The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1912-09-13
SUFFRAGE LEAGUE
EXPLAINS STAND
Attitude Toward Half-and-half
Principle of Taxation Explained
by DR.. 7. E. Will.
CALLS IT MESS OF P0TTAGE

To make clear the attitude OF the Dis
trict of Columbia Suffrage League to-
ward the half-and-half principle Of tax
alton, DR.. Thomas E. Will. executive
secretary Of the league, last night issued
statement of the leagues views on
the subject. Certain residents of the
Federal District are threatening an or
ganized attack on the local suffrage
movement on the ground that the move
ment is inimical to the half-and-half
plan of TAXATION DR.. VIII said. in ex-
PLANTATION OF his reasons for making the
statement. which was, in part:
The Federal government should. by all
means, participate in bearing the ex-
penses OF the Federal District.
The present half-and-half system OF
taxation is. however. quite another mat
ter. 1t represents a Juggie, like the Dutch
standard sugar test. protection for Ia
bor' and consumers in Schedule X, and
other acts of legislative plunder.
The George report on taxation says:
This ground value in the District Is in
creased by an amount equal to the capt.
talization OF the annual appropriation
from the Federal treasury-50 per cent of
the municipal expenditure-some S,00oOoo.
This amount is absorbed in increased
rents and inflated ground values. and
none of II reaches those whom 1t was
to benefit-the government clerks
and other classes OF the Capitals popu-
lation. apart from the owners OF land
CoIored Man In woodpile.
People talk OF the negro question in
the District. Here is the real negro In
the woodpile. Were wealth in billions
rained like mama from heaven upon this
District, 1t would operate not for the
benefit Of the average inhabitant. but
for the enrichment of the handful who
own the lands. The nations appropria-
tion of some S. 100000, nominally to cover
half the District expenses. is a present.
pure and simple, to the land owners of
the District
The half-and-half tax is the mess OF
pottage for which the land owners of
the District have sold the political birth
rights OF themselves and the remainder
of the District people.
The tax is operated for the land own
ers' benefit and to the detriment OF nom
land owners. or of those who bought
late. Now, when we demand our political
birthright, in the sale and price Of which
we have had absolutely no part, this
privileged. land owning class parades its
ark of the covenant, the high and holy
half and half.
They may fool all the people part
of the time. and part of the people all
the time, but the day has passed when
they can fool us.
Il shall be glad to use any little in
fiuence I may possess to induce Con-
gress to bear its just share of the tax
burdens of the District, but I am un-
alterably opposed to any plan whereby
Congress shall make, at our expense.
an annual Christmas present of $4,000
900 or so to the land owners OF the
District leave them with power to
charge 1t up to US. and then, in return
for this unparalleled generosity main
tain us, as Senator Blair has rightfully
styled US, as A vast community OF po-
litical slaves
That any community Of reasonable
could so long have been
h hoodwinked as has this, and permitted
itself to be caught on an absolutely
empty hook, can be explained only on
the ground that political and economic
slaves lose. in time, the power to rea-
son on political and economic ques-
tions."