davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-01

litia Of the several States. The mobile branch
of the regular army contained in November
1914:
30,4S1 men in the United States proper.
20,863 men in oversee garrisons.
1874 regular army.
119,0S7 paper strength mobile ORGANIZED
militia.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-01

1t is the first mild day of March:
Each minute sweeter than before,
The redbreast sings from the tall larch
That stands beside our door.
Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1915-03-01

The land forces of the United States consist
q the regular army and the organized mi-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
ASSESSORS OFFICE
GETS BROWNE FIRE
Charges Many Errors and
SkilIfuI Alterations in
the Books.
SAYS LOCAL INFLUENCES
COLOR THE ASSESSMENTS
Tells Joint Committee a Tale He
Was Told of One Reduction
of $3.50, 600.

Resuming his statement to the joint
select committee of Congress investi-
eating the fiscal relations between the
United States and the District of Co
lumbia. after the recess yesterday,
Herbert }. Browne said he had been in
formed by the District Commissioners
that suits are now in progress to COM
pei the Baltimore and Ohio railroad
and the Washington Terminal Company
to pay taxes for public space occupied
by them. He said also the Pennsyl-
vania railroad had always paid taxes
without complaint for exactly the same
character Of privilege. Mr.. Browne
commented on this matter because he
had referred to 1t in his brief.
Following this introduction. Mr.
Browne referred further to his brief at
the point wherein he describes his view
of the assessment situation on the
property at 1877 Emerson street the
chapter being designated by him as
the widows mite" The property be-
longs to a charwoman who works in
Mr.. Brownies Office, and he claimed that
the house has deteriorated in value so
that the rent had fallen from $3.50 to
$3.50 a month. Yet, he claimed, the
rate of assessment and taxation on this
little property is much higher than
some of the downtown business section
properties which he has had under dis
cuSSiOn
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Says U. s. Should Get Benefits.

THE government has permitted the
people to come here to buy propertv
and build homes" continued Representa-
tive Cooper. Ought the government to
call upon these people to furnish it with
fire protection and not pay for what it
gets? Ought not the government to pay
for all the services it gets?"
Yes replied Mr.. Browne but 1t
ought to be paid all the benefits which
u confers- contend that the ground
values IN Washington, brought about by.
the government activities largely, are
worth $23.O0o,000 annually to the people
of the District
Senator Works stated that he did not
wish Mr.. Browne to understand that he
did not want the government to con-
tribute to the expenses CT the National
| Capital
las matter OF fact" he said, .I want
the government to pay the expenses of
us capita after taxing the residents Of
the District reasonable amount. This
is the National Capital and the govern
ment ought to be responsible for all its
1.-THE National Cash Register Company
made an effort. I believe, a few years
ago to change its plant from Dayton,
ONO, to some other place." said Senator
Chiffon. Now. Mr.. Browne If that
company. employing $4,000 to 10000 per-
sons, and covering a large area of
ground. had moved, say, to Alexandria,
Va, would 1t not have accomplished for
Alexandria just what the federal govern
ment has accomplished for tho District in
the matter of increasing land values ?
Yet it would want to use the lights, the
streets, the sewers and police and fire
protection of Alexandria. Ought It to
have all those things free?"
Mr.. Browne argued that in the case
of the Cash Register Company it was
q corporation organized for private gain,
while the government was for the public
benefit.
Making further argument for the
single tax, he told how land values in
Vancouver, where the single tax had
been adopted, had increased enQrmous-
ly, until, with a population OF only
100000, that city raises s3,50o.0oo an
nually from land taxes, while in Wash
ington, with population of 100000, the
taxes from the land alone each year
amounts only to about $4,000, 900.
+ Representative Cooper returned again
to his question as to whether the gov
eminent should pay for services re-
ceived here.
THE government" he said, uses GER
tain things here along with the people,
including fire protection, police protec-
ton, lighting of the streets. etc. Either
the government has got to furnish these
things itself or it has got to get them
from the people here"
yes, said Mr.. Browne, but the gov
eminent should exact a return from
private privilege
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Not Logical Proportion.

