The Washington times., 1914-05-13
THE TAXATION MIDDLE.

! THE TAXATION MIDDLE.
! The House of Representative has
killed the whole crop of taxation
, Legislation for the District of Colum-
bia. The "half-and-half" plan is Sc
cure, and taxation reform is dead
for this Congress, at least.
The whole outcome justifies the
opinion repeatedly expressed by this
paper, that there was no tremendous
crisis confronting the community.
. The Times never believed there was
grave danger of the present fiscal re-
lationship between District and Fed
eral authority being revolutionized.
1t believed that there was a good
deal of hysteria on both sides, and
not much chance of different result
than that which has now come to
pass.
Chairman Johnson, of the District
Committee, has orce more been re-
pudiated. When the George taxa
ton bill was brought in it was, on
the whole, good measure. Its pass
age would have accomplished some
benefit for the District. 1t would
have equalized the burdens of taxa
tion without unreasonable imposi-
ton and without changing the fun
damentals of the local revenue sys-
tenn.
But good, thing is not to be en-
acted into law without at least run
ming the gantlet of Chairman John
sons opposition. He gave his sup
port to the Johnson-Prouty amend
mcnt, which would have revolution
lied the local situation as to taxa
ton, and would have made a thor
oughly bad measure out of what had
been originally good one. In the
end, the House, utterly disgusted
over the whole business, killed both
measures. and the slate is clean
without anything whatever done.
For many months-indeed, ever
since Ben johnson began to show his
hand after he became chairman of
the District Committee-the COM
munity has been fearful that he
would perpetrate some of his ruin
Gus and hostile policies. There has
been hysterical defamation about
the frightful danger which confront
ed the city's interests; defamation
which perhaps served the purpose OF
the deciaimers, who wanted to ap-
pear heroicaliy fighting for the pub
lie veal, when the public veal really
wasn't ever in any particular dan
ger. There has been a good deal of
sham battle about this whole affair,
and the rct result has been unneceS-
Sarily 10 natter the nerves of peo-
pie, to injure business, 10 Gepress
general conditions, and TO fill people
with thoroughly unwarranted feel
ing that there may be danger of the
nation deserting Washington. The
nation is going to do nothing of the
lind.
Those members of the House who
took the lead in the fight for an in
telligent treatment OF Washirgton's
aOd tho ,-,+;opal ;r+oro-i- boro ma
entitled 20 hearty thanks from both
the local community and their con-
stltuents at Eome, for they served
both. The outcome is so decisive
that there will hardly be renewal of
the effort. in the near future, to
tr'eak down the fundamentals of the
Washington fiscal schemn.
But what about Ben Johnson, once
more defeated in an effort to ham, :
string this community and to inf1ict /
ct the same time a grave injury on /
the national interest here? Is John !
son 10 go right on conjuring up more :
way 20 harass Washington and to
waste the time and wreck the tenn /
per of Congress? Must he, after the
long series Of emphatic regulations
that his policies have met, stay for
ever as head of the District of Co
lumbia Committee? Is there no
chance that he can be kicked up
stairs, or somewhere else, by another
session of Congress Is it utterly
heyond reason to hope that he might !
have the good EanneTs, now taaS =,
his greatest of all effort against !
Washington has failed. to retire vol
UNFAIRLY from the chairmarship OF
the District Committee and let some !
man tahi. up the work who can in
some sm,.H measure, At least. reflect !
the purpose of the Hous4 and the in
tcrests of the community?
If Mr.. johnson will not, in the face