Evening star., 1915-11-16
HaIf-and-HaIf Opponents Are
Being Suppressed, Says
George Committee Expert.
"SINGLE-TAX VALUATION
ONLY SCIENTIFIC ONE"
Regards Present Agitation as Pre-
liminary Skirmish, Expecting Real
Fight Before Congress Itself.

Herbert ]. Browne, who was employed
az an expert by the Henry George, jr.
committee. and whose figures, used in the
George report on taxation in the District
have been assailed by the joint citizens
committee during the present congression-
al investigation of the Districts fiscal re-
lations with the United States, took the
stand in defense of his contentious in the
George report late yesterday afternoon.
Mr. Browne began his argument by
stating that he had heard Norman Hap
good recently declare that it was prac-
tically impossible to publish newspaper
entirely unshackled in it's presentation OF
facts and news, owing to the hold that
advertising has over the editorial depart
ment of newspapers.
He suggested that the newspapers OF
Washington, in their consideration OF
the District problems before the inves-
tigating committee, were Influenced
very largely by their advertisers. He
pointed out that he himself and his
work for the George committee had
been attacked again and again in the
Washington newspapers. The newspa-
pers here, he said, were making a de-
termined effort to suppress public sen
timent regarding the half-and-halt
plan.
"Dared Not Oppose Plan"
"Is there not a strong, concerted ef-
fort shown here to bolster up the half
and half plan." he asked the committee
He said that since these hearings had
been on he had received twenty anony-
nous letters from writers opposing the
half-and- half plan. and intimated that
-
opposition to that plan.
Turning to the consideration of the
attacks which have been made upon
the George report and the figures pre-
sented to the George committee by
himself, Mr.. Browne said:
You have been surprised at the
statement of errors in those figures
made here by the representatives of
the joint citizens committee. l wish
to tell you that all of those errors.
were called to the attention of the
chairman of the committee, Mr.. George,
and of Representative johnson. chair
man of the District committee of the
House. before the George report was
made. These errors were pointed out
in the press at the time
Representative Gard Interrupted to
ask what errors Mr.. Browne had ref
erence to. The witness replied that
they were the errors which had been
exhibition of the records of the Real
Estate Title Insurance Company
mo matter how strong the opposi-
tiop to the George report" said Mr.
Browne. ut is a pretty solid document.
The only errors in it which have been
report, and these, as l have said, were
clerical errors"
"only Preliminary Skirmish."
Mr.. Browne continued: After all, the
hearing before this committee is mere
ly a preliminary skirmish. This COM
mittee will introduce no bills, nor will
they be introduced by individual MEM
bers of the committee. The real fight
will come before the District commit
tees of the Senate and House, which
will handle any bill, and l am prepared
to go before those committees and de-
fend the statements made in the George
report"
will you be employed by one of
those committees?" asked Representa-
tive Gard.
Not that I know Of" replied Mr..
Browne. unless my services should be
requested by one Of Them
He said that he had worked over the
matter of taxation in the District for
thirty years, and only once had he been
on the pay roll of any committee con-
sidering the matter. and that was when
he was employed by the George COM
mittee.
Mr.. Browne said that, in his opinion.
theR had been a considerable shrink
age of values in real estate in Wash
ington since 1912, when the George re-
port was made. He said that it had
been principally in suburban specula-
tive holdings and in the old residences
of the city. and to very limited ex-
tent In the business properties
willing to Deduct $3o,oOo,oo
He said that he was willing to knock
off $30,000,000 from the values of real
estate in the District. which he set in
the George report at $4,000. 900.
II say that real estate in the District
today should be valued at s7I4,000, 900. ;"
said Mr.. Browne. owing to the shrink
age in values since 1902 The present
assessment places the value of real
estate at $3.50. 100000, difference
Of some $129.000, 900 or about 20 per
cent in the assessment. and I want to
say that 20 per cent in an assessment
Is. after all. merely a point of view"
Taking up the assessment of 1918 as
made by the assessors office. Mr..
Browne commented on the fact that it
had been made in four months, with in
structions from the commissioners to
give certain sections of the city par
ticular attention. "The rest Of the