Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-16
DEMANDS DISTRICT
PAYALLEXPENSES
Representative Crisp Bitterly
Attacks the HaIf-and-
Half Plan.
ASSAILS ASSESSMENTS
OF CAPITAL REALTY
Charges Discrimination Which Ben
efits Wealthy-Discusses Or
ganic Act.

Representative Crisp of Georgia, who
made a promise to his constituents that
he would attack the idea of the United
States government paying for half the
cost of it's own Capital city, fired the
first gun against the organic act OF
he District of Columbia today, when
he took the floor in long speech
opening the debate on the District ap-
preparation bill. Before the final pas
sage of the bill Representative Crisp
will move to amend it so that the en-
tire expenses of the District of Column
bia will be paid from it's own revenues.
Quotes George Report.
He spoke of the organic act of 1878.
and then read from the report of the
George subcommittee which investi-
gated the real estate assessment and
taxation system of the District last
year:
Real estate in the District of Columbia
is assessed S414.0O00OO below its true
value" said Mr. Crisp, quoting the
George report
The committee also found continued
Mr.. Crisp. that there is great disccrimi-
nation between classes in the assessment
for taxation in the District that 10000
small homes of government clerks and
workingmen generally stand assessed at
an average of 90 per cent of their value
while the beautiful residences of the
northwest show an average of 80 per cent
1t is a notorious fact that many retired
millionaires of the country are moving to
Washington, and in my judgment one of
the reasons they are coming here is to
escape taxation"
Refers to Organic Act.
Representative Crisp, in continuing
said:
II have heard two reasons suggested
why the act Of June IL, 1873 was enact
ed by Congress. The flrst. that the Dls-
trict Of Columbia owed millions of dol
lars and was bankrupt; that it could not
support it's municipal government, pay
the interest on it's bonded Indebtedness.
and that as 1t was the National Capital
Ii was the duty OF Congress to aid it
financially in its time of distress. This is
not business reason, but Is an appeal
to sentiment and charity, and the Con-
gress of the United States has most gen.
erously answered the appeal. Since 1873.
in response to this appeal, the Treasury
of the United States has contributed over
a hundred millions of dollars to the Dis
trict of Columbia for its municipal gov
eminent This does not include the vast
il.ions the government has spent here
to erect it's own buildings and purchase
parks 1t has paid millions of dollars as
interest and principal on the bonded debt
of the District of Columbia, which the
act of June. 1878, did not require. and to-
day I doubt If any city of its size in the
United States has as small an amount of
bonded Indebtedness.
Should Pay Expenses, He Says.
There is no logical reason why those
who own property in the city of Wash
rshn OK nA n
their government, just as citizens of
other cities do.
REPRESENTATIVE Crisp quoted the George
report to prove his contention that there
is enough property here to support the
District handsomely if the property Is
properly taxed.
Take the realty value, sS74i OO0, 900. the
tangible personal property as now re-
turned at the low value of So, 1o2 lOI. and
add to this the value of the stocks. bonds,
notes and mortgages estimated at S5U,-
600 600, the actual cash within the DIS
trict, SIS, 2s9. OS. the value of the capital
and surplus of the banks within the Dis
trict amounting TO 1881 .43o. and you
have a total valuation of property within
the District of Columbia amounting to
over 1888, 900 600. upon which tax assess
ments may be levied
Tax Rate in Capital.
L noer Ine law tne TAX rate III W assn
ington is $50 per hundred on land as
sessed at two-thirds valuation, which
makes the rate. according to law, 81 per
hundred OH the true value of land but
the actual rate paid by property owners,
according to your committee, is only
ST 2-3 cents per hundred. Millions of per-
sonal property pay no tax at all. Some of
the corporations pay tax on their gross
incomes. but not on the value of their
stock. This is all the tax owners of prop
erty pay, for they have no state and