Evening star., 1914-02-09
ParadoxicaI Friendly Unfriends
Who Stab HaIf-and-Half
Law BenevoIentIy.
ALL OF CITY BENEFITS
BY HALF-AND-HALF LAW
Single Tax Here Means Multiple
Taxes-No Single Taxer Should
Wish Repeal of Act of 1873.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.
No. TX.


Anong the paradoxical friend
IN unfriends OF the half-and-half
provision are those citizens who
think that they individually or
their section or their street have
not secured fair share OF the
benefits enjoyed BY Washing
ton from the half-contribution OF
the United States in the past. and
who instead OF remedyins the al
legged injustice by compelling a
more equitable expenditure OF this
District revenue in the future. pro-
pose or assent to the withdrawal
OF the national half-contribution.
Because they have received too
little OF the benefits from this rev
enue i'll the past they propose or
are willing that they shall receive
none al all for the future. Be
cause as taxpayers their lndlvld-
ual burden has not (they Think
been relieved by this revenue as
much in proportion as that OF
some other taxpayers IN the past
they are willing now to reject en-
tirelv the national half-contribu-
ton and to double the future tax
burden imposed upon all District
taxpayers, including themselves.
All of City Helped by Organic Act.
payers, u "Eang" Of real estate owners
nnd operators In one section Of the city.
have prOfited by the half-and-half pro-
vision of the organic act since 1878.
Most of the great improvements which
have been accomplished since that date.
and wrought by the organic act, have
been such Ms are enjoyed by residents
fnxation-by the small taxpayer AS
much ms by the great, by those who
contributed only inhnftesimaily to the
improvement and by those who have
not contributed at all.
Only those who lived here thirty-SlN
years ago appreciate how infinitely bet
ter il is now as d place of residence.
how much cleaner, safer, more cultured,
more comfortable and more convenient
The Washington of 1878 a shabby.
ill-paved. ill-nghted. inadequately poiiced,
insufficiently schooled. almost uncieaned
city, with surface rent and ridged as by
an earthquake, with streets of dust or
mud. 1t had few sanitary safeguards.
Its sewers were insufficient, its water
supply was questionable in quality Crime
was frequent and in certain stretches of
the city it was unsafe to walk alone.
Deadly railroad grade crossings took
heavy toll annually in human lives.
There were only poor excuses for street
transportation: fire-fghting facilities We're
insufficient. Washington was struggling
country village, sprawled out over large
area and Offering proportionately few
lenefits 10 its dwellers, in comparison
even with those enjoyed by the resi-
dents of other cities of that day. To-
day Washington is city of clean,
smooth streets, good sidewalks. ef-
teetive sewerage, pure water, numer-
ous. well equipped and exceptionally
well administered schools, admirable
street lighting. one OF the best fire-fight-
ing forces in the world, perhaps the best
police force for its size in the United
states, the finest system OF rapid transit
aIiywhefe 10 be found. complete free
dom from dlsilsuring and dangerous aeria!
wires, emancipation from the evil of
Srade-crossins death traps-in short a
city OF comfort and cleanliness, of health
and education. of protection and pro-
SreSSlN city SO close TO being a
model that Il needs now only continued
work along the lines laid down since 1873
aud pursued until very recently by wise
conSl ession4l enactHelts and co-oDera-
tipt! Win Tie citizens 10 become the fair
est. most prosperous and bes, equipped
city IL the world. Ali this change has
occurred. not merely coincidentally with
the WORKING Owl OF the organic act. out
IL direct ANA unduestiona BILE result of it.
Thus. these Improvements have made
the CITY more beautiful. giving il better
protection for life and property, "a better
water supply. better police and fire pro
tectio-., better sewerage. better and
cheaper transportation facilities. better
and cheaper heat and Lighting, better and
cleaner paveinents and sidewalks, cooler
and healthier streets. shaded by thou
sands OF additional trees; better schools
and libraries, more extensive park areas
the lungs Of the city. the peoples breath
ing places. and hospitals. Fairgrounds.
et"., II tile old times entirely lackinh
space does not suffice even 10 recite the
infinite ways in which under a system
which secures from the nation equitable
participation III the cost of capital main
IenanCe and upbuildinS. the city has de-
veloped for the physical. mental and
moral hetterInent OF all Washingtonans
as individuals, whether poor or well-to-
DO. however small their tax contributions.
whatever their occupation and in what
ever part of the capital they may reside
How any Individual taxpayer could pos
SihlN be agSrieved by the assumption of
Cncie Sam of one-half of the burden of
capittl-nakIIg, capital-development and
Observation-Disclosures and could suggest
on assent TO its withdrawal is beyond the
reach of the normal imagination If the
complaint Is that III respect TO the
item OF street extension and Improvement
one-quarter OF the city or one small
section of one-quarter o. the city has
received more in appropriations from
the general revenues than il is en-
titled To when compared with other sec
tons in tax-contribution and population
then The remedy is obviously to devote
less OF the general revenue III the future
to an unduly favored section and more
to neglected section. and not TO render
this equitable equalization Impossible by
cutting down oue-ha!f the general reye-
nue. to be devoted in part 10 this puruose
If the small taxpayer believes that as
compared with the large taxpayer he has
been or is made to bear an undue propor-
ton OF the burden of capital maintenance
will he improve his condition BY seyerinc
Uncle Sans half contribution and do,-
bling the tax-bUrden to be borne by the
District taxpayers as a whole. Including
himself.
No Tax Reform Repeal of 1878 Law
those who think they think that j,
VIII be easier for the small TAXPAYER IL