Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-13

OF the pockets Of the people. And I think
| that l have demonstrated that when 1t
| comes to paying out money for the sup
| is more than equal to the tax paid by q
very large proportion of all the cities IN
the United States"
Judge Prouty's Rejoinder.
Presenting tax figures from other cities
| in contrast with the tax rates and reve-
nues Of the District of Columbia, Repre-
sentative Prouty led up to his clinacterio
i statement that no community in the
United States is as well prepared Tor SELF
government, without outside aid, as Is the
District Of Columbia.
81 have said ever since I was inveSt1-
eating this question that there should De
no taxation without representation nor
representation without taxation, SAID
REPRESENTATIVES, Prouty. Zone is as bad
as the other II this people the District
of Columbia) is required to pay all eheir
own expenses they ought to De allowed
those expenses should be and how much
of a levy they should make. But the an
swer that you meet when you make that
proposition is that local self-government
here is impossible. This is libel on Inc
fair citizens of this municipality. Here is
gathered the intelligence, refinement and
wealth of the nation. II the city OF
Washington is not capable Of self-govern-
ment, God save some other munlclpah-
ties,
CITY of Washington for self-government
without calling in question all republican
form of government II the f1itpinos
are soon to be given self-government. II
would certainly seem strange to cla Gn
lunbia are not capable of sef-govern-
ment. II was going to pick out a city
In the United States in which to try out
the principle of self-government I would
pick out the city Of Washington. BY
Surroundings, by circumstances, by loca-
ton, It is the best city for demonstrating
the capability Of the people to rule them
selves of any city In this country. And
will close by saying that the city OF
of herself of any city in the United
States She has the highest per capita
wealth Of any city in the United States.
She has the lowest per capita burden OF
Indebtedness. She has no state ana
county tax to pay.
"Any other city pays part of all the
revenue 1t collects to the county and
state in which it is located. Therefore
a priori, the District Of Columbia can
and ought to rule herself ana pear hel
ton from those less able to bear the
burdens themselves
Defends His Amendment.
Representative Prouty held that his
amendment to tax real estate and per-
sonal property at the same rafe-to TAX
moneys, credits, stocks and bonds, 1eWelry
and similar articles-couh not be sue
cessfully attacked in the realm OF calm.
cool. disinterested logic" He said that
under the law Of no state outside of the
District Of Columbia can any municipality
assess its real estate at less rate OF
value than 1t does its personal properly.
mo writer whose works have come 70
my attention" he said, mas aovoca.eo
the putting of higher rate upon per,
sonal property than upon real property. .
He claimed that practice In this city OF
taxing the stocks of merchandise, horseS'
wagons, tools and Implements with which
men habitually earn their living, at their
fun, true cash value. while assessing the
real estate Of the landowner at only Two
thirds Of it's value, Is indefensioie- he
also held it indefensible to exempt IN
tangible property from ta1a assa .,.t hi.
amendment to the George bill. to tax real
and personal property at the same rate
would show the injustice Of the half-and-
half plan"
I'm the organic act of 1873 all this
kind of property was to be assessed At
its full value and the rate was fixed at
is mills on the dollar. This at the
time was doubtless considered as
fair rate Of taxation as compared with
other cities. But as time went on 1t
was found that the levying Of taxes in
that manner supplemented by the
moiety of the federal government pro-
duced more money than was necessary
to meet the fair demands of the Dis
trict So 1t was found necessary to
either cut down the proportion to be
contributed by the federal government
or devise some means of reducing the
amount that would be produced in the
District.
Reduction of Assessments Discussed.
so the expedient was resorted to Of
cutting down the rate on real property
from fifteen mills on the actual cash
value to ten mills, and by exempting
from taxation moneys. credits. Jewels
and articles. of personal adornment.
Now, all that my amendment does Is
to restore absolutely the basis pro-
vided by the organic act But will
not conceal from you, nor attempt to
conceal from you, either my purpose or