Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-06-01
COMMITTEES TO WORK
DURING THE SUMNER
Hint Of Many Thousands Of Dollars
Due General Government.
LARGER REVENUES PROMISED
Representative George Predicts That
Property Worth Hundreds Of
Millions Will Be Added to
Assessment Lists.

Promising the House Of Representatives
that the investigations by the House Dis
trict committee would result in an enor-
nous increase Of revenues Of the District,
and limiting that hundreds Of thousands
Of dollars owing to the United States
would be found on the books OF the
Treasury, where District accounts are
kept, Representative Johnson, chairman
OF tho District committee, asked today
for $4,000 to pursue his investigations
during the summer; and after hearing
members Of the committee tell what they
had already found out the House voted
to allow the appropriation from the con-
tingent fund. Former Speaker Cannon
was the only member whose voice was
raised In protest. He termed the whole
investigation a smelling process and
ridiculed its efficacy.
Representative George promised that
100000 coo in property would be added
to the tax rolls OF the District as the re-
suit Of his investigation: Representative
Redfield declared that lax methods are to
be found in the District building in rela-
ton to the caring for District property.
great changes should be made in the sys-
hour devoted to q discussion of the mat
ter Representative Sims Of Tennessee
declared that no really proper tax method
could be adopted here under the half-ano-
half plan of appropriation.
When Mr.. Dyer arose TO tell OF MS m
vestigations In the hospitals and pubic
and semi-public charities OF the District
he said:
TT is the first time such an investiga-
ton has been made, / understand. In
thirty-four years, and as far as / have
gone 1t seems to me many of the things
we have discovered point to a need Tor
continuing the investigation"
Mr.. Cannon Protests.
Former Speaker Cannon protested
against the granting Of $4,000 to pay the
expense Of Investigations this summer.
Il do not want to crticise" he said.
but / would like to place a big in
terrogation point after this matter. l
want to know about the appropriation
already made the Investigations pursued
and no good come of them"
TT is my opinion replied Represent
ative Johnson. that S100.00O,00O worth
of taxable property will be added to the
rolls in the District of Columbia as
the result of the Investigations of the
subcommittee. Of which Representative
George is chairman. 1t is property
which should have been taxed at a
proper figure, but which has been under
assessed"
THAT is up to the assessors, isn't it?"
inquired Mr.. Cannon, land I would like
to say that II the gentleman can spread
throughout the United States his balm
which will bring the taxes up to where
they belong he should be canonized."
Mr.. Johnson responded:
Let the committee pursue its course
and 1t will add that amount here in the
District. AS result of these investiga-
tons hundred million dollars worth OF
hitherto untaxed property will be on the
assessment books next year"
Flaw in Management.
Continuing. Mr.. Johnson said
Furthermore. the property of the Dis
trict of Columbia has not been properly
accounted for. The subcommittee under
Representative Redfeld Of New York has
been examining into these matters. AS a
single example l will cite the Districts
storehouse. / am told that any one can
go into that store with an old shovel and
old pick, or any old implement, and say
| This belongs to the District; give me
another one for it: and get 1t.
"Also / can tell you that we have had
an expert examining certain accounts Of
the District. and We will prove by experts
and by the people who keep the accounts
which will pay for the cost of this inves-
tigation a hundred times over
This referred to the accounts at the
Treasury.
MIR. George of New York. chairman of
the tax and assessment investigating sub
committee, said:
This committee has found property un-
dervalued and it has found property in
the southeastern part OF the city which
has been greatly overassessed.
1T has found squares of property where
present assessments are 20 to 30 per cent
| over the previous assessments without
any logical reason for 1t. while great
blocks in the business area have not been
materially increased at all.
Cites Item of sspo,ooo.
THE Willard Hotel is underassessed by
500 900, while little homes in the south
east are assessed for more than they will
sell for There are no proper rules for
! assessing. and the machinery of the as
SCISSORS office Is grossly inadequate. Three
men are engaged in assessing real estate
| and six men in assessing personal prop
erty By all rules of assessing there
| should be at least ten men. and Lawson
! Purdy. the greatest tax expert in the
country, has testified there should be six
| teen assessors here.
I'VE can get enough increased revenue
| from the proper taxation of the Willard
Hotel to pay for this examination many
times over.
Representative Cullop asked Mr.. George
what are the rules under which District
property is assessed.
| There are scarcely any rules" was the
reply.
Il am not what is cor6ahonly called a
shark in District AFFAIRS said Mr.. Can
non, but I have q general knowledge OF
District affairs.
II remember when an amendment to a
District appropriation bill carried certain
| tax legislation with 1t, and from that
| time forward the revenues have beer
gradually increasing and are increasing
! IL 1 remember rightly. the banks were
| taxed by that amendment. and so were
| the public service corporations. Many
drybones were dragged out then. and II
may be that the drybones ought to shake
again. but would like to know why Is
| this discrimination touching on the as
sessmeQt of real estate? How about the