Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-08
d. C.'S NATIONAL TAX
What the Capital Pays To-
ward Federal Upkeep.
NO SUBSIDY" BY STATES
Statements Made in the House Met
by Reliable Figures.
REP. JOHNSON'S STATISTICS
Attempt to Show How Districts Cost
Is Borne by People of Various
Commonwealths.
NO SUBSIDY" BY STATES
REP. JoHNsoN's STATISTICS

In the course of the debate on the Dis
tflct appropriation bill the other day in
the House OF Representatives, Johnson of
kentucky referred to the matter of the
federal contribution to the upkeep of the
capital municipality, styling it a subsidy
PAD bE the states. He offered table
showing how this federal contribution is
divided between the states on the basis
OF population and distributed between the
various objects of District appropriation
The purpose was to state the proportion
ate share of the cost of District main
tenance borne by the people of the Va
rious states of the Union. The debate on
this matter developed that there is no
basis or justification for this method of
which the governments contribution to
the Districts expenses are drawn. There
are three general sources of federal rev.
enue-customs duties excise taxes and
direct taxes. In only few instances
have direct taxes been imposed. If all
the national taxes were direct, then the
table offered by Mr.. Johnson as an eX-
hibit in the appropriations bill discussion
would have some application.
Small Fraction Apportioned.
But only an infnitesimal fraction of the
national taxes are of this character, and
it is therefore distinctly improper to ap-
portion the share of the United States
among the states in this way.
On this point it is to be recalled that the
District of Columbia is itself contrib
utor to the national revenues. paying
taxes of all three kinds, customs, excise
and direct. The District pays it's full
share of all direct taxes, while it is de-
MED the share in representation that the
Constitution couples with that obligation
On this subject of national taxation the
following extract from the pamphlet enti-
tied Finances of the National Capital
Partnership prepared by Theodore w
NoyeS in 1895 and revised in 1910 to en-
brace the latest obtainable figures. will be
instructive as bearing upon the question
raised by Representative Johnson in the
House the other day:
National Taxation.
The Washing onian makes a strong
comparative showing as a contributor b
the national taxes. The District has shar-
special national burdens. Through its
custom house it has made contributions
to the national Treasury, and if the con-
sumers of dutiable goods pay this tax, it
has contributed far above the average
OF municipalities, as one of the large sea-
coast cities. which are recognized as the
heaviest consumers of imported and duti-
able articles.
The only national taxes that fall direct
ly and Enthusiastically and in ascertainabfe
amounts upon Americans are the inter-
nal revenue taxes. The states and terri
tories which contributed in the fiscal year
ended June 80. 1903, less in internal reve-
nue. collections of the national Treasury
than the District OF Columbia are Ala
bama. Arkansas, Delaware, Georgia, Ida
no, Kansas. Maine. Mississippi, Nevada
North Dakota, Okla hOma South Dakota,
South Carolina, Utah, Vermont and Wy
oming tsiXteen states). and Alaska. Ari-
iona, New Mexico and Hawaii -four ter
ritories).
The per capita contribution of the Dis
trict of Columbia for that year is greater
than that Of Alabama. Arkansas. Connec-
ticut, Delaware. Georgia, Idaho, Iowa,
Kansas, Maine. Montana. Minnesota, Mis-
sissippi, New Hampshire, North Dakota
Oklahoma, South Dakota, South Carolina
Tennessee, Texas, Utah, Vermont and
Wyoming twenty-five states), and Alas
ka, Arizona, New Mexico and Hawaii
-four territOrieS).
The District of Columbia contributed in
the fiscal year ended June 30. 1909 in
internal revenue taxation for the support
of the national government more than
the combined contributions of Maine,
Vermont. Mississippi, North Dakota, Ne
vada. Oklahoma and Wyoming.
The per capita contribution of the
WashingtOnian to this national fund was
seventeen times great as that of the
resident Of Alabama, eighteen times that
of the resident of Arkansas. ten times
that of the resident of Maine. sixteen
times that of the resident of South Caro-
lima. twenty times that of the resident of
Vermont and eighty-six times that of the
resident of Mississippi
Does not the Washingtonian pay
enough both in national and local taxes?
Is he in any respect favored by the legs-
lative body, which, not chosen by him,
decides for him all questions of equitable
taxation?
In the Matter of Mendicancv.