The Washington herald., 1914-04-09
opinion DIVIDED
AS TO MERIT Of
NEWMAN Plan
Views Vary Regarding Fed
eral Government Paying
Taxes on Property.
WOULD STIR CONGRESS
Macfarland Says Committee
Of One Hundred Will Keep
Up Its Work.
SUBMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT
Commissioner, Addressing Commercial
Club, Declares "Half-and-E1alf"
SUBMITTED TO THE PRESIDENT
Commissioner. Addressing Commercial
Club. Declares "HaIf-and-Half"
Has Not Worked Well.

Has Not Worked Well.
Commissioner Oliver P. Newman's pro-
posal to abolish the Districts half-and-
half plan yesterday created a profound
stir among the people Of Washington.
At a luncheon given at the Commercial
Club yesterday in his honor, Mr.. New
man in a lengthy speech advocated the
substitution of plan whereby the Fed
eral government, as its part Of the up
keep of the city, shall pay taxes on the
property ii owns here.
He charged that the half-and-half idea
plan has been a failure, on the ground
that il is the cause Of endless contro-
versy and cannot be justified in equity.
The PRONUNCIATION of a proposal for
radical change in the relationship be-
tween the District and the Federal gov
ernment was forecasted in The Washing
ton Herald yesterday morning, with the
exclusive presentation of the outline OF
q report Commissioner Newman made to
the President on District affairs.
win BE Fought Hard.
Should the Commissioner idea ever be
incorporated in a bill and presented IN
either the House or the Senate. 1t Will
lind the strongest kind Of opposition, for
the majority of members of Congress
believe the burden of the city's main
Ienance should be borne equally.
Former Senator Joseph Blackburn, Of
Kentucky. who, when in the House back
in the seventies, fought for the adoption
OF the half-and-half principle, and who
wrote the act, said last night that any
Congress at any time has the right, If
II so desires, to repeal any act, but that
the fact that the organic act has stood
the test of thirty-siN years proves it must
be better to live up to it rather than to
experiment
Unless there is some good and sub
stantial reason, why should this act be
torn down after it has stood the fire for
thirty-siX years and new one erected?'
asked former Senator Blackburn. y
have never heard of such a thing as the
government taxing itself and then turn
ing the receipts over to another. That
is a new phase which / would like to
study more before discussing it FULLY"
Congress has the right to substi-
tute acts and bills for others any time
1t pleases. II can pass an act one
minute and repeal it the next il it
cares to do so. But all attacks so far
on the organic act have been repulsed.
and unless all can be better benefited
by. the change I cannot see why il is
practicable
Former Senator Blackburn is so in
terested in the new aspect Mr.. New
man has placed on the situation that
he will seek an audience with the
Commissioner, that he may discuss the
matter thoroughly with him.
Mr.. Carnway's View.
Representative Thaddeus H. Cara
way of Arkansas. member of the House
District Committee, said:
Il am pleased with the frankness and
the tone in which he discussed the mat
ter. I am pleased with his reasoning,
as he sees both sides of it. His seeming
spirit of fairness in pleasing. However,
until have studied his suggestion moro
closely / cannot pass proper judgment.
So far as 1 have gone into it, I agree
with him.
Representative Wyatt Aiken. of South
CaroIins.t also 4 member of the District
Committee, said:
i see no reason for changing the half
and-half idea
Representative George J. Kindel. of
Colorado. who was named for the COM
mittee, but who declined appointment.
said: There is no reason why the United
States government should pay half of
the expenses of the District. favor
Commissioner Newman's plan to tax
both sides for what they own There
are 10000 blacks here. Supposing there
were 1.OOooe0? Few of them have taxa
ole property. Why then make the gov
ernment pay half of such a burden"
Representative Joseph B. Thompson, of
Oklahoma. also a member of the District
Committee. said: Until I have studied
more closely the statement of Mr.. New
man cahnot be interviewed on the SUBJ
Iect.''
Opinion Is Divided.
Locally, Washington is divided, but the
general opinion among taxpayers of the
-fty Is that it would be better for the
District 20 let the organic act remain
and not repeal it for a substitute that
later might prove a bigger failure than
Commissioner Newman says the half-and-
half principle has been.
Former District Commissioner Henry
q. F. Mcfarland than whom there is
no better posted man on local govern
mental affairs. when asked to express
an opinion on Commissioner Newman's
plan. said:
Commissioner Ne~man's statement
is an interesting contribution to the
subject 1t deserves. and will receive.
the respectful consideration due to its
character and TO the man and to his
office. Personally. I shall give ii such
consideration. No doubt other MEM
bers of the executive committee will
give il like consideration. But II does
not affect the duty placed upon the
executive committee by the Committee
lf One Hundred