Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-03
urges SINGLE TAX
FOR THE DISTRICT .
ATF|SCAL INQUIRY
Arthur P. Davis Declares AS
sessments Should Be Placed
on Selling Prices of Land.
WOULD ELIMINATE
SPECULATIVE VALUES
Direct Adjustment of Half-and- Half
Plan Not Advocated,
However.
PLEA FOR EIF-GOVERNMENT
PLEA FOR sELF-G0vERNMENT
A. S. Trundle Says People Should
Have Control of Expenditures.
Makes Charges Against Pres
ent District Health Office.

To cut out all speculative val
ues. in real estate and to replen-
ish the Districts treasury by
means of taxes on lands only at
selling values, was recommended
today by Arthur P. Davis to the
Joint select committee of Con-
gress inquiring into the fiscal re-
lations between the District and
the United States. Mr.. Davis is
director of the United States
reclamation service, and appeared
before the committee as a MEM
Der of the District Tax Reform
Association. His argument was
brief, and exclusively an exposi-
ton of the single-tax theory.
He did not recommend abolishing the
half-and-half principle of appropria-
tion directly, yet, he declared he be-
lieved the District should control ex-
SiuciNcly Lhc III pOiiCc, ucdllH ucpdTS-
ment, etc, and should elect local gov
ernment that would maintain this con-
troll over the municipal functions men,
toned.
In response to inquiries from the com.
mittee, Mr.. Davis said that sudden
change to an establishment of a single
tax in this District would undoubtedly
cause q great jar, but that it was an
ideal condition toward which progress
should be made.
Urges Self-Government.
A. s. Trundle preceded Mr.. Davis
with a plea for self-government, in
order that residents of the District
might have control in the spending Of
public money. He made an attack on
the health Office and Board of Char
tiles. complained that lights in public
parks were for the benefit of the rich
exclusively, and during his discourse
went SO far afield from the questions
at issue before the committee SO to
finally develop a discussion of the use
OF hydrocyainlc gas as disinfectant.
Objects to Personal Element"
At the opening of the hearing Her
bert ]. Browne told the JOINT select
committee he hoped the personal ele-
ment would be removed from the hear
ing, and that as far as he was con-
cerned he did not believe the COM
mittee to be concerned about whether
or not the assessor had been inter-
ested in speculation in real estate or
anything else. He predicted the hear
ings would run a year if cross-exam-
ination were entered into, and hoped
that from now on the hearings would
be conducted along lines strictly con-
fined to the subject of the Districts
fiscal relations with the United States.
He said he believed he could prove
by witnesses hostile to himself much
that he had to say and had said about
real estate values. Some of the nos
tile" witnesses, he explained, would
be members of the Board of Trade.
represented by the joint citizens COM
mittee.
Mr.. Brownies request was held in abey-
ance by the comm ttee, as two memJers,
Senator Chiffon and Senator salisbury,
were absent today. 1t is possible that
been mentioned by Mr.. Browne in his at
tack on the assessment and taxation sys-
tenn will not readily acquiesce in a pro-
posal to make no reply.
The joint select committee has received
requests for hearing from Martin Dodge.
real estate man w. l. Swanton and John
H. Adriaans. Charles c. Lancaster an
nounced today that he and Louis p. Shoe
maker desire opportunities to be heard.
Plea for Self-Government.
A. s. Trundle began plea for self
government at the morning session, re-
ferring to the present government of the
District with the terms gag rule and
ring rule" He said the present partner
ship is impossible" and that there should
be some definite separation" He quoted
from Senator Spencer Of West Virginia.
whose views Oh the organic act of 1873
were written in the minority report ac-
a majority report in favor
of that legislation. He claimed that
Maryland had no right to cede the rights
and liberties of her citizens in ceding land
to the federal government
Where were you born" asked Rep.
Gard of Ohio.
I'm Virginia. said Mr.. Trundle.
You could escape this servitude
which you complain of by going back
to Virginia." suggested Representative
There is no fugitive law
which prevents you from returning"
But 1 feel l have a right to live in
the National Capital" continued Mr..
He said that people here would de-
,end the national government and
would never turn against it, Repre-
sentative Cooper reminded him that
republic when the people of Phila-
ielphia had a chance to defend Con.
yress. but failed to do so. which was
,ne reason why the capital was re-
moved to a site on the banks of the
Potomac.
Says "Gag Rule" Was Used.
Mr.. Trundle suggested that there b.a
,een gag rule" in the manner in which
to ioipt citizens conmittaa h.s -
and sent before the congress
Lnd-half plan.
TT is little short of presumption for
he representatives Of the joint citi-
ems committee to come here and say
hat they represent this and tIRt or
Tanixation." said Mr.. Trundle. He deS