal city. One Is water, another is
transportation, another Is garbage. My
own view is that these all should be re-
garded as public functions and be han
the street railroads. they are, to my
view, parts of the public streets and
should be publicly owned and publicly
administered. There Is a call now for
the creation of some kind Of a public
service commission, so as to give su-
pervisory powers over the railroads, but
If a public commission can successfully
regulate street railroad company when
that company is in private hands. why
should not the same commission be able
to run that railroad when 1t is in pub
lie hands? I myself am for the institu-
ton of a public service commission be-
cause I think it Is likely to be a little
better than the present state of things.
But I do not believe there can be any
permanent solution of the street railroad
problem unit. the railroads are publicly
owned and publicly administered. Go to
Edmonton, Canada, and see the superb
electric railway system that Is run
there as a part Of the municipal machin-
cry. Go to a hundred cities in Europe
and see the remarkable results which
not only have improved the public serv-
ice but have removed a malign influence
from municipal politics.
las a member Of the District commit
tee, and especially as the chairman of
the subcommittee on assessments and
taxation. 1t is my aspiration to work
toward greater and more beautiful
Washington. But it's greatness in my
mind is not merely to add marble build
ings and garnish its thoroughfares with
noble monuments, but to add TO the
happiness of all its people by making
the conditions of life easier. If We IN
Washington work toward this end we
shall set our national city on hill to
make 1t not only the splendid seat OF
government of the republic, but to show
to all the other cities how a city should
be built and to bring peace and Justice
and prosperity to all Of its inhabitants"