Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-02-02
Herbert J. Browne Argues for
Pending Measure
BEFORE HOUSE COMMITTEE
Declares Public Should Know Con.
sideration in Realty Sale.
STATE POWER TO TAX AT STAKE
Instances Cited Where, It Is De-
clared, District Loses $4,000, 900
Annually in Revenue.

Further arguments in support of the
proposed true consideration bin were
advanced at the continuation OF the hear
ing on that measure today before the
House committee on the District of Co.
iumbia. Although the committee already
mas given the greater portion of five
| morning sessions to listening to pro-
testants against and advocates OF the
measure, the Offering of testimony was
not finished today.
When the committee went into execu-
tive session shortly before the hour Cor
the converting of Congress II was
agreed that much additional time as
| may be required will be given to vari-
| Gus local interests to present the. diff
ferent sides Of the case. and next
Thursday morning tentatively was set
| aside for a resumption Of the hearing.
| At the suggestion of Chairman Johnson
| the presentation Of arguments in favor
Of the enactment of the bill was con-
tinued this morning by Herbert J.
| Browne. who was in the midst OF his
talk before the committee when adjourn
ment was taken last Friday.
Mr. Browne opened his talk today by
presenting citations from different de-
clsions of the Supreme Court of the
United States in support of the claim
that the enactment of thu true con-
SHERATON measure would not be an in
| Vaslon of the constitutional right of
the individual to make a contract-this
being in answer to point made at the
| last nearing by Representative Rother-
mel of Pennsylvania.
Cites Parallel Cases.
AS parallel cases Mr. Browne referred
fav Iou ha
and the internal revenue tax. all of which,
he said, compel the disclosure of private
| business. Also, he said. thirty states al
! ready have passed acts ratifying the con-
stitutional amendment for an income tax
1.-THE very life of the state rests on its
power to tax. Is it's right to determine
| the basis of taxation to be questioned?
The legal equity of this measure is as
fundamental as the right to impose tax
or make an assessment. This bill de-
| clares that public business shall no
longer be made private"
disability Of Land Gives Value.
After answering series Of questions
propounded by the members Of the COM
mittee and by several local realty opera
| tors, Mr.. Brown carried his argument
| a point further when he said:
'In the last analysis ii is not the land
| which is bought and sold. 1t is the use
| Of the land. 1t is It's disability which
gives 1t selling value. That disability il
the creation not Of the individual who
sells the land, but OF the whole COM
munity, and i'm that fact Hes the highest
equitable right to take a portion OF that
value for public needs For this reason
| privacy in any feature of land transfers
is an invasion Of public right
The speaker referred to the systems.
which, he said. are coming more into
larly the practices in Germany and Great
Britain, where a material portion Of the
| "unearned increment finds its way by
| compulsory taxation into the treasury OF
the community which created the value
| of the land.
Not an Equal Share of Taxes.
Mr.. Browne mentioned a case where.
he declared. land in the District does not
bear its equal share of taxes. Acreage
property can be found in abundance, he
said. which is assessed at eight cents a
foot when it cannot be bought at a dollar
foot. And in the downtown business
area he declared, block after block can
be canvassed to show the grossest in
equalitieS in assessment
He offered to take any members of the
House committee a subcommittee of
the District committee, on an excursion
over the city, and with an atlas and the
assessment books show where fully
100000 in taxes are now lost which
should come into the municipal treasury.
j. H. Adriaans, local attorney, began
an argument in favor of the bill but he
had not proceeded far when the hour OF
adjournment arrived. and he was in
formed he would be heard again when
the hearing is resumed next week.