ITO me-" said Representative Cooper.
sit doesn't seem quite accurate to say
that the half-andhalf plan of contribu-
ton to the expenses of the District is
the logical proportion. 1t is difficult
to tell what the exact proportion should
be. Has Congress the right to tax the
citizens as a gratuity or for anything
that it uses?'
Mr.. Browne argued that the govern
ment could do better by providing it's
own police and fire protection. which it
could get at far less, he said, than half
the cost of the police and fire depart
ments of the District. He said that the
use of the streets for governmental pur-
poses could be measured, and he be-
liaVed it would be found that the gov
ornamental use of the streets amounted
to just about one-tenth of their total
use.
The government doesn't send any
children to school here" he said, yet
it pays half the cost of the schools.
When residents Of Virginia and Mary
land send their children to school here
they are taxed for it.
Representative Cooper asked If Mr.
Browne thought the people of the Dis
trict would have themselves provided
for the erection of million dollar
schoolhouses if they had to do it alone.
Mr. Browne replied, No"
Representative Rainey suggested that
the people here might not have author
ICED the handsome and costly bridge
acress Rock creek at Connecticut ave-
nue.. Mr.. Browne said undoubtedly
they would not have done so. He add
ed, however, that the bridge had in
creased the value of property along
Connecticut avenue extended enormous
Iy and declared that the bridge had
been put through" by realty concerns
which had property to exploit.
But the bridge added to the beauty
of the National Capital, did 1t not?"
asked Mr.. Rainey.
Representative Gard suggested that
the building of any handsome improve
ment in the District was bound to in
crease values of land djacent.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Increase Not Sustained.

Former Commissioner Rudolph was
quoted as saying that ground values in
the District of Columbia are to be fig
ured as increasing at the rate of s12,-
100000 a year.
Not in the last three years, I should
say explained Mr. Browne, because of
business depression and the collapse of
the speculative boom"
He continued:
The assessors report of 1910 said
there would be an increase of 100000
in the triennial assessment. but when his
assessment came out it showed merely an
increase of S1S,0O0,000 Twelve million
was missing. Later, when there was an
increase that s12.0O0.000 was found plas-
tered all over the small homecoming
area of the District. At the hearing on
the George report we tried 10 get an
adequate answer from the assessor as to
why these increases should be made, but
without result.
Bear in mind. now, that there was
an increase of only s18,000,000 in a boom
time. Now, following the collapse of the
real estate boom, but with a new admin
istration and some new blood, we get a
later assessment showing thirty-nine mil
liOn-dCllar increase,
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

the people of any other city outside
the federal District"
Browne. IF there was need of an ex-
preston Of popular sentiment here 1t
could be obtained through a referen-
dun vote.
Senator Works insisted that the peo-
pie Of the District have right to COM
plain because they have no voice in
Congress. He said that they had a
right to have a representative in Con-
gress.
Il feel this strongly" he said.
L have expressed the same opinion"
interjected Senator Chiffon
The District did have delegate in
Congress just prior to the passage of
the organic act In 1878" commented
Mr.. Worthington.
Ought the government to contribute
to the fire department here" asked
Representative Cooper. following out
the line he had begun earlier
Il do not think So" answered Mr..
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

stance. examinations are held in a city.
and the rich mans son and the poor
mans son both take the examination.
Perhaps the rich mans son is success
full, perhaps the poor mans son passes
the examination. Each has the same
chance. Would you call il an office
holding class. where every man has a
chance to take the examinations"
What / refer to particularly" re-
turned Senator Chiffon. SIS the life
tenure OF office. / would vote tomor-
He might have continued. but largo
portion of the audience. which hal
kept perfect and respectful silencr
throughout all the sessions of the hear
inEs. burst into a frenzied applaust.
The hearing then adjourned.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
COUNT DE HEMPTINNE
IS REPORTED EXECUTED

AMSTERDAM via London, October
29--The Echo Beige says that Count
Joseph De Hemptinne was executed at
Client October 26. He was a member
of a prominent Catholic family.
A Rome dispatch of October 10 said
that Pope Benedict, at the request of
the British and Belgian legations. had
interceded with Emperor William on
behalf of Baron De Hemptinne, con-
demned to execution by the German
authorities.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Story of $3.50, 900 Cut.

Mr. Browne continued:
1T may be necessary for this joint Sc
lect committee to call a hostile witness.
but if Mr.. Kalbfus will tell to you what
he has told to friends Of mine it will
develop that before the assessment of
1910, when Assessor Richards announced
the assessment would be increased
$50, 900. 900, a certain prominent man
called at the District building, called
Mr.. Richards into the corridor and
held a twenty-minute conversation with
him, after which Mr. Richards returned
to his office and ordered a reduction in
the assessment of this mans property
amounting to a quarter of a million
dollars"
why don't you give his name" ask
ed Col. Worthington.
Il will give his name II the commit
tee asks me for it," returned Mr..
Browne.
What is this mans nance" asked
Representative Cooper.
&C. c. Glover" was Mr.. Brownies re-
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
CIVIL SERVICE FINDS
A VALIANT CHAMPION
Representative Cooper Has Half-and-
Half Hearing for a
Forum.
Takes Senator Chiffon to Task for
Remark About an Office
holding Glass.

