The Washington herald., 1914-04-10
Why Change the System?

District Commissioner Newmans views on the
Capital Citys fiscal relations with the Federal gov
ernment; it announced authortativey yesterday,
were placed in the hands of President Wilson before
they were given public expression at the Commercial
Club, fact which gives them official status al
though they but the individual views of member
of the Board
1t is not to be imagined for moment, of course,
that any of Mr. Newmans theories will be put into
effect without the careful investigation and de-
liberation by persons thoroughly qualified to deter
mine their effect The National Capital with its
unique governmental and fiscal systems would
be dangerous ground on which to expert
ment with the single tax, which is really the basis
of the plan approved by Mr.. Newman. The result
very probably would be hopeless chaos, with some
persons getting rich quickly by escaping just taxation
while others became impoverished by being heavily
burdened. One certain effect of the Newman plan
would be to reduce the Federal contribution to Wash
ington's support 50 per cent below what it now is
necessarily increasing the contribution of the people
of Washington in the same ratio. A vast difference
surely and if that proportion is equitable the unfair
and injustice of the present halfandhalf system
should be instantly dscernible, though Mr.. Newman
confesses that it is not. His remarks plainly indicate
something very conviction his part that half
andhaf is very nearly but just exactly the fair
proportion, but he to change it to stop the dis
sension which has arisen in very years So he
advocates change that would add so per cent the
cy's contribution and cut that of the Federal gov
ernment in half./ How wide of the fair mark would
we then be?
After all. it is impossible to escape the funda-
mental question whether not the people of Wash
ingon pay sufficient taxes. 1t has been proved time
xI,,.4 A.
capita than the people of many larger commercial
cities vastly fortunate in the matter of sources
of revenue. This being the case, it would be unfair
to require them to pay more, and in fact, it would
be impossible for them to do so.
If fair or slightly excessive rate of taxation yields
sufficient revenue when matched byJa similar amount
IRON the Federal treasury to properly maintain the
Capital is it not practical proof of the equity of the
half-and-half division?
1t is argued in quarters usually favorably disposed
toward Mr.. Newman's doctrines that Washington be-
cause it is the Capital is expensive city in which
to live; that being absolutely dependent on the will
of Congress it has power to regulate its own ex
penses 1t is undoubtedly true that economies, which
may be practiced in independent municipalities are i'm
possible in a city which is the seat of the national
government where the people have voice in govern
ment Washington makes no complaint in this re-
spect but it is fact which may we'll be borne in
mind by Congress and those officials who shape our
destiny.
The people of Washington appreciative of the
fact that in the Capital of great nation they live amid
magnificent surroundings quite beyond their power or
the power of any similar population in the United
States to maintain unaided. They are. however will
ing to do their full share Any suggestion that they
should pay for all would be equivalent to requiring
the chauffeur Of taSicab to pay for the privilege
of riding in it all day out of his wages Every con-
trbution to the controversy fiscal system can
but tend TO convince those who have the Capitals
welfare and destiny in keeping that the hafand-hal
principle must not be disturbed without the fullest
vestgation and consideration, such given the
subject by the statesmen who gave the organic act
of 1875