Evening star., 1915-01-10

tie leSlStdllOE IS O1IcIl more
to the business than it's actual enact
ment
IF the property owners of the Dis
trict were compelled to support the
National Capital without government
aid, it would depreciate the price of
property here so much that it would
nearly ruin thousands of small home
owners, as we are now paying tax
as high as the average city of this size.
"A large share of our people have
purchased their homes and are paying
for them on small monthly payments.
The reduction in their value by nearly
doubling taxation would more than
| take out their equities in their prop
erty. l am sure that no one in Con-
gress or out of it wants anything Of
that kind to happen.
System Is Called Unjust.
During the last few years the opin-
ion seems to have spread that the pres
ent half-and-half plan Of taxation has
ceased to be just toward the general
government. 1t is said that conditions
existing in 1878 have long since ceased
to exist Washington has grown from
$4,000 to about 100000 in population.
The assessed valuation has increased
from SS7,000,00O to s390,000.000. The
first years contribution of the general
government after the adoption of the
half -and-half plan, which was in 1880.
was 81 $50, 900, that is a little over one
and half million dollars.
During 1915, the governments half
will be s7,60O.O0O, or more than four
During the last ten years the assessed
valuation of the District has more than
doubled. If the assessed valuation Of
the District increased one-haf as fast
during the next ten years as during
the last ten, and the rate remained at
l !. per cent, the total income Of the
District would be over $20,0eO,000. Of
which the governments share would be
over S10,O00,00O. The appropriation for
the District differs somewhat from year
be somewhere in the neighborhood of
s12 000,O 900. This. of course, does not
include the revenues of the water de-
partment or from any other source not
considered in the appropriation bill
We have paid on account of debt, in
terest, etc, nearly $2,000,000 yearly,
leaving about $1O,O00,000 for the cur
rent expenses. This debt is now SO
small it can soon be paid from excess
revenues 1t should be entirely wiped
out before any change is made.
Have Spent $1S,000,O00.
within recent years we have ex-
pended s1S.0OO,O 900 for permanent i'm
provements, and these have been paid
therefore be seen that it will be a long
time before our necessary expenses will
he s2OO 900 900 a year. 1t is speculation
on what it may cost the government in
the future, rather than the amount con-
tributed in tie past that has caused
the agitation for a change in our pres
ent plan of taxation.
"RcaIizing the prosperity which the
city has enjoyed under the present sys-
tenn, this federation and nearly all civic
organizations of the District have
passed resolutions repeatedly asking
that the half-and half plan be con-
! tnued. But, like the ghost of Banquo,
the agitation will not down, and that
il; hurting the business of our city
more than any reasonable modlhcatlon
of the present system would. We are
not asking something for nothing. All
we want is a square deal. and we feel
confident that a majority of the menu
bers OF Congress are anxious that we
shall have it.
eff the time has come when Congress,
| in it's wisdom, has determined that the
organic act can no longer be continued,
| but that some change must be made.
! then we wish to say that we are uuani-
mollsly opposed to doing this piecemeal
| or by provisions inserted in appropria-
ton bills. If Il change must come. then
we suggest that IL competent commits
sion be appointed that will take plenty
OF time to go carefully into the whole
l
| the relationship between the District
and the federal government, and pre-
! pare Il plan SO harmonious throughout
| that it will establish u form of govern
ment which will be satisfactory for
| many years to come.
Pleads for Amity.
Commissioner Siddons made a strong
plea for an amicable settlement of the
| half-and-half controversy, stating that
| there should be found some common
ground upon which the people and Con-
| gress could get together for settling the
question that may be considered as
threatening the future growth and de-
| velopment of the capital
"It may be true that the lialf-and-llalf
principle should be continued he said.
II Will not debate the question But
whether il is true or not, there are many
members of Congress who entertain vary
ing views the subject. So intense is
the question that we ought to ask that
il he settled once and for ALL
| Commissioner Siddons said that he
could only renew before the fedora
ton the recommendation that he had
made to the subcommittee of the Sem
: ate appropriations committee in charge
of the District budget, that a joint COM
mission of Congress be named to thor
| oughly examine into the wisdom OF
I
The Commissioner was applauded
when he expressed the hope that some
way might be found by which the
citizens of Washington could express
their views on some of the important
questions affecting their interests.
This suggestion was carried even
| farther by Engineer Commissioner
Kutz, who practically proposed refer
endum vote on the question of prohibi-
, ton for Washington. The engineer off,
cial stated that the Commissioners
! would be expected to make a report on
! the prohibition BILL and that he would
! like to know the views of Washing
| tonians concerning it before making
such a report.
Has Prepared Map.
Commissioner Kutz expressed con-
| fidence in the work and purposes of
the citizens associations of Washing
ton, and declared that he had had pre-
pared a map showing the territories
over which their Jurisdictions extend