The Washington herald., 1912-04-07
CITIZENS OPPOSE
BENEFIT TAXES
Federation Denounces Al
legged Discrimination
Against East.
INpoRsE CITY CLEANING

The system of the defrayment OF the
expenses Of street, park. and waterway
improvements by the assessment OF sur
rounding property as benefits was Wig
orously opposed by the Federation Of
Citizens Associations in a resolution
adopted at a meeting last night at the
Chamber Of Commerce.
A bill will be drafted for Introduction
in Congress. providing for the payment
of all expense incident to civic improve
ments on the half-and-half financial
basis. in <seordance with. the organic
act.
The matter was brought up by J. @.
McGrath, delegate from the Park View
Citizens Association, who at a previous
meeting was appointed chairman OF s
committee 10 investigate the assess
ment system. Mr. McGrath referred to
the. plan as a dangerous proceeding. He
concluded his report with a resolution
to the effect that the federation op-
pose the assessment system and draft
bill providing for the payment of
expenses on the half-and-half princi-
pie.
Various sections OF TIE city have been
Disseminated against by this system"
said William Mex. Clayton. president OF
the federation. THE expense OF many
Of the improvements in the northwest
was not betrayed by the assessment of
surrounding property as benefits. No bur-
den was placed on the people of the
northwest when vast and beneficial i'm
provements were made in Sixteenth street,
on Meridian Hill, and in Rock Creek
Park. These improvements were paid
for on the half-and-half basis. And yet.
when IL comes to improvements in the
northeast and southeast sections of the
city. the burden is placed on the prop
erty owners. The system is an outrage"
Cite Anacostia Case.
There Is much truth in the statement
that some sections of the city are dis
eliminated against through the operation
OF the assessment system" said W. IL
Richardson, delegate from the Benning
Citizens Association. This point is well
emphasized in the bill for the improve
ment OF Klingle Ford Valley, which pro-
vides for the payment OF the expense on
the half-and-half principle, and in the
bill for the establishment OF two parks
In the northeast. which provides for the
payment OF the expense by the assess
ment Of abutting property as benefits.
This District and Federal govern
ments paid the expense OF the improve
ment Of Potomac Park, and yet, when
II comes to the improvement OF the Ana
costa River. the burden is placed on the
property owners in a large surrounding
territory II is most unreasonable
and unjust discrimination. We should
make this matter one OF the live issues
OF the federation
Mr.. McGrath and James W. Dyer. dele
gate from the Takoma Park Citizens
Association. were designated to draft the
proposed bill. opposing the assessment
system.
resolution introduced by James NJ
Wood. delegate from the East End
Suburban Citizens Association, was
adopted, urging upon Congress the roten-
ton I'm the District appropriation biil of
the item providing for an increase in
the salaries of all District laboreTs Of
from $50 to s. per day of eight hours.
Discuss EIEht-hour Law.
When the question was brought up last
night a controversy arose between Mr..
Wood and E W. oyster delegate from
the Petworth Citizens Association, as TO
the legal right of District officials in en-
plOying laborers in the street cleaning
more than eight hours a day.
Mr.. Oyster contended that the law states
that no District employe shall work moe
than eight hours a day. except in cases
of extra ordinary emergency" Mr.. Wood
contended that this emergency clause"
eXempts the District officials from prose-
cution.
1t Is likely that tomorrow night Mr.. |
Oyster will bring the subject to the at
tention of the Central Labor Union, of
which he is a member.
A resolution from the Southeast Wash |
ington Citizens Association, introduced
by Delegate Lemuel Fugitt, was in |
dorsed, urging the dredging Of the Ana
costa River up to the navy yard to
depth of twenty-four feet. This is the |
depth of The Potomac. Edwin c. Dutton, |
delegate from the Chevy Chase Citi- |
zens' Association, introduced a resolution, |
which was unanimously adopted. indors- |
Ing the city-cleaning crusade. Mr.. Clay !
ton, president Of the federation, pre- |
sided.