Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-18
The Poor Rich Washingtonian.

In order 10 justify the repeal of the
half-and-half provision of the organic
act. Representative Crisp pictures Wash
ingtou. in imagination. as most eX-
traordinary and incongruous paradox.
ON the one hand. it has, he says very
few wholesale houses. practically no
manufacturing industries or enterprises
and lis maintained and supported almost
entirely" by the money paid out TO gov
eminent employees. On the other hand.
this community, without independent re-
sources, one-third colored. composed al
most entirely of government employees
and those who supply the latter's needs.
owns more taxable real estate than is
owned by Baltimore and Cleveland COM
bined or by New Orleans, Indianapolis
Louisville and st. Paul combined; owns
a greater total valuation OF real and per-
sonal property than Chicago, and not
very much less than Cleveland, Milwau-
kee, Cincinnati and New Orleans COM
bined: and is so rich and strong in the
possession of these fabulous riches that
il can. without hardship, much more than
double its present tax-burden, under
which it pretends to be staggering. and
can pay a per capita tax levy greater
~ far than is paid in any other city of
capita tax levy paid by other cities of
It's class, like New Orleans, Milwaukee
and Detroit
Inc fundamental error of the George
taxation report and the Crisp assessment
IS tae assumption that in American COM
PARSONS of assessment and taxation the
highest conceivable market price. consti-
tuting full value in the owners mind if
he. il tn 10 in, A
assessment value of real estate The
figures and comments of the 1910 census
show. as has been already pointed out that
IN respect to full valuations of real estate
for taxation purposes nobody is doing it.
in Massachusetts and New Jersey and in
very few scattered cities in few other
states there is nomnally a full valuation.
but analysis of the assessment figures
shows conclusively that full valuations
are not made even there in fact. and the
census slurs the accuracy of the reports
of full valuation. Hardly anywhere else
in the United States do the assessors
place in actual figures of dollars and
cents 50 high an assessment valuation on
taxable real estate as in Washington.
The census figures which have been printed
show. for instance. that, assessing on the
two-thirds basis, they report greater real
estate values in Washington than in the
whole OF Baltimore. and that their two
thirds assessment of the taxed fraction of
Washington exceeds by many millions
the fun 100 per cent valuations of such
cities as Detroit, Newark and Jersey City
Relatively to the other cities with which
tax comparisons are made, the Washing
ton assessment Is already excessively
high To double this assessment, as by
adding s4f4.Ooo.Ooo to an assessment of
$50. 900, as suggested. would mean
quick and complete bankruptcy.
This bankruptcy is not of the wealthy,
tax-dodging winter residents, whom our
constitutional legislators make verbal
pretense of pursuing. since they can af
ford to lose their confscated Washington
real estate. if they have any, and will
promptly remove themselves from the
clty.s tax list and fit elsewhere, if their
interest suggests this course. This bank
ruptcy will be suffered by the $4,000 small
property owners and homebuilders in this
city on our 10000 tax list, whose little
All is invested here in supreme confidence
in the good faith of Uncle Sam, and who
cannot escape or resist his heavy, con-
iiscating hand.
The tax revenue which the local tax
payers could reasonably contribute would
oe entirely inadequate to sustain the
capital as it now exists. or to keep it in
line " natural development. repudia-
ton of national obligations in respect to
the nations city would result either in a
discreditable capital. poorly sustained by
reasonable taxation upon local resources,
or in the virtual confiscation of local
property through excessive taxation.