The Washington times., 1914-03-05

committee would emasculate the bill.
Congressman George said:
u give notice now that. as chairman
or the subcommittee on assessment and
taxation. | shall begin an inquiry, as
soor as this bill is out of the WAY. into
the aSso ssment of personal property in
the District Of Columbia.
Il do not think tbs committee can
legislate now on this subject. We have
never looked into the question of equita-
BILE taxation of personal and intangible
property. | insist now that 1t is not
proper to load down my bill with these
riders"
Mr.. George asserted that the only OBJ
ject he could seen in the Prouty amend
ment was TO get a Dig amoInt of 1eve-
nue. and destroy the half-and-half prln-
ciple.' Defending the budget system of
taxation. Mr.. George added that there
is no justification in raising more reTe-
nue. than you need
Chairman johnson and Mr.. George en-
gagged in a long debate regarding the
effect of the Prouty ameniment, the
chairman contending that X was Oh
rected at the wealthy classes in the Dis
trict and Mr. George asserting the bur
den would fall heaviest on the small
property owner.
Congressman George informed the
committee that he did not believe the
bill will so through the House If it con-
ta!ns the ProutJ amendment M John
son and Mr.. Prouty were confident that
il would pass the House.
Mr.. George told Congressman EroGty
that he would do all in his power to
defeat the measure.
Reason for Rider.
Under this Prouty amendment" Mr..
George argued, you are preparing to
fix the tax rate at s1.50 and the whole
proposition is to get enough revenue to
make a demonstration against the half
and-half principle. l am not defending
the half-and-half principle, but this
isn't the way to so about a change
Chairman Johnson referred to the 10
cal subsidized press" which he said was
opposing the Prouty amendment In the
hope of killing tie George bill entirely.
Don't you think asked Chairman
Johnson, that If this amendment had
not been proposed the Washington
newspapers would have fought the bill
tust the Same?"
Il think the papers are right in
opposing this amendment said Mr..
Gerge Il do not know that they would
have opposed the George bill itself. You
must remember that one OF the WASH
ington papers printed in full our report /
On the taxation investigation, which
dealt with real estate" !
n1l was ne SuSSOSSSo
Chairman johnson.
Yes. that was The Times" said Mr.. |
George.
Committee members expressed the |
nope today that the George bill, as
amended. may be formally reported next
week and put on the calendar.
final Report Delayed.
Under the present system. real es-
tate is taxed at two-thirds value in
f,r1r
value; intangible property - stocks, |
bonds. cash, bank accounts and an
nuities are not taxed at all. It is es-
tirnated that at least S.500,Hpe will be |
raised by the taxation of intangible |
property and the boost in real estate |
taxes means about SS.009,Oo0 according !
to figures given at the discussion in !,
committee today.
Final report on the George bill was
not ordered today, as it contains sew |
eral sections providing machinery fer ,
The mex taxation system, including the .
appointment of nine additional assist |
ant tax assessors. The committee will |
of the sections about which there is |
little controversy.
Il think the crisis has passed." face
tiously commented Mr.. Crosser today, |
as Mr.. Mapes said. he wanted to leave |
the committee room before adjournment |
today
Congressman Coady made an ineffec- |
tual attempt to strike from the Prouty |
amendment the word "annuitieS.' but |
was voted down on a viva voce vote. |
Mr.. Walters said he did not agree fully |
with all the provisions of the amend |
ment, and he sought to have it sepa- |
rated and voted upon in sections. In |
this he failed, and finally he voted for !
IL.
When Mr. Coady advised the commit !
tee to go slow, Mr.. O'Leary said, We /
have been going slow for about 1SS |
years"