Evening star., 1914-02-21

by which they have not protited The
remedy Is not to cut down by one-haf
the revenue to be devoted 70 the belated
improvements IN the neglected sections.
or 70 double or triple the tax 10 De paid
Dy the whole District. inciui.-.s the neg
iected sections.
4. Congress should recognize that the
browne excessive and conAscatory esti-
mate Of l0l: is at the root of the
George report. the George full vaIua-
fion hill. the Crisp bill and other kin
dred assaults upon the District tax
payers, and should not favor any of
these measures. unless Il is ready to
adopt in its fullness the most radical
sinkle-tax doctrine. to become not
merely an abstract theorixer hut . con-
crete cOnAseafer. to declare war pri-
sate Isnd-ow nership in the District.
and to commit .tself to a policy Of con-
fscatinE without compensation by sin
Kie-fax excessive taxation the ground
values which 5O.OO0 WasAinGtonians
now think they own.
Whether Congress applies in the Dis
t!ict the single tax or many taxes il
should use its exclusive power OF taxa
ton TO collect from the District taxpayers
only reasonable tax compared with
those paid IN other American munich
pahties approximately similarly situated
Not Reasonable Taxation.
The figures OF assessment and taxation
j. Browne, the George report, the George
fuli valuation bill. the Crisp bill and
others oe the same spirit and intent do
not represent reasonable taxation, but
Reflect as to realty assessment the single
tax theory that land should not be held
In private ownership and may fairly be
taxed until it becomes valueless and falls
by virtual confiscation into the hands of
the state. where by the eingie-tax theory
1t properly belongs, While the confis-
catory figures of single-tax land assess
ment are suggested for the District there
is no omission In its case Of the taxes
on realty Improvements and personally.
which on single-tax principles ought t.
be Cancelled.
If Congress wishes TO coniscate to the
state Washinston's land. and doing away
with all other sources Of local revenue
to secure the funds for current main
solely from the annual Increment OF
ground values, then it viii repudia.e the
national obligation represented by the .e :
iof 1878 and follow reputation with
sinsle-tax confiscation.
II Congress wishes to tax Washington
| property owners equitably under the pres
ent system of private land OWNERSHIP y
and in accordance with the methods and
standards OF assessment and taNatto
which prevail in other American cities.
and desires to meet fairly and honoraDly
the national obligation In respect 10 the
capital. il Will in the light Of the facts
and the figures leave the half hal
arrangement for the present und!sturbed
Washington's taX-burden is as heavy as
it should be and not more money is raised
under this system than is required to
sustain and develop the nations city.
Tne singie-tax Zealot. inftamed with a
sense Of duty to put into immediate .ic-
| tual practice his theory Of death TO pli-
! vate land ownership. Is consistently and
! logically relentless. Fe you'd spread
ndiscriminate destruction among al land
owners. small or large. like a Manom-
etan Moro running amuck among ths
! Christians. lie springs Ike blood
/ hound instinctively straight for the pri-