Evening star., 1915-11-15
VIGOROUSLY ASSAILS PLAN
OF D. C. COMMISSIONERS
Joined in Attack on Proposal by
W. D. Mackenzie of the Tax
Reform Association.
NO BENEFICIAL EFFECT SEEN
Theodore w. Noyes Speaks for Half
and-Half Arrangement at After
noon Session Of Congressional
Committee.

A strong defense of the half
and-half plan by Henry B. F.
Macfarland, chairman of the Joint
citizens committee, was a fea-
ture of the hearing today before
the joint select committee of
Congress investigating the fiscal
relations between the United
States and the federal govern
ment
While defending the half-and-half plan.
Mr.. Macfarland attacked vigorously the
suggestions of District Commission
ers Newman and Brownlow, former
Senator Blackburn of Kentucky and
others. by which the federal govern
ment would pay all the expenses of the
District, the residents Of the District
paying reasonable" tax into the fed.
eral Treasury. In the attack upon this
plan Mr.. Macfarland was Joined by w.
D. Mackenzie of the Tax Reform Asso-
citation, who insisted that the proposed
new plan would not have the beneficial
effect predicted by its supporters and
might lead to much harm. Mr.. Mac
kenzie urged that the people of the Dis
trict be given home rule as a solution
of the problem under consideration.
At the afternoon session of the COM
mittee Theodore w. Noyes, speaking on
behalf of the joint citizens committee.
argued in support of the half-and-half
plan.
Change in the Program.
When the committee met today .
slight change was made in the order in
which the witnesses would appear to-
day. Mr. Macfarland of the joint citi-
zens' committee was first, and he was
followed. not by Herbert J. Browne. as
had been planned. but by w. D. Mac
kenzie and James Hugh Kelley. Theodore
W. Noyes of the citizens joint committee
spoke after Mr.. Kelley. and he in turn
will be followed late this afternoon by
Herbert J. Browne. This arrangement
leaves the following speakers to be heard
tomorrow: A. S. Worthington of the joint
citizens committee, A B. Johnson. A.
S Trundle, c. G Lancaster ana .i w: :;
time to make further statement OF
his views to the committee. Senator
Chiffon, the chairman, said that the
committee would take his request un-
Brownlow said today that he desired to
be heard tomorrow after the other speak
ers had completed their remarks 1t Is
the plan of the committee to end the
hearing tomorrow
Before beginning his argument today
in support of the half-and-half plan
Mr.. Mcfarland submitted to the COM
mittee some data for which the com
mittee had called. He presented table
taken from the 1907 census report
showing the percentage of park area In
the various cities. the park area being
compared with the entire area OF the
cities This table showed that in cities
in the United States over 10000 in pop
ulation the percentage of park area was
20; in cities of 100000 or over, 3.s: IN
cities Of from 100, 900 to 100000. 10; in
all cities, including smaller cities. the
percentage was IA. The table showed
that the percentage of park area in
Washington was 5.s.
Submits Important Data.
Mr.. Macfarland also submitted state
ment showing that combined area Of
streets, avenues and parks in the Dis
trict of Columbia was 1886 acres, and
that streets and parks now projected
added another 4.s0S acres. the total land
being set aside for these purposes in
the District being 1920 acres. out of a
total acreage in the District of 3S.425
acres.
He showed, too. that in Washington
there are 103. 900 trees along the streets
Of the city, the largest number of trees
to be found in any city in the world.
These data were presented to the COM
mittee to show some OF the reasons
why the expenses of Washington neces-
sarily must be very much greater than
the expenses of any other cities In
America comparable to Washington in
population and location.
leo Lot Il haF1 tl,~
committee a statement prepared by the
fire marshal of the District showing
how many fire alarms in buildings of
the federal and District governments
Hre department since 1873 The total
number was 259. Exclusive of the fires
which damaged the patent office in
1877 and the pension office In 1888, the
total loss by fire in the government
The statement showed. The losses in
he two fires excepted were very heavy.
THE statement shows Also. said Mr..
that the fire department
has responded eleven times to fire
llarms in the Capitol building itself"
Senator Works Dissents.
Early in his argument. Mr.. Macfar-
and asserted that 1t had been shown
o the committee that the great ma
ority of citizens in the District were
n favor of the retention OF the half
Lnd-half plan.
Senator Works took exception to this
statement. He said that the hearing
lad been one-sided in that the ma
ority of the witnesses had announced
themselves in favor of the half-and-
lalf plan, but that he was convinced
hat a large number Of citizens here
we're opposed to 1t.
"If a large number of residents of the
District hold such VIEWS" said Mr..
''in view of the great gem
rosity this committee has evinced In
,ranting hearings to all. why did they
lot appear and state their opposition
o the half-and-half plan?" replied Mr..
'The people of the Dis
rict certainly have the courage to sx-
,ress their views"