The Washington herald., 1913-12-19

yssts-,say n opening consideration Of
the District bill under the hve-minute
rule The expectation is that the Dill
will be passed by the House tomorrow.
Representative Page concluded MS re-
marks with the following statement:
How the citizens OF tne D1strc, OF
Columbia expect to be treated any bet
ter than they are In the face OF con-
slant criticism of the men who holo the
Ipurse-strings for them is more than .
can conceive.
n. national Obligation.
EGO far az I am concerned, as have
said before. / recognize that there Is
a national obligation here. / believe
that we ought to discharge 1t fearlessly
and In full measure. I believe that the
constituency Of every man on this moor
will stand for that principle 1 do not
believe that there Ii In all this govern
ment a constituency that does no take
Just pride in the maintenance OF It's Ma
tional Capital.
IT wish it were possible that every boy
who lives in the Congressional district
I represent might come to this National
Capital; I wish that he might have an
opportunity to see this magnincent
building that is his as well as ours; /
wish that he might look at the other
i
grounds maintained here at the expense
Of his government. believe that 1t would
broaden his patriotism and make him
better citizen"
Mr.. Page reviewed the conditions that
led up to the framing and enactment OF
the act Of 1873 which contained the half
and-half plan.
Opposes Giving Up Control.
.r. - I...- 49, - ,hot ttv,a . faEr
division" said Mr.. Page. II am one of
those who believe that that time has
passed, and while am here to say, and
do say emphatically. that do not accept
the statements made by the gentleman
a few days ago in the discussion of this
bill, that this city ought to be turned
over to govern itself, think that no
greater mistake could be made than for
the Congress OF the United States to
relinquish the absolute control Of this
territory In which is situated its National
Capital.
II believe that the time has come when
there is no longer q necessity that the
national government should contribute
one-half to the support Of this great city.
I believe there should be modification
and q rewriting Of the law in this re-
spect do not believe that the man
lives who can work out a fair, equitable
division system upon any percentage
basis. I do not think that Ii q mathe-
matical possibility. because conditions
vary from year to year, and the obli-
cations of the government to this Ma
tional Capital may and do vary from
year to year.
'T believe that the policy that Is written
In this section (section 8, providing for
the refunding Of excess revenue), will
meet the present conditions and the con-
ditions for all future time. The Congress
Of the United States, having control over
this territory, will have control over the
tax rate. and IL the tax rate Is too low
the fault is with the Congress OF the
United States, and they can remedy it
Plan for Taxation.
There Is complaint made, and share
In II, that there is q large amount Of
property in the city Of Washington that
escapes taxation. I believe We ought TO
write into the law machinery that will
tax capital-stocks and bonds bank cap
ital and other personal property Of that
character that exists In the city Of WASH
ington. But that Is q matter for Congress |
to take care Of"
Representative Mondell concluded ren-
eral debate on the measure with a care
fully prepared analysis of conditions in /
the District In Justification Of the pres
ent form Of government. He sounded |
the first, and. SO far as debate has gone,
the only note of defense for the present
government. Mr.. Mondell is a Republi-
can member Of the Appropriations
Committee,
Whatever Congress may conclude 10
do in the future" he said, "our duty In
the present Is to deal fairly and con-
siderately with these people from whom
we have taken the franchise. and whose
city council We have constituted our
selves"
Strikes at VitaIa.
Referring to section s, the new law
which the committee proposes to write
in, he said: 7
This provision strikes Pat the very
vitals Of the plan under which the Dis
trict has been operating for many years.
That fiscal plan is one of the fea-
lures Of an arrangement under which
The general government has taken over
and administered the affairs OF the Dis
trict. The arrangement IN .ts general
features has been considered wise and
advantageous TO the nation, and IL the
time has come to modify II, the modtf-
alton should come after full considera-
ton Of all features Of that relationship
between the District and the general
OF which the half-and half
l
The gentleman from Iowa, Mr.. Prouty.
during the debate on Tuesday said II was
no secret that the people Of this town
ook with suspicion and disrespect on
Congress- I hope that is not true. nj
t is may not Congress be at least partly
70 blame? Suspicion and dIsrespect sell
iom exist without some slight founda-
ion. What has been the attitude of the
House, as voiced on the floor of late
.oward the District? am certain that
here is much work Of a constructive
character in legislation for the District
hat needs to be done. Have we per-
'ormed our duty in this regard? 1 think
lot.
IT cannot recall any discussion, much
ess the enactment OF any useful con-
Itructive legislation. for the District IN
many months. On the contrary, there has
cen a perfect flood of criticism and fault
hiding of the District and its people and
number of proposals Of legislation OBJ
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