The Washington times., 1914-12-12

The per capita tax levy, the comb.
nation OF the assessment and the rate
indicating the amount of taxes paid
for Washington for 1912. is given al
Si5-,l- This is shown 90 be more thar
The Der capita tax levy in li9 out OF
l6 cites. Only. forty-five cites have
higher per capita tax levy than
Washington.
Mr.. Mcfarland pointed out that
these figures cover school tax and all
similar levies. They are procured. COM
piled, and published by the Federal
not by the District Government MIR
mcfarland quoted from a recent re-
port of his committee, which stated, or
this point:
Government figures give the lie to
an charges of inadequate taxation in
the District. They ought to end all
talk on increased taxation here,
either by increasing the assessment
or the rate or by adding new forms
OF taxation. Consider that among the
l4s cities having a lower per capita
levy than Washington are Philadel-
phia, Baltimore, New Orleans, Jer-
sey City, Seattle, Kansas City, In
oianapolis, Louisville. ST. Paul, Co.
iumbus. Toledo. Atlanta, Worcester
Birmingham, Memphis. Scranton. and
many other great manufacturing and
commercial cities of vastly greater
wealth than the National Capital.
Comparison With Baltimore.
number Of them have a larger
population also. A striking ex-
ample is that of our nearest neigh
Dor, Baltimore, with a population
an ISL OF $3.50, as against a popu-
.au0n IN Washington of S42,716. The
total assessed value of the real
property in Baltimsre in "a IS given
at $Sl2, 6Ol,S SOP, while the same table
gives the total assessed value of the
real property in Washington. in 1872,
AZ g O,S22,4S7 and this although the
Baltimore assessment is nominaIly
loo per cent and the Washington as
sessment only 65 per cent.
Inc dentally this shows that I'D
per cent assessments may be made,
doubtless with entire honesty, which
are less proportionately than the
tWo-thirds assessment here.
To meet the new movement for the
abolition of the half-and-half plan. Mr..
mcfarland stated, members of the
ommittee Of One Hundred, who have
neen exercising the right of petition by
bringing the facts about the National
capital TO the attention Of individual
members of Congress. will continue to
do so with increased energy. Mr.. Mac
fariand said:
AHPCd4s ~ AN>dllSlSSs
They believe in the wisdom ana JUS
tice of Congress as a whole, and they
believe that the facts are the all
sufficient argument. They 30 rot be-
lieve that Congress will undo ny
hasty legislation in riders on the
appropriation bill the arrangement
OF 1873. under which the progress of
the National Capital has been made
and on which its future turns. They
ask that, at the very least, impartial
and thorough investigation shall pre-
cede action on this vital question.
But no request for the repeal of
the ''half-and-half'' ARRANGEMENT
comes from The country. The ooun-
try approves it. The constituents Of
Congress do not object TO paying :
cents per capita year to the ma n
tensnce Of the common CAPITAL in
which they all have pride. The
committee Of one hundred asks the
Senators and Congressman to read
only what has been published by
Congress in reports of its committees
between 1874 and 1873 as 10 the his
tory and reasons for the present ar
rangment. such as bulletin us, If
1919. which gives the only authentic
comparison of taxation of the Amsn-
can cities having over 5000 popula-
ton. This shows that the taxable
levy. made up of the assessment and
the rate. the only criterion, Is higher
In Washington than in liS on: Ct 10
Cities
City Belongs To Nation.
'Ir. mcfarland quoted from the Te-
lort Of the Joint committee Of 1874.
Witch broadly outlined the policy along
- hich the Capital has since been devel-
ped. That report stated:
The streets. avenues, squares, and
general plan Of the Capital City bear
the impress OF paramount and eNclu-
sive nationality; spacious ana grand
in design. dedicated to the sacred
uses OF a Capital. onerous and in
tolerable as a charge upon private
property. the provision Of super
vision OF all suitable improvements
and decorations. obviously. properly,
snd imperatively devolves upon Con-
zress, and IL will, AS IL respects the
character OF its juridsdction and the
oicitv OF its trust, exercise a jealous
care over IL.
II also is emphasized in this report.
M Mscfarland Icinted out, that all
legislation fer the District must be held
lc be national 30 IL character, and prI-
raariIv IN the interests Of the Ameri-
an people.
M mcfarland continued.
All patriotic c.tIz-n~ everywhere