There isn't the slightest doubt about
the way Representative Cooper of Wis
consin stands on the subject of the
civil service. If there is anything
firmer than Gibraltar. or harder than
adamant, or concrete construction with
steel reinforcements. 1t is the firm be-
lief in the civil service held by Mr..
Cooper And this has been shown
many times in the House and twice in
the hearing before the joint select
fiscal relation between the United
States and the District of Columbia
The second instance came late yes
terday. The topics that had already
been injected into the half-and-half
hearing by one Of the speakers in
cluded the birth rate, the death rate.
the Mexican revolution. tho alleys. the
police regulations around the market.
everything except chilblaina," As a
member Of the joint select committee
afterward remarked. The subject OF
the old spotls system had been injected
once, and Representative Cooper took
q whack at 1t; and somehow or other,
before any one realized 1t, tho civil
service matter bobbed up suddenly
from nowhere toward the close Of the
long session yesterday.
Senator Chiffon Starts It.
Senator Chiffon began to talk offhand
about the civil service, saying he
didn't believe this country would stand
for an "off1ceholding class; that he
didn't like life tenure. ETC., when Rep
resentative Cooper began, hammer and
tongs, House of Representatives style:
The senator is in the position of be-
lieving in the civil service law, but
doesn't want to see 1t enforced"
1t brought a laugh. Senator Chiffon.
who had been leaning back in his chair,
in reality not being very serious about
the civil service, suddenly stiffened:
"Why, really. 1 don't believe 1 am
Of"
You believe in the law, but don't
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Charges Local influence.

Il propose to show the inef1iciency of
the assessors Office. Much has been
made here of the fact that the office is
free from outside political influence.
but it has never been free from the
enormous local influence to keep down
taxes and bolster the half-and half
plan"
He then referred to the old District
building investigation started by the
late Oden Horstmann, and declared that
the results of the investigation dis
closed a member of the board of as
SCISSORS up to his ears in real estate
deals and profiting largely because of
his ability to work the assessment end
of the deals from the inside.
The assistant corporation counsel
was instructed by the then Commits
sioners to make no presentation in
this, the Kalbfus case" Mr.. Browne
declared
INSTRUCTED by whom he was asked.
BY the District Commissioners then
acting"
What was the result?" a committee
man asked.
He was whitewashed."
Who was the assistant corporation
COUNSEL"
Mr. White"
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

want 1t enforced" continued the Wis
consin man.
Il couldn't say that /"
Not very much enforced" pursued
Representative Cooper.
"Oh, come now"
Just gently" Mr.. Cooper continued.
No oflceholding Glass.
The Wisconsin republican squared
himself. and began again:
The senator has made a reference to
an ofaceholding class in this coun-
try. and there Is no such thing. and I
say with all courtesy to him that he
himself knows 1t. There is no such
thing as an off1ceholding class. 1 re-
peat, and such an institution belongs
only to a country such as England.
where seats in the house Of lords are
hereditary, for instance. But in this
country, would you call 1t an office
holding class that takes examinations
to see if 1t is fit to hold office. For in
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

Benjamin f. Davis. wife slayer. was
granted second reprieve by GOV.
GoIdsborough of Maryland. 1t is stated
the death warrant would be made out
later.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Believes Records Were Not Used.

That was the astounding informa-
ton given me-" said Mr.. Browne. Rec
ords which would be of great value to
future assessors not kept"
He said that the Office of the building
inspector was full of valuable records
which the assessor could use, but Mr..
Browne insisted that he did not be-
lieve the assessor had made use of
these records, Notwithstanding the fact
that Mr.. Richards had said in an official
report that he had done so.
If he did so at all, it was in such d
small degree that it could not properly
be termed making use of these records
of the building inspectors Office" said
Mr.. Browne. Il charge that the asses
sor has been guilty of neglect of duty,
if not malfeasance, in Office
Mr.. Browne said in many cities, such
as New York, where the business of the
assessors office was properly conduct
ed, the records of the building in
spectors were always used to aid in
reaching a proper assessment on build
ings, and that such plan should be
followed here.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Alleges Alteration of Books.

Another matter / would bring before
your attention, and never before dis
closed" said Mr. Browne. was dis
covered by Representative George him
self in examining some of the records
of the assessors Office.
ION some of the pages of books re-
ferring to assessments erasures have
been SO skillfully made that one cannot
discover them unless the paper is turn
ed up almost on the level Of the eye.
and by the aid of a glass it can be
saen that lower figures of assessment
have been substituted for higher ones.
The assessors Office is filed with
errors. and the fact that the tax bills
are made out in the assessors Office
keeps those errors from being discov-
cred. and prevents a proper balance in
the Districts tax affairs from being
reached 1t has been recommended by
making bills be removed from the as
SCISSORS office. but the assessor has al
ways resisted"
Why" asked Representative Cooper
Because he wants to keep his errors
covered. There are errors in area
errors in computation, and none can be
discovered readily as long az the bills
are made out in the same Office"
He declared he would show that
serious errors and omissions had been
made in the statement of sales in the
business area of the city.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Refers to Testimony.

