davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Statement of the Position
Taken by Local Tax
Reformers.
WHAT WAS DEVELOPED
BY THE GEORGE REPORT
Nothing Sacrosanet About. Half.
and-Half Plan-What Wash
ington Needs.
lo.Tae : ditor ar The Star

10 5He EDITOR of n he star.
Your editorial article No. IN Single
Takers and the Organic Act published
February ., should be read in con-
junction with a rcstateTncnt of the sin
lie tax position as to taxation in :he
District of Coluplbia and as to its bear
ing on the present "half-a and half plan"
Single takers hold that all the land
values in The District of Columbia are
created h4 the social and industrial ac-
ttVities Of the entire community. and
that therefore those values should be
taken in the form of taxes. to- be ex
pended for the public benefit. before
any other sources of revenue are
sought.
At present these community-cre
values are largely confiscated by pri-
Ndtc holders, whose special privilege OF
taxing the general public Is solely a
creation of law. subject to regulation
by Law or to humiliation by law Just
as is any other special privilege or
private monopoly
Putting the statement in another form:
The government is tne prime landlord
.Xactine from thN tenant in fee simple
an annual rent n the form OF a land
tax. while the tenant in fee simple is per-
iutted To sell, lease. rent, mortgage or
otherwise dispose OF his fee simple ten
.tncy Under more or less restrictions as
10 use and subject inalienably to the
prior lien OF taxation
Now til, tenant in fee simple is his
toric,,liy, ethically and logically. merely
a trustee for the entire rent of the fec
in the land and whenever the state
chooses TO exact tae entire rental value
IN the form of Il tax II is historically.
ethically and logically within Its rights
and obligations 50 to do For the entire
value of the fee is created by its ulti-
mate users and not by its more or less
accidental tenants in fee simple.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Federal Disbursements.

If in the disbursement OF some s1o.o6.
coo annually TO government employees and
otherwise in the District the federal gov
ernment thereby furnishes the major basis
for all the land values of the District, we
make a rather poor argument that the
federal government should pay six or
seven millions additional annually TO the
District for the privilege of dIsbursins
said s7o,OOO.OOO here.
The argument that lack of large manu-
featuring Establishments in the District
indicates any impoverishment here is not
sound. In Washington the government
pays its employees the highest wage level
of any city of similar size in the world.
The large social population spends money
here lavishiy The colored population
draws a higher wage than the average in
industrial centers The statistics are
available.
In only one point is Washington at Il
serious disadvantage. The evasion OF a
proper assessment and taxation of land
values aided by the federal half-and-half
subsidy has been attended by such de-
gree of consequent land speculation that
the cost Of living has been forced to a
higher point than in any comparable city
of America. As good house and as We'll
located can be rented in Baltimore or
Philadelphia for S12 a month as in the
District of Columbia for $40.
There is one state In which the munich
palities are now assessing, property. espe-
cially real estate. reasonably near its full
value. and that is Ohio. The Davis law
forced this most desirable condition, and
a comparison of the assessment OF 1910
and 1912 with the consequent reduction
of tax rates will be of interest.
Evening star., 1914-02-15

charged with independent movement
would be no more explicit in direction.
So the Seneca will start soon to meet
the expected annual descent of the
solidifed waters of the north upon the
peaceful agents of human commerce, the
ships that sail the sea from continent to
ointment
Method OF observation. for obtaining
results which are hoped to aid in de-
featins the menace of floating ice, are
set down in the orders. Observations are
to be taken at recorded times, extending
from the surface to the bottom OF the
sea. These observations are to be made
at well defined geographical positions
throughout the region patrolled.
Tie tempera ture and salinity of the
water is to be determined, if possible.
by readings in series at definite intervals
of depth. Observations are to determine
the direction and rate OF movement OF
the waters in the different depths. Sam
pies of the waters of the ocean from
ascertained depths are to be collected and
preserved. The prescribed observations
are to be repeated in the same localities
when they are revisited
The reading of the barometer the tenn
, ure the air. the humidity. the di-
rection and force of the wind. the per
centase of cloudiness and the state of the
weather at sea are to be recorded con-
tInually at intervals of four hours.
While the practical work of the Seneca,
as outlined in the orders, is not to be
! subordinated to the work of scientific in
vestigation, the derelict destroyer is to
take aboard a detail of scientists with
| their Instruments. These scientists will
| board the Seneca at Halifax.
| Capt. Johnston is required to afford
| these scientists every facility for and as
sistance in making their observations. He
! will collect what data they may desire.
The work of this ice observation detail
is regarded as highly important. 1t is
| believed that most valuable information
! can be collected from the observations of
| the scientists without i'll any way inter-
[ ferine with the primary duty of the
Seneca
| The Seneca will b" the only vessel on
| patrol duty during the period of ice OBJ
| servation. Capt. Johnston will follow the
| exigencies of the situation in making
| port for coal, water and other supplies
and in cases of emergency.
Help to Be Extended.
| When the ice has moved southwark SO
Evening star., 1914-02-15
TR1BEsMEN TAKE REVENGE.
Borans, Ordinarily Peaceful, Wipe
Out Entire Village of Enemies.

NAIROBI. British East African Pro-
,ectorate, February l.-Boran tribes
men exterminated recently an entire VII
!age. composed of mo men, women and
children. of the Rendile tribe i'll the
Lorian swamp, i'll the northern part of
the protectoraie. according TO an eN-
plorer who reached here today.
The Borans, who are Il peaceful people,
engaged in pastoral occupations have
been necessarily harassed by the Ken
Jiles. This so exasperated the Borans
that they retaliated by killing every one
Of the Rcndile tribe they could find
The authorities in Gala were unable to
prevent the raid. and news of the quarrel
between the two tribes did not reach the
British officers at Samburu. on the
eantia railroad until il was too LETT
Tor them to interfere.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Capitalized Ground Rental.

1his <Ha"1.t-p Of ground values is
merely the Capitalization of an annual
ground rental value OF about Xl-,ssJtsu
We're Vne-halt that enormous private con-
:iscat1oU OF public revenue to be turned
INTO III" District treasury, and thereto
were added tho revenue from liquor IL
'sil>eS- pub i" service corporations. etc
y - obvi"as that total revenue of
.tbo4t S15.9o.etu could be derived with
out calling upon the federal treasury for
a dollar without imposing any tax upon
improvements TO real estate, or upon per
soma! property. and that all the minor IL
cense fees could likewise BE- abolished
10 the great advantage of the genera!
public
Let US briefly examine tile half-ana-
half plan. There Is nothing sacro-
sanct about il. W., can discuss il as
freely as the Constitution of the United
states. The weather or the doctrine of
MISREPRESENTATION. Suppose that / have
4 farm renting for $500 a year and that
- legacy is suddenly announced OF $3.50
a year running to the tenant of said
farm. Is II not obvious that as land
lord OF the farm will be in position TO
raise the rent 10 81 90 a year? That is
exactly what has happened III the Dis
trIct OF toiunbia- The federal govern
nient contribution of an amount equal
70 that raised by taxation in the Distric,
of Columbia has passed directly by the
individual and has gone into ground
values. and thos, ground values in turn
have not been evenly distributed but
have gone largely where political power
and patronage and influence have cen
tered appropriations. Ground values in
Washington direct result of the
federal subsidy have been increased not
less than S1ssttssttsst-the capitalization
II { per cent of s6.ts o.oso which is about
the annual federal appropriation.
This tremendous increase of ground
values has iuuFcd - the benefit of the
hpifi..5 Of .af,l. Who have been enabled
the.eoy 10 exact increased rents or IN
Evening star., 1914-02-15

i as to make necessary a constant pa
! troll. Capt. Johnston is directed to no
| tify the revenue cutter service in suff1-
| cient time to enable the detail of an
additional vessel. New instructions re-
garding the ice patrol will then be is
sued.
/ Communication with the shore from
sea will be made with the wireless
! apparatus of the Seneca. The position
| of the derelict destroyer on its pas
sag ge eastward will be reported daily
through coast naval radio stations as
long as practical, and thereafter
Cape Race Marconi stations. If these
mediums fail. the Seneca Will be eX-
pected to relay her messages through
any vessel within reach.
After the Seneca gets in touch with
the ice. and begins observations, the
reports to the revenue cutter service
| will end, and the derelict destroyer will
| thence on communicate by radio with
| the photographic office. New York
city. The reports to the hydroGraphic
office are to be made daily at o'clock,
time at the seventy-fifth meridian.
The Information regarding the ice is to
be made to- the hydrographic once IN as
plain and concise English as practicable
| Whether or not ice is located, at what
time, latitude and longitude. and what
ever other data necessary will be given
| The Seneca will give information re-
! garding ice at any time to any ship with
| which it can communicate. The radio
| stations will BE at liberty to commune
| cate the information received to the
Canadian authorities
! The work OF the Seneca. the orders
! wind up. ''on this duty will be of inter
! national character. and as the various
| maritime nations of the world have in
| trusted the management of the ice OBJ
| servation and ice patrol to the United
| States. it is important that this work be
| done as thoroughly and in as satisfac-
tory manner as possible in order that
| the record of the United States, and the
| revenue cutter service i'll particular, for
| efficiency shall he sustained
Evening star., 1914-02-15

national conference on safety Al SEA the
York early next week for i've months
north Atlantic ice fields
Capt. Johnston said toluv that h., vii
make immediatrH FOR Halifax. whore tho
Seneca will be RENTED with cold weather
supplies and a stock - scientific msirll-
meftS.
Evening star., 1914-02-15

creased prices for the sale of land. They
get s6d0O.O00: they give back in taxes
81, 800 000-net profit, s3Jo.0o0 per an
num-
Effect Of Half-and-Half Plan.
There are certain areas which are no
more valuable today than when the half
and-half plan went into effect some thir-
ty-hve years ago There are other large
areas which show advances of 800 per
cent. l0OO per cent and even 1000 per
cent. fve-fold. ten-fold and even twen-
ty-fold. in thirty-five years. Will any
one question it? Now, locate them in
connection with large expenditures of
public moneys. and see who have been
the principal holders and beneflciaries-
IF this assertion is true that the federal
subsidy has automatically gone to in
crease ground values. then ii cannot have
been used to 'beautify the Capital city.
for the general benefit. The general pub
lie has still to pay for its bed and board
at increased prices to enjoy the seen
cry.
If the Federal Capital has in its an
nual ground values sufficient source OF
income for all its municipal expenditures.
there is no valid excuse for taxing the
country at large to permit the landhclders
Of the District large or small, to continue
to pocket the values which the whole
community creates.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Pneumonia Kills Mason S. Peters.

KANSAS CITY. No FEBRUARY is
Mason : Petcrs. i manufacturer. former
II populist preseis;stse, in ..rSress
from thr second Kansas district, ,Iied IL
Pneumonia Il 7lis home her, today H.
49, sixtv-nins v,ar~> old. Ii' lsf1,ret'
IL . Mrrk liis SON. Mason ;. Peter.
jr mas br,f i l.tWSpa,"r man ia Ncv
NOlk and Kansas tltA.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Ohio Cities and Taxation.

Three facts are here conspicuous:
First, the full assessment of property
values in these cities has been attend ed
by an equally marked shrinkage of the
tax rate and progress toward just assess
ments.
Second. the tax rates all remain above
the Washington true base rate of 81 per
hundred
Third. the per capita valuation is in
each case favorably comparable with that
of Washington. and the per capita taxa
ton is somewhat higher.
But the bogy OF high taxation may as
Evening star., 1914-02-15
What Washington Needs.

What this community needs is what
| the whole world needs-unselfish colsid-
Grafton of social problems; not the dollar
aud-ccnt side so much even-handed
| iustice: not th. doing OF charity, but
the true exhibition Of brotherly love
I-nder present conditions if Jesus Christ
! tried to preach the sermon ON inc mount
in Dupont Circle the l-olice would run nm
! in for not having a heens"
To argue that the single tax would WORK
well sornew here else, but Is not applicable
| in Washington is to claim that the multl-
plication table might have been true once,
| but had lost its validity under modern
conditions
To urge the imperfections and dere-
! lictions of the assessors office or the
| state of mind of this or any other CON
| yress as ground for abandoning the strue-
gle for fundamental justice Is ASKING 700
| much of single takers. who have ianoreo
| for thirty years for the ground already
| gained.
| The light is dawning. Even benighted,
| grimy Pittsburgh is reducing the tax rae rae
| on its improvements 10 per cent year
! for the next five years. Coiorado ma >
| adopted local option i'll taxation ana
| Pueblo with its 5000 population. IS as
| stated. the fist city III the tniteu s1a,es
! To adopt the single tax Denver ana coio
RADIO City are moving toward II. everett
| Wash has voted for II. Houston. TeA..
| Is three-quarters of the way toward IL.
improvements there are taxed oiIS -
per cent California and Wisconsin are
! to vote local option on taxation INTO
! their constitutions. New YORK city Is
moving and ti.e aff:ishted organs oil
| th,. bis, real estate interests are publish
ing waiIing columns. Practically every
CITY in Canada west of Winnipeg is to-
day on a single tax basis.
There are sixteen avoWed Single TAX
! members i'll the present House OF Rep-
resentatves and fifty others favorably
| inclined.
The band wagon is iii motion and the
| climbing is excellent.
HERBERT J. BROW NE.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
J. H. Harjes. Condition Grave.

