Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-08
Commissioners Object to Gov
ering Any Portion Into
Federal Treasury.
GIVE VIEWS AT HEARING
BY SENATE COMMITTEE
State That Aggregate, With Dupli.
cate Sum From q. s., Can Be
Economically Expended.

strongly convinced the total revenues of
.he district during the coming year. to-
setner with similar sum from the Treas
ury OF the federal government, can be
Wen and economically expended upon
the District of Columbia, Is shown from
an examination of the .earings on the
Dlstrlct appropriation bill before the sub
committee of the Senate appropriations
commlttee in charge of that bill. The
hearings have just been made public.
Inc discussion before the subcommft-
tee arose in connection with the eighth
section OF the District bill, as passed
by the House. but which has been strick-
en- from the measure by the Senate COM
mittee. This eighth section would cover
into the federal Treasury all revenues of
the District in excess of the current an.
preparations.
The fact that the estimated revenues
OF the District for the next fiscal year
Will exceed the appropriations allowed
oy Congress by nearly million dollars
even should all the increases made by
the Senate committee over the House bill
be allowed, has raised the question: What
shall be done with these excess reve-
nues?
1T raises a question of opinion as
70 the money necessary for the local
man to the subcommittee. Il think that
we could in very proper. advan-
tageous and economical manner ex-
pend all OF this revenue"
Suggests Tendency to Extravaganza.
There Is a question in the minds Of
some people whether. where they raise
SO much money. 1t does not lead to ex-
travagance." replied Senator John Wal
ter Smith, chairman of the committee
YES" said Mr.. Newman. land think
Enthusiastically 1t has tendency to
do that very thing. However, at this
particular time we feel convinced that
all of the money raised by local taxa
ton, plus an equal amount from the
federal government, could be economi-
cally and advantageousiy expended"
Senator Gallinger Of New Hampshire,
also a member Of the committee. said:
Il was about to make that very OBJ
servation-that il / had my way there
would not be any of this money turned
back into the Treasury. l should ex-
pend 1t and let the government put up
an equal amount for the present at
least. / believe it could be advan.
tageously expended"
Continuing the discussion as to what
ward the development of the National
Capital, Commissioner Newman said to
the subcommittee:
THE feeling have had thus far. as a
result not only of my experiences and
consideration Of this matter as Com
missioner, but of several years. prior
consideration. is that, first, the people
of the United States want Washington
to be a great and beautiful capital. 1
do not think there is any question
ov,t oif hnr
a great and magnificent scale"
81 think that is the general senti-
ment," replied Senator Smith.
Mr. Newman continued: 81 think that
can be accepted as a fact. / think it
can also be accepted as a fact that 1t
would be a financial impossibility and
an economic injustice to expect the
people of the District of Columbia to
provide the money to do that They
cannot do 1t"
Unfair to the District.
'It should not be asked" was the
comment of Senator Smith. THE gov
eminent wants what any ordinary city
would not require. Not only is it true
that the people of the District cannot
provide a national city such as is de-
sired, but it would be unfair to expect
the people to do it when they are
handicapped as they are here There
are many things in the way of in
dustrial enterprises that might come
to an ordinary city that. as a capital,
we do not want here, that would in
crease the assessab1e basis Of property
and from which they city could derive
a revenue, but that we do not want
The people of this country are unwil-
ling for this city to be a city Of that
kind Therefore, I think the govern
ment ought to.be willing to make up
deficiency Of that character. The
streets here, for instance, are very
much wider than usual
Duty of National Government.
Commissioner Newman continued:
1T is fact that this country wants
that kind of a capital. 1t is fact that
the people of this community could not
establish and maintain such a city.
Therefore, it also must be a fact that
to some extent the government must
assist in establishing and maintaining
such a city. The question which is
Immediately brought to an issue by the
amendment referred to by Senator Gal
linger is: What should the government
do in dollars and cents. or in a per-
centage? Specifically. what should the
government do and how should it do
it? On that matter I am not ready to
express an opinion at this time"
The late Senator Hoar of Massa-
chusetts. who was a very wise man, as
we we'll know. cnce made a suggestion
on the floor of the Senate that at
tracted a good deal of attention" said
Senator Gallinger. 1T was that IL
the half-and-h half principle ever should
be abandoned, Congress should make
appropriations for the District OF Co.
lumbia precisely as il does for the War
Department or the Navy Department;
that the citizens of the District of CO.
lumbia should be taxed. the tax rate
being fixed at a reasonable amount as
compared to other cities. and that any
deficit that was found to exist after the
citizens had paid their taxes on an
equitable basis should be appropriated
by the government That thought is
worthy of consideration If we are GO
ing to break down the half-and- half
principle"
View of Half-and-Half System.
Both Commissioner Newman and Com
missioner Siddons told the subcommit-
tee that while they had given much
thought to the question of whether or
not the f-and-half principle of APP
for the District should be
continued Indefinitely. SO far they had
not been able to reach a conclusion in
the matter. They admitted, however,
that the eighth section of the House
bill was a blow at the half-and-half prin-
ciple.