References TO testimony and conclu-
sions by some of the District commit
tee members at the time of the insur-
ance investigation and the George re-
port were brought into Mr.. Browne S
statement one of them being Mr..
Brownies own view of the assessment
placed on the Southern building. He
said the Commercial Fire Insurance
Company, which owned the building
placed valuation on it OF Sac" 90"
and that protests were made by neigh
boring property owners because they
feared that this high value might re-
fleet on their own property and raise
their assessments.
Mr.. Browne declared that the large
number of roomers and boarders in
this city shows we have missed the
mark in the development of the Ma
tional Capital There are not enough
home owners.
He said that he wished to defend the
negro population of the city, and that
they are not detriment to it.
we have not said anything about
them except that they are not large
property owners" Mr.. Worthington
volunteered.
The argument has always been di-
rected against them" answered MIR
Browne, that they are a detriment and
drag to values.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

gument at times into his statement. His
contentious as to the cost of living are
to be put into book form, he announced,
and would prove that the cost of 1iv-
ing in Washington rests on the rent
proposition entirely.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Assessment of U. S. Property.

Mr.. Browne then took up the natter
of assessments of government owned
property in the District. saying that
District assessors had taken it upon
themselves from time to time to make
such assessments. though the govern
ment property was exempt from taxa
ton.
He referred first to an assessment
of government property made by for
mer Assessor Hope Darneille in 1904.
Mr.. Mcfarland, who is appearing
for the citizens committee said Mr..
Browne, was chairman of the board
of District Commissioners at that time,
and as the assessor is a subordinate
officer and all his assessments must be
approved by the District Commission
ers, 1t is to be supposed that Mr.. Mao
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Table of Evictions Produced.

He produced n table showing the
number of evictions in Washington,
stating that in series of years they
exceed the number of new rentals. He
claimed also that the reason for large
numbers of unrented houses is found in
the fact that people cannot afford to
rent
TT won't be changed" he argued
until you have broken the back OF
speculation by taking the tax off of
houses and check land speculation. The
cost of living would go down with the
cost of housing In answer to ques-
lions he said that wages are higher
here than many other places because
living costs are higher.
The matter was thrashed out before
the District committee of the Senate
said Senator Works. lin relation to the
teight-hour law, and l found that wages
were distressingly poor when it came
to some of the store clerks"
| Mr.. Browne continued, giving Stats
| tics to prove his contention that wages
of government clerks and clerks in pri-
vate employ here are better than In
other cities for the most part, and also
injected considerable single tax az
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29

farland knew Of this assessment by
Mr.. Darneille."
Mr.. Browne told the committee that
Mr.. Darneille had grossly overestimated
the value of the government-owned
property in order to bolster up the
half-and half plan, and that other as
SCISSORS had done the same. He showed
that Mr.. Darneille valued government
land in 1904 at s217. 594.225, and that he
valued the privately owned, taxap!e
He showed that Assessor Richards, the
present assessor, had placed a value OF
S190.000,000 on the government land IN
1914. and of $200,471, sos in 1915.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
S149. ia, $40 STO,9O ID

Assessor Darneille Assessor Rich
ards NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. $751; S12
Potomac Park ........ 50. $50. 740 S4o.92o, s97
Assessor Richards over Assessor OAR
nellie 80 100 To-
Rock Creek Park 50, 40S, 1854 49, 900 ,03o
Now. why did both assessors treat
Potomac Parks 1873 acres SO severely
and Rock Creek Parks 1000 splendid
acres SO gently?" continued Mr.. Browne
For the simple reason that Potomac
Park is off by itself with no adjacent
comparable privately owned areas,
while Rock Creek Park lies in a long
string, fanked on both sides by the
highly speculative, highly valuable and
grossly under assessed properties of
the great syndicates, and there the OBJ
vious comparisons would have been
extremely odious and extremely unde-
sirable.'
Mr.. Browne declared that the assess
ment of government property here was
not properly one of the duties of the
assessors office, and that it was piece
of impudence" undertaken merely to
give aid to the half-and-half plan.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Mr.. Browne Asks Why.

Mr.. Browne wanted to know why As
SCISSOR Richards had assessed Analostan
Island, which he said was admira bl y
situated for terminal facilities, at only
about 81 200 an acre, while he assessed
Potomac Park, just across the channel
from it, at from $4,000 to $67 900 an
acre. Joseph Letter, he said, owns Ana
lostan Island. He insisted that the land
in Potomac Park, even if the govern
ment wished to utilize it for purposes
other than a park, was made ground
and not fitted for big buildings.
Mr.. Worthington of the citizens COM
mittee here suggested that the Lincoln
Memