Evening star., 1914-04-14
The Croesus Among Cities.

The question whether Washington is
the Croesus among American cities. the
wealthiest in the United States, or Is
among the very poorest in taxable re-
sources. is the vital issue raised by Rep
resentative Prouty's assault upon the
District in the House yesterday. Mr..
Prouty is on the same platform precisely
with Mr.. Crisp and uses or misuses the
same figures
In order to justify the repeal of the
lIlf- -and-half provision of the organic
act. Representative Crisp pictured Wash
ngton. in Imagination, as a most ex-
traordinary and incongruous paradox.
On the one hand, it has, he says. very
few wholesale houses, practically no
manufacturing industries or enterprises"
and 'is maintained and supported al
most entirely by the money paid out
10 government employees. On the other
Aand. this community, without independ-
ent resources, one-third colored. COM
posed almost entirely of government en-
ployes and those who supply the latter's
needs owns more taxable real estate than
- owned, according to the 1912 census
figures. by Baltimore and Minneapolis
combined: S1To.OOo,OOO more than is owned
combined: owns nearly as great total
valuation of real and personal property
as Chicago, and only about sixty millions
less than Buffalo, Newark and New
Orleans combined: and is so rich and
strong in the possession Of these fabulous
riches that it can, without hardship.
much more than double its present tax
burden under which it pretends to be
ost
tax levy greater by far than is paid in
any other city of the United States. and
twice tho per capita tax levy paid by
other cities of its class, like New Orleans,
Milwaukee and Detroit
Mr. Prouty says amen to Mr.. Crisp
and adds voluminous tables of statistics
based upon the census reports from
american cities of the relation of assess
ed to true value with which he seeks to
demonstrate the comparative lishtness of
the Washingtonian's tax burden.
These reports are, as the census au-
thorities themselves suggest, so mac
curate and tainted with error that fan
tastically misleading results follow any
attempt to apply these false reports to
modify the actual tax rate as a measure
of comparative tax-burdens.
Mr.. Prouty's tables of figures are rem
dered valueless by the use of and reliance
upon this discredited and misleading
factor in his calculations.
The gross under-a assessments of other
American cities in comparison with the
assessment of Washington furnish the
foundation upon which is built the claim
that Washington is per capita the
wealthiest city in the United States
Every one who has studied conditions
knows that in money-earning opportuni-
ties and available taxable resources 1t IS
among the poorest. The figures estab-
lish not that it is over-rich, but that COM
pared with other cities it is over-assessed
Its realty. already comparatively over
assessed, is threatened with such ex-
uessive absolute over-assessment for tax
ttion as to result in its confiscation
Mr.. Prouty follows in the footsteps Of
Mr.. Crisp, who assesses Washington
realty for taxation at s74,0OOO0, the
single tax figures, and then goes the
single takers one better" by adding a
personality assessment which values
" ashington's realty and personality COM
oined at a total valuation Of $933.OOO,OO.
from which a tax revenue of $15,2ll,e21
should, he says, without hardship be de-
rived: and on the basis Of these vast
imaginary taxable resources he pro-
nounces the local community capable,
unaided. of performing the nations task
of maintaining and developing the ma
toms city on the grand national scale
and plan designed by its founders and
now in operation.
Washington is no more able today, rela-
lively. to bear this burden than it was
in 1875. and in the seventies. when In a
patriotic and public-spirited effort to per-
form the nations task it worked itself
into bankruptcy. The city is more popu-
lous. more prosperous and has more tax
able resources than in the last century,
but the burden Of capital-making and
capita1-maintenance has grown heavier In
vastly greater proportion than its own In
crease In strength.
The tax revenue which the local tax
payers could reasonably contribute would
be entirely inadequate to sustain the
capital as it now exists, or to keep 1t in
line of natural development A repudia-
ton of national obligations in respec. to
the nations city would result either in a
discreditable capital, poorly sustained by
reasonable taxation upon local resources,
or in the virtual confscation of local
property through excessive taxation.
The issue between those who claim and
those who deny that Washington is the
Croesus among American cities in tax
able resources is clearly drawn. The Star
has printed the facts and figures which
in its opinion, constitute an absolute dem
onstration of the negative of the propo-
sition.
Washington is ready to submit this Is
sue with confidence to any impartial tri
banal.