The Washington herald., 1915-10-17

, values of Federal property are assessa BILE
in an economic sense. Mr.. Browne is at
great pains to controvert the figures Of
fered by Assessor Darneille in 1904. and
by Assessor Richards in 1915, which as
sess government property not far under
the total assessments for privately owned
| realty. Concluding his statement OF this
| phase. Mr.. Browne SAYS:
As matter Of fair analysis Assessor
| Richards has grossly overestimated the
value of the government areas even by
! his own methods and has grossly and
! ftaerantly violated his oath of office and
+ his official duties by undcr-assessing the
! privately owned areas of the District. He
Is impaied on both horns OF the dilemma -
I. $. Gives; Landlord Takes.
Under the tile. "Oficial Washington
under the landlords thumb" Rr Browne
SAYS:
The Administration holds the appoint
m"nt OF some 1000 employees in Wash
inston. but not one may do his work
until he has made terms for quarters.
Verify. the Government Siveth but the
/ landlord takcth away. .. Here is
| tn" largest proportion of rented homes.
the smallest proportion OF homes owned.
In 1910, as per cent were rented and
81 per cent were owned. OF those own
ed. 80 per cent were clear and i2l
per cent were mortGa=rd. In other
words. only iff per cent of the homes
were owned free" From this point Mr.
Brown" goes on with series of tabula-
tion of sociological conditions in Wash
ington.
Challenges n COn,pn risOn:
MIR. Browne estimates that something
NOR" than s5lOHcOo is disburscd hy the
Federal government ard allied bodies
annually in salaries. pensions. etc. in
Washington. and in this connection SAYS:
Every building erected by the Fed
era government. every employee added
10 tn" payroll swells the volume of Wash
lnSton business and therefore inevitably
swclIs the aggregate of ground values.
Here. then. are over 50. .hr.Cna annu-
ally paid out by the Federal government
in tn" District of Columbia in various
expenditures. principally to the highest
averac" paid body of employees in the
world
"hall'nS" comparison. Right here
in Washington tn" average government
receives at least ~ per cent higher salary
than tn" same class of employment
brings in private concerns in this CITY,
Declaring that land owners absorb the
Federal subsidy. Mr.. Rrowne declares:
The Federal subsidy passes through the
hands OF mere receivers Of the appro-
priatinn into the swollen Golfers of
ground landlords and real estate spccu-
lators.
Never in a single year since the half
and-half subsidy went into effect in IS1S
has the privately held land of the Dis
trict As a basis proposition paid a dollar
in taxes. for in each year the Federal
subsidy has been greater than the tax
on land values.
Capital Presents Paradox
Coming to his definite proposals for tax
reform. Mr.. Brown" SAYS:
Il shall pay slight attention in this /
document to cnmparatig municipal sta !
tiSti"S. There are cities with lower rates |
than Washington: there are cities and /
with higher ratcs-plenty of !
them.
W ashington in some directions is .
and wastefully govern
cd: in others ii is model for the /
world. To discuss these TEXTURES is (
apart from my present purpose.
Il accordingly urge the abolition of !
all taxes of a personal character and
all license taxes save those on the
liquor traffic. Personal taxes all add
10 the cost Of living for they travel .
with and increasingly add TO the cost
II the object taxed.
Taxable land in the District may