Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-22
Pleads for Careful Investiga-
ton Before Change in
"Haf and HALF"
ARGUES FOR GEORGE BILL
PROVIDING FOR TRUE VALUE
Speaks at Washington Chapter Of
American Institute of Bank
ing Banquet.


District governments. involving the half
| and-half principle, should only be made
after the most careful investigation by
Congress was voiced by Commissioner
| Sfddons at the eleventh annual banquet
| of the Washington Chapter of the Ameri-
can Institute of Banking last night at
/ the Raleigh Hotel.
IF the financial relation is to be
changed by the Congress it should only
be. and I hope it will only be. as the re-
suit of very thorough examination into
| the question by such agencies as the Con-
gress may determine. in which examina-
ton every possible element of justice and
fair dealing will be weighed with delib-
Grafton and with a view solely to deter
mine what justice requires in the prem
| ises," he said.
This plea was made in the course of an
Congress of the George bill for true
value assessment in the District, in
which Mr.. Siddons maintained that the
principle of full value assessment Is
sound and just. and if it is adhered to in
good faith by assessors, much of the
contention that has prevailed in Con-
gress and out on the subject will dis
appear.
Mr.. Siddons argued. in addition. that
provision for a fuctuat ting tax rate was
an essential feature of the bill. for he
| said. IF real property is to be assessed
at its true value, as the bill proposes
then to require property owners upon
such a valuation to pay according to the
present tax rate of dollar and fifty
cents per 500 OF valuation might be to
impose upon them a burden Of taxation
that. in the judgment of the Commission
ers. could not be justified
Views on George Bill.
Mr.. Siddons explained in detail his
views on the so-called George bill, which
has provision for annual instead OF
triennial assessments; the requirement
that real property shall be assessed at
its true value instead of two-thinds, as
is now the case; tine esta tablishment Of a
Euctuating tax rate to be fixed by the
Commissioners and the establishment Of
an assessment organization adequate to
carry out the purposes Of the bill He
apologized for speaking on such a serious
subject at a banquet by saying he be-
ueved what he wished to say Is OF great
interest and Importance to the people of
the District of Columbia.
He assured the members OF the banking
institute and their guests that the George
bill does not touch the question of the
financial relations between the federal
government and municipal government
1T does not touch the question Of the
so-called half-and-half principle" he con-
operate after the enactment into law OF
the George bill as at the present time. II
the financial relation is to be changed by
the Congress, it should only be, and j
hope it will only be. as the result Of very
thorough examination into the question
by such agencies as the Congress may
determine, in which examination every
possible element of justice and fair deal
ing will be weighed with deliberation
and with a view solely to determine
what justice requires in the premises.
However that may be, in the George bill!
now under consideration, this question
is not involved
Measure Carefully Framed.
Taking up features of the measure. he
said:
THE measure is a carefully framed
comprehensive act, designed to bring the
method of assessment of real property
in the District of Columbia up to a mod
ern and scientific basis. 1t introduces no
radical Or new theory of taxation: it
makes no departure from accepted
theories throughout the country. but is
well considered plan for getting rid OF
at least some of the criticism that for SO
many years has been directed at the
methods of assessment that have prevail
sd in the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Siddons called attention to the fact
that up to 1888 annual assessments had
Deen lle law IN lEe lJlStFlcl SOf0ff1Bla
and in that year and by the act o. Con-
gress approved March 3. 1883. tricnnia as
sessments were provided for. He pointed
out that the present assessor and previous
boards of Commissioners have indorsed
annual assessments.
Therefore, it plainly appears that the :
provision in the George bill calling for an
nual assessments is not only not intro
ducing any new principle. but an Old
principle adhered to in all the large
cities of the country. and for the depar-
ture from which there appears to be no,
justification" he continued. "a
Referring to the custom OF assessing
District real estate at two-thirds of its
real value. Commissioner Siddons said:
''By a process of reasoning which
confess l am unable to follow. the
words of this provision of the act OF
1902 shall be assessed at not less than
two thirds of the true value etc.
have been interpreted to mean just
the reverse of what they say The in
read: Shall be assessed at not more
than two-thirds of the true value
This is the forcible criticism made by
my colleague. Commissioner Newman,
on the Interpretation thus placed on
the act"
Fluctuating Tax Rate.
Later he said: -
This brings me to the third important,
proposal of the George bill, and that is
the establishment of a fluctuating tax
rate, to be fixed by the Commissioners
with view to providing the Districts
share of needed revenue. II real prop
erty is to be assessed at its true value
as the bill proposes. then to require
property owners upon such valuation to
pay according to the present tax rate
Of a dollar. and fifty Gems per one hun
dred dollars of valuation might be to
impose upon them burden Of taxation
that, in the judgment Of the Commissions
ers, could not be justified.
Therefore, as an essential part OF
the plan. for the assessment of property
at its true value is the further re-
uuirement of huctuating tax rate.
II this were not part OF the proposed
law. the ommissionerswOuld not favor
at this time Il change in the present
practice Of valuing real property at
two-thtrds OF its true value"
Senator vardaman Speaker.
The only other speaker was Senator {
vardaman of Mississippi, the greater part
of the evening being devoted to vaudeville
stunts and cabaret features. Senator
vardaman spoke in complimentary terms
,of. the banking profession. He. dsclaeA