Evening star., 1915-11-12

pay as much for the District II the
haif-and-half plan were done away
with as it does now.
"I can't say what future congresses
would do" said Mr.. Saunders. u1
there has been a minority in congress
which has fought appropriations Ioi
the District and which were mucn
needed"
Reason for High Taxes.
"why do YOU think that taxes here
are too high now?' asked Senator
Works
Because I have sold property at less
price than the assessments. because
have looked into the assessment books
Of the District. have followed safes OF
real estate and listened to the opih-
ions of others" said the witness;
"Would you be satisfied" said SEN
ator Works, "if the half-and-hall were
left as it is and the taxes remained 'ne
same? ..,
here are too high We have heard
lot here about this city being Ilch
city 1t is not it is poor CITY ne
majority of the people here are oluSe
holders. and I have heard IT sald 'nat
the average salary paid them is lower
than the wage earned by expert WORK
men elsewhere. Living expenses IN the
District are high. too. l shoulu say
that about four-fifths of the MONIES
here are mort gagged. which morteases
the home owners are carrying III many
Instances at great disadvantage
Non-Paying Population.
"As a matter of fact there are com
paratively few rich people here. We
have 90. 600 colored people here, and as
a class they are poor people: they
don't pay taxes When it is said that
the per capita tax in Washington Is
some SIS, probably it is three times
that amount per capita upon the peo-
pie who actually pay the taxes
Mr. Saunders told the committee that
Washington was not coinnercial
city and the sentiment here was
against making 1t so. He said tha''
although there had been decrease IN
values in Washington in the last Two
years the assessments had oeeh too
high even before these decreases IN
value.
DO YOU know of any cases where
the assessment is too low? asked SEN
ator Works.
There are cases where assessments
are too low" replied the witness ne
of subdivisions newly opened up, out
that even in these cases ii was lmpos-
sible to get the prices asked TOR these
properties and in some cases they soid
for less than the assessments
City More Like Capital Now.
At this point Representative Gard
took up line of questioning and ask
ed Mr. Saunders to explain why he be-
1ieves that the present half-and-hal1
system should be maintained.
Because" was the reply, the fixed
half-and-half ratio gives Congress a
set measure to go by in making ap-
propriations from year to year without
constant agitation.
Are conditions in Washington, MI
Gard asked, the same in 1915 as they
were in 1873. when the half-and-haif
plan was established.
Il think the city of Washington has
proportionately more dignity than IL
had at that time-that ii is more like
a capital than it was then, when it was
almost wholly neglected, was the an
swer.
REPRESENTATIVE Gard stated that Con-
gress has appropriated for the Dlstrlct
of Columbia perhaps an average OF
s5.000.O 900 for forty years. and that IL
has spent on Washington in round ng-
ures about 5000, 100000 in that time:
What has the nation gotten Tor
Mr. Saunders replied that the nation
hos received the equivalent of the
money in the big, broad avenues and
streets used by 100.o00,ooo people of
the United States. and in the appear
ance Of the city. He alluded to the big
public buildings which have been built
here. the parks. etc, but Mr.. Gard
pointed out that the public buildings
have been built wholly with federal
money.
Senator Chiffon interjected the ques
tien:
Complaint by Citizens.
isn't there complaint by the citizens
that the government-the federal gov
ernment-has not been liberal enough
in appropriations urged by citizens Of
the District"
ITO some extent"
Suppose the government should be
more liberal" Senator Chiffon suggest
ed suppose ii should build some OF
the bridges which have been suggested
Do you think the citizens OF the city
would want to be taxed to help to pay
for them
II think bridges connecting two gov
ernment reservations" Mr.. Saunders
replied. should be paid for by the fed
eral government That sentiment. In
fact, has been expressed in Congress.
Take the case of the proposed bridge
over Rock creek. too. That would be
a very ornamental ething.
perhaps, that would beautify the cap
ftal, but which the citizens of the Dis
trict could not afford for themselves.
Representative Cooper asked Mr..
Saunders:
What about the justice OF the law
fixing the tax rate at Sl.50?"
That is all right, IL the assessments
are all right he replied.
mi BrO%nlOw asked
as to the history of the law, and he
explained it, and quoted II. former
Commissioner Macfarland and Mr..
worthington, representing the cfti-
zens committee. assisting. during
1875 to 1902 the tax rate was fixed
by the Commissioners OF the District
of Columbia, although they always
fxed II at $3.50. II was brought out
that the law says the tax rate shall
be not more than $3.50.
Fixed Tax Rate Preferred.
Representative Cooper then asked Mr..
Saunders as to the desirability OF a
nxed tax rate. and he said he preferred
a fixed rate.
He also asked IL Mr.. Saunders thought
that a bridge such as the one proposed
to Arlington should be wholly paid
for by the federal government. pro-
vided one end did not rest on a gov
Potomac Park, which has been pro-
posed.
Suppose" he said. "one end Of such
a bridge rested on New York avenue?"
Il think" Mr.. Saunders said, the
burden of a bridge to Arlington. con-