Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-06-24
House Subcommittee Agrees
to Recommend the Crea-
ton of Commission.
MOVEMENT FOR CHANGE
IN THE DISTRICT SYSTEM
Examination to Be Made Into Rela-
tions Of National Capital and
Federal Government.

An agreement as TO the personnel OF
the proposed commission to examine
Into the fiscal relations between the
District OF Columbia and the United
States and to make recommendations
regarding the feasibility and equity of
continuing the present form of gov
ernment in the National Capital was
reached today by the special subcom-
mittee of the District committee OF
the House. The conclusion will prob
ably be reported to the full District
committee tomorrow.
The commission proposed would con-
sist of seven members, as follows: The
chairnen of the Senate and House Dis
trict committees. the president of the
board of Commissioners and four MEM
bers to be appointed by the President.
who must be non-residents and nom
owners of property in the District and
to be appointed from widely separated
portions of the United States.
The makeup of the proposed commits
sion will be drafted into the Prouty reso-
luton creating commission to examine
into the relations between the District
Of Columbia and the federal govern
ment.' together with one or two other
minor amendments. one of which pro-
vides for a compensation of $40 day
for the four members appointed by the
President. The other members not
to be compensated.
What the Resolution Provides.
The resolution. should it be reported to
the House agreed upon today by the
special subcommittee composed of Rep
resentatives Prouty, Mapes, Caraway
O'Leary and Claypool will declare that
said commission is hereby empowered
and directed to make a thorough exam
fnatfon of the relations at present exist
Ing between the federal government and
the District of Columbia: that said COM
mission is further directed to ascertain
and report to Congress whether local
sef-government might not now be grant
ed to said District of Columbia. and that
II said commission shall ascertain that
said local self-government could now be
granted to the District of Columbia. that
said commission prepare and report to
Congress bill creating said local self
government: that said commission shall
further make careful investigation to
ascertain what. IL any. federal aid should
be given to the District of Columbia by
way Of contribution from the federal
Treasury for the support of the local
Affairs Of the said District Of Columbia;
that said conamissfon shall have the power
and authority to employ a secretary,
clerical help and such accouD&an&ssand
experts on municipal aAaffs as II eh1kfsF
deem proper and necessary for thor
ouEh, comprehensive report; that said
Commission shall fix the compensa-
tion to be paid to said persons, and II
the said commission shall sit during
recess Of Congress. the members of the
commission shall be entitled to mile
age and hotel expenses made necessary
by attendance on said meetings, the
same to be paid out on voucher
signed by the chairman of said COM
mission: that said commission snaii
give public hearings in the District OF
Columbia. or at such other places as
majority of said commission may de-
termine; that said commission is especially
to ascertain and report to Congress the
fair average rate of taxes collected IN
other cities Of Ike size to that of Wash
ington upon the actual cash value of its
property and report to this House what
would be fair and reasonable rate to De
assessed against the property OF the DIS
trjct of Columbia at its actual cash value;
that said commission shall ascertain and
report what kiads and classes of prop
erty are assessed in other cities and what
kinds and classes OF property should oe
assessed in the District of Columbia, and
at what rate, in order that the property
in the District of Columbia might bear
fair burden of taxation as compared win
property situated elsewhere: tnat salo
commission shall make full and complete
report Of its findings of fact and its con-
clusions and recommendations Tor ieeis-
lative action to Congress
Several Propositions Considered.
There were several proposed commits
sions Of investigation into the relation
ship between the government and its
Capital city before the House Dis
trict committee, all aiming at the same
thing. but having different ideas as to
the personnel and duties of the commits
sion. Representative George, Repre-
sentatiye O'Leary and Representative
Cooper all had introduced resolutions
about the same time Representative
Prouty introduced his. They all grew
out of the night which culminated In the
Af he
the George bill, and the refusal to
enact the George bill The commits
sion idea presumably represents the
feeling of several Of the leaders of the
House.
Representative Underwood, majority
leader las on several occasions ex-
pressed himself as in favor of a thor
ough Investigation OF the fiscal prob
3ems which have been aired on the
0oor of the House so frequently in the
past three years.
Mr.. Caraway in Opposition.
Representative Caraway. one of the
members of the special subcommittee,
IL opposed to the whole idea of a COM
mission, and said to Star reporter to-
day
whenever you want to stop all legis-
lation create commission This pro-
posed body will take q year to find it.
self and perhaps a year to report, and
will spend s25.OOO. and will present a
majority and minority report at that.
1t is called upon to answer questions
TO which every one ought to know the
answer. anyhow No one ought to
bubble over whether the District
should have self-government- 1t is ak
fomatic American principle that this Dis
trict should have a government of its
own.
"As to the question of federal sup
port. that is as plain as A. B. to me.
] cannot understand the justice of
making the government contribute a