The Washington times., 1911-01-27

OF land and constructs a costly home
| the idea Is that the assessment of thai
building shall be at less proportionatt
rate than on the home of the average
| citizen"
Mr.. Burke again interposed:
Let us be specific about this, be-
| cause II is very grave statement, as
l regard it. Do you mean to say that
the policy of the Board of Commits
| sioners of the District is to apply one
rate of assessment to a property OF
| large proportions and dimensions and
great original cost and another rate 10
smaller property of less cost immedi-
ately Adjacent"
Absolutely" said Mr.. Bennett.
Integrity Impeached.
Representative Gardner of Michigan,
In charge of the District appropriation
bill, reminded Mr.. Bennett that his
charges were of a most serious nature,
and that II they were true Bennett
should move the impeachment of two Of
the District Commissioners before the
House adjourned. Mr.. Gardner added,
in most solemn manner:
IF there is anything in thist world
that honorable men appreciate more
than another it is integrity, and the in
tegrity of two of the Commissioners has
been impeached by the gentleman from
New York for violating openly, know
ingly. and purposely the statutes OF the
Congress of the United States. Either
by instruction or collusion, according to
the gentleman, with the District as
SCISSORS, they are making unwarranted
and ineXcusable discrimination between
men of wealth and men of moderate
means. ! would like to know, and 1t is
due to the House to know, the source
of the gentlemans authority"
On Own Responsibility.
Just as positive was the reply Of Mr..
Bennett, who agreed with Mr.. Gardner
that the charges were of a most seri-
Gus nature. Said Mr.. Bennet:
Mr.. Chairman, made my statement
upon my responsibility as a member.
and l will say further that have called
the attention of the President OF the
United States, in writing, to violation
OF the statute by these Commissioners
within the last six weeks. If the Com
missioners desired an investigation, the
letter was referred to them. They have
not as yet honored me, and so far as
am informed, they have not as yet
honored the President OF the United
States, with a reply. Having notified
them in writing of an absolute breach
of statute on their part, If they are the
kind of men the gentleman says. let
them ask the investigation at the hands
of Congress.
Questions Qualifications.
Representative Bennet added that the
charges which he had filed with the
President were concerning an alleged
specific violation of duty In the recent
appointment of an assessor who was
not qualified to serve.
Having called their attention to one
violation of the statute" continued Mr..
Bennett, Il am not in any particular
hurry to take up other accusations un-
til they have paid some attention to
that"
Representative Madden of Illinois
Joined in the debate here and added to |
the sensational developments of the day |
when he said:
Il do not know how true the state |
ment is that / am going to make, as 1t |
comes to me from other sources; but |
the information comes to me that, al |
though the law provides that the as
sessments shall be made on the basis |
Of two-thrids of the actual value, yet !
in the cases of many influential real
estate owners in the District of Co
umbia the assessment is made as a
matter of fact on less than 25 per cent
IF the actual value"
Assessments Raised.
Mr.. Gardner said:
"I do know this, that the assessed
,aluation Of much of the property in
his city has been raised within the /
asst year or two or three AS a con-
sequence, the Government is paying
more money this year on the half
Lnd-half basis than it has ever paid
before; not because of a change in the
ate of assessment, as that is fixed
~ law, but the amount assessed
lgainst the property"
Mr.. Madden rejoined:
Regardless of that, would the gem
Ieman, If he were a Commissioner,
consider it a part of his duty, If ii
we're bruited about so that everybody
n the District knew that there was
suspicion that assessments were not
,eing levied equitably. but that rich
md influential people were being re-
ieved from the burden of taxation,
while the ordinary property owner
Without influence was paying on the
ull value of his property, would he
hen, as Commissioner, consider 1t n
,art of his duty to investigate and |
Ice whether or not these statements