GRASsE. France. February little
condition of John H. IIarjes, partner
of the firm of Morgan, Harjes q 90, Was
very grave today. Members of his family
are present.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
RAW MILK AND CREAM

are of all single causes the most
prolific for the production OF
diseases.
IL health or lack of cleanii
ness among dairy hands. stable
dirt. soiled utensils, impure
rinsing water, together with the
warmth and dust of the stable.
are the principal causes of con-
tarlination. and, as milk is the
best known medium for breed
ing germs, these rapidly multiply
into many millions.
tuberculosis. scarlet fever,
diphtheria. septic sore throat.
and notably typhoid and other
intestinal diseases, are often
caused by raw milk and cream.
and no amount Of inspection
can be relied upon to prevent
milk contamination at all times.
The only reliable means for
preventing milk infections Is
pasteuriZation. and this simple
treatment does not change the
character OF the milk nor affect
its nutritive value OF its digesti
bility.
We can home-pasteurize milk
by bringing 1t to near boiling.
then cool. and keep cold and
covered until used.
Even entirely healthy persons
who would ordinarily not be
affected by impure food. If they
continue drinking impure milk
and cream long enough will
eventually undermine their
natural resistance and become
subject TO attacks of sickness.
the underlying cause of which
is usually not suspected.
But children. sick people and
all who are in rundown con-
dition should in particular
never drink raw milk or raw
cream. nor eat ice cream made
Of them.
The Health Officer of the Dis
trict of Columbia will furnish
free information as to the
average grade of safety of the
milk and cream. raw or pas
teurized. sold by any milk
dealer i'll this city
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Taxes Really Paid by All.

he stock argument that the taxpayers
are confined to those whose names appear
on the taxbooks is puerile and feeble.
EreIy one who enters the District of Co.
ianlbia and pay for a nights lodging or
who buys a meal. or who makes pur-
chase. pays taxes; indirectly and difficult
TO trace, perhaps. rut none the less that
individual unescapably is taxed The
thousands of tourists who pour into
Washington annually all pay taxes
through their expenditures here. and their
,ernlnS and their patronage are eagerly
~ousht. and in the same light every in
dividual who directly or Indirectly is
taxed to support the federal government
aids in supporting the municipal govern
Tnent OF the District Of Columbia not only
Through the half-and- d-half contribution
het through every expenditure Of the fed
ton.
The George report has demonstrated
mat there are i'll the privately held and
taxable areas of the District over $780,
'1ptt" Of market values Of land irrespec-
nv OF improvements. ccnservatively
stated estimated ON the values given
hy the holders. these figures would have
10 he rssS~d 10 over s1o0.,sr.rn These
siye hundred millions of values pay about
S.--s-l-'nf' IN tunua! taxes.
In other words the ground values OF
IN blsttlct "f Columbia are taxed not
st.s' on the hundred, not - on th. hun
hftH- "t't a'todt ~ cents on the hundred
or at tli. rate of one-hdlf of per cent.
The rev assessment, which will 20 into
effect july J. l41i has raised certain
assessments Iii the gilt-edged business
area tetw"en q" and 20 per cent over
the existing assessment. / had th,. pleas
ure Of hearing two OF the most prominent
and reputable real estate brokers OF
Washington testify few days ago TO
the effect that This new assessment was
at about 80 per cent OF the true value
OF those properties. again sustaining the
charge of the George report that the
idnd Ia the business area was assessed
at - per cent of its trut. value
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Washington News.

