Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-05
VOTE IS 1OT08
FORPROUTY PLAN
House District Committee IN
Favor of Amending the
George Tax Bill.
FIGHT TO BE CARRIED
TO FLOOR OF THE HOUSE
Mr.. George Insists Questions of Land
and Personal Taxes Be Han
died Separately.


Tho House District committee today
Voted to adopt the Prouty amendment to
the George bill by a vote of 10 to S. The
amendment. if written into the law, will
establish a uniform rate of taxation on
real estate and personal property, and
has been bitterly opposed inside and out
Of the committee.
The amendment formally proposed
and adopted today, does not include tax
on personal adjournment, jewels, etc, and
exempts from personal tax the stock of
corporations which already pay a tax on
gross income.
Text of the Amendment.
The adopted rider to the George bill is
as follows:
That for the purpose of establish
ing a uniform rate of taxation in the
District of Columbia, there is hereby
levied upon the aforesaid real estate
an annual tax equal in rate to that
rate which is now or which hereafter
may be imposed by Congress upon tax
able personal property in the District
of Columbia: and. further. the same
rate of taxation is hereby levied upon
all Intangible property in the District
of Columbia which would be taxable
under existing law were 1t tangible
credits. shares of stocks. bonds. an
nuities and all other evidences of in
debtedness which bear interest.
Nothing herein shall be SO construed
as to impose a tax upon any bonds of the
United States or of the District of CO.
1umbia. Neither shall tax be imposed
upon shares of the capital stock In any
corporation which corporation pays to the
District of Columbia the tax herein pro-
vided for upon all the property represent
ed by its capital stock. or pays tax on
gross income; and all persons firms and
corporations shall be allowed to deduct
from the total amount of their moneys.
credits, stocks, annuities and evidences of
Indebtedness any bona fide debt made or
created for actual value received.
Every parsonage and rectory owned
by religious congregation or organiza-
fion and used by its pastor. preacher.
minister or rabbi as a residence, is here
by made exempt from taxation in the
District of Columbia
How Members Voted.
The votes I'm favor Of the Prouty
amendment were cast by Representatives
Hart. Caraway. OLeary, Reed, Thomp-
son. Claypool. Cary, Prouty, Mapes and
johnson.
Against 1t were Representatives George,
1goe. 1ornan, Crosser. Winslow. Keis-
ter. Walters and Coady.
and ~ allin.
just before the vote was taken, Rep
rc1entative George, after vain attempt
to swing the majority of the committee
to his side Of the argument. gave no
tce that he will Immediately summon
the members of his subcommittee to
start upon thorough investigation of
the personal property assessment and
tax situation in the District of Columbia
for the purpose of combating the ,'outy
amendment in the House. Discussion
of the entire George bill did not con-
tinue after the close vote on the Prouty
amendment. and the committee ad-
journed until 10 o'clock next Monday
morning.
Representative George opened the
, discussion by statement to the effect
that he believed the friction between
himself and other members of the COM
mite" in regard to his bill and the pro-
posed amendment could be laid at the
door of the half-and-half principle of
appropriation
After considering the Crisp bill to
abolish the half -and-half plan very
Thoroughly L do not believe 1t could
pass the House at present" said Mr.
of this committee know that. There
fore. 1t appears to me that this amend
ment offered by Judge Prouty is
obviously intended to destroy the half
amendment should not be adopted Is
because the members of the committee
do not agree among themselves
as TO what should be done with
personal property.
Plans Tax Commission.
And I want to serve notice right here
that I intend to introduce a provision at
the proper time calling for the appoint
Rf Of ta
be appointed by the President of the Unit
Cd States. to examine into and report on
the fiscal relations between the District
and the United States. one man to be
appointed from the District of Columbia
another from outside. and another from
the Engineer Corps Of the army They
should be well paid, SO as to obtain the
best men possible. There is not enough
knowledge on this subject. Men vote on
II right along without sufficient under
standing of the situation. Therefore. if
the half-and-half matter is to be 1ammed
into this bill. intend to make the sug-
gestion at the proper time"
agreed with Representative Prouty on
certain tax figures and conclusions Of
fered by the Iowa congressman, and
that the disagreement Is only another
evidence that an inquiry into the per-
sonal tax situation here is necessary
before a bill affecting it Is passed.
Some one asked whether or not the
Prouty amendment would really double
the taxes on small home owners
THE newspapers here are making a
big cry" said Chairman Ben Johnson,
by putting up the small home owner
TO hide the big fellows. The rich are
hiding behind lot of imaginary wild
ows.''
Il deny that the half-and-half plan
IS my motive for favoring the Prouty
amendment SAID Representative
Thompson of Oklahoma, Il want to see
personal property taxed right That's
all
To Equalize Taxation.
My BILL continued Mr.. George. in
answer to questions provides for full
assessments. 1t will result in those who
are now escaping the full share of taxa
ton being taxed properly. The rich will
be hit the hardest under the bill as l
wrote it and the small home owner will
not suffer the inequalities which have
occurred In taxation heretofore in the
District. Big properties in the center OF
The city and the speculative property in
Ihe suburbs will have to pay their full
share"
Representative Johnson disagreed with
Representative George that the Prouty
amendment viii double taxes on the prop.
critics of the poor.
The poor man can see himself paying
Continued on Eighth Page)