Evening star., 1911-01-27

dent did not receive the letter, according
to the records at the White House, it is
apparent he could not have referred it.
The Commissioners say they never heard
Of such document.
Says Fight Has Just Begun.
Although Mr.. Bennett would not make
any comments today, he did say that the
fight had just begun and that the end was
a long way OF. He intimated that he had
more ammunition up his sleeve and that
he proposed to use 1t at the earliest op-
portunity.
Until Mr.. Bennett decides to talk for
publication as to just when he sent his
letter OF accusation to the President and
how, and until there has been some ex-
planation Of the mysterious disappearance
Of that missive, there is bound to be q
great deal OF speculation in Congress and
out Of 1t concerning the matter. Mr.
Bennett did not appear at all worried to-
day when told that the communication to
which he repeatedly referred on the
floor Of the House yesterday as having
been sent to the President has been lost
Mr. Bennet intimated that the main
reason ne did not care to discuss the con-
man OF the immigration committee OF the
Special Topic Tomorrow.
When consideration OF the District OF
Columbia appropriation bill is resumed
by the House Of Representatives tomor-
row 1t IS expected that the charges made
by Representative Bennet against the
District Commissioners will be the prlh-
cipal topic OF discussion. The Commits
sioners have friends in the House as
well as enemies, and 1t is expected that
their defenders will endeavor to demon
strate that the Bennett charges are un-
founded In fact and that the Commis
sioners are blameiess.
Mr.. Bennet charges that the whole pol
icy of the Commissioners tended to v.o-
lations Of the law providing for the as
.essment Of taxes OF real property and
the collection Of money thereunder. He
insisted that the rich were favored, while
the citizens Of moderate means were
made to bear the burden Of taxation.
The charges are denied by the board of
Commissioners individually and collec-
lively.
There was no intimation yesterday that
Mr. Bennett was about to make any such
allegations. General debate on the meas
ure had ended and it's reading under the
| fye-minute rule for purposes Of amend
ment had been begun. A point Of order
was made by Representative Foster Of IL
lnois against the amendment In the bill
increasing the salaries OF the Commits
sioners from 5000 to 5000 year.
Mr.. Bennet's Accusation.
Then Mr.. Bennett jumped into the game.
II hope" said Mr.. Bennett, that the
gentleman from Illinois will make the
| point Of order against the two Commits
.ioners other than the Engineer Commits
sioner, and I will state briefly why. Per-
sonally I believe that an ofYicial put in
an executive position ought to enforce a
statute whether he believes In it or not
Any one who has looked into the question
knows there is a division in the commits
| sion, and SO far as assessment Is concern
ed in this city the two civilian commits
| sioners are In favor Of putting a veryOlow
rSte Of assessment on the property OF
wealthy people who come here, while the
Ensineer Commissioner is in favor OF
4 corTylnS OUT tuO low duu eoSCSSIu6 % eAe
\ law directs"
Representative Burke Of Pennsylvania
declared at this point that he would like
to know the source OF the Information
upon which Mr.. Bennet based the asser-
tion that the two civilian Commissioners
were in favor Of assessing at low rate
the property Of the wealthy people Of the
District
| IF you will step to the telephone and
call either Commissioner Rudolph or
Commissioner Johnston" said Mr.. Bennett,
..he will tell you that is their theory.
They will say they are in favor of as
sessing at q lower rate the wealthy peo-
pie who come here to make their homes
here after having made their money else
where, and think that is good policy. II
may be good policy, but the law Is not
that way, and until the law is changed
SO as the Commissioners have the right
to discriminate they ought not to dis
criminate, and think the Engineer Com
missioner Is absolutely correct III his
contention with his colleagues that the
law ought to be enforced on the rich
and the poor alike until Congress in its
wisdom and discretion sees At TO confer
discretion on the Commissioners to diff
ferentiate between dfRerent classes OF
people, but so long as these particular
iCommissioners continue that course :.
seems to me Congress ought not to re-
ward them for an open and fragrant dis
regard Of a duty by increasing their
salaries
Mr. stafIord's Query.
DO ] understand you to say" inquired
Representative Stafford OF Wisconsin
that some Of the Commissioners are
absolutely disobeying q mandate of thu