There IS perhaps no better
Nay 10 keen outoftown
friends Informed as t. Wash
ington new than 10 nlatl TO
:heIu from time 10 time
copy Of Tho STAR alter YOU
haNr finished VITA ii. some
times marking an article OF
special interest
TIE ont t-of-towu postage oc
,oday's star is cents
Better yet. yan might send
some one uut-nf 'own a sub
scriptioit q receive The Even
ing star cNeiy day ~ The rate
of - cents = month. or rne
Evening ana SUNDAY star =,
80 cents a month
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Society fer Prevention Of Sickness
6. DEAtiAfA, s.e'stsr

The Bulletins of the Society
for Prevention OF Sickness.
signed by MIR. T. Berliner. are
based on much careful study,
and they deserve the attention
Of the public. for whose benefit
they are issued.
Gen. GEO. NJ. STERNBERG.
tSurgeon General. L. $. Army,
retired.
DIR. GEO. Al. kOBER.
tProf. of Hysiene, Georgetown
University.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
The Supply of Buildings.

Is the District overbult? Or is it that
been badly crippled? There are ten
thousand men and an equal number of
Young women in the District, unmar-
ried, who ought to be married, and who
would be married. occupying houses and
raising families If the high cost of living
had not forced them to remain in an un-
desirable celibacy.
What is the remedy? The single takers
know it. Turn into the public treasury
the land values which the community
creates. Stop taxing the building of
homes and other forms of industry and
thrift. Then spend the public funds on
useful objects with less frittering on fads
and faucics, The single tax as a mere
fiscal proposition is no better than the
present system if the public funds are to
be wasted.
Under the full single tax the selling val
ue of land would disappear. while its rem
tai value would be largely maintained.
Then house building would follow nor
NAL lines. We would see in the District
thousands of small homes surrounded by
ample grounds instead of rows of jerry
built boxes, sold at eNorbitant prices to
deludcd purchasers on "a monthly INSTALL
inent plan. Under the single tax there
would be the biggest building boom that
Washington has ever seen. .And under
proper building regulations we would
have at the same time a freproof city.
and one in which We might have true
civic pride. We wouldn't have so many
columns about red light elimination.
nor would the entire community be men
aced by the diseases arising from pesti-
lential alleys. We wouldn't hear so much
about loan sharks. for the causes
credit of the small borrower would be
largely removed.
Evening star., 1914-02-15
Taxation and Deterioration.

Consider briefly the incidence of taxa
ton A house and lot worth $500 in the
District will average 5000 for the lot
and $1,000 for the building. So, of its tax
of $50, assuming correct assessment.
so will be on the ground and S6U on the
building. The ground cannot burn nor
wear out. The building is subject to loss
by fire, and carries insurance; 1t detcrio
rates with age and loses value by obso
lescence, yet it is compelled to bear the
added burden of taxation, and that taxa
ton is based on fictitious valuations, con-
tanning all the ''step-ups' in cost due to
a snowbal-rolling-u of taxation and
monopoly charges on everything which
enters into its structure.
II the house is occupied by a tenant
under the single tax he will save the ST"
which Is the tax on the building, and is
therefore added to his rent. just as the
water tax is added. The total possible
tax on the ground, which cannot be in
excess of its rental value. say ) per cent
of 5000. or 800. he is already paying to
his landlord, who hitherto has been turn
ing over TO the District treasury only so,
pocketinS the other $50.
But in the reduced cost of living due
to the cheapening of the commercial
processes in the business section from
the removal of the taxes ON improvements
and mercantile stocks and the removal of
license taxes, would be an even greater
advantage than in the abolition of taxes
on dwelling houses. And from the lessen
ing of poverty. and crime, owing to the
improved condition Of the earning
classes. would come an improved social
lft. vastly more important and farreach
ing than all the other benefits enumer-
ated.
In Pueblo Col the first city in the
United States to adopt the single tax, IT
was discovered that under the single tax
tyo-tbirds of the taxpayers of record
would pay less taxes. and of the remain
ina one third one-haf We're nonresident
owners of unimprovcd real estate, hold
ing il to take advantage of community
ne cessities Suffice it to say that sucn
holdings are no longer considered good
investments. for the uneained Increment
is on its way TO the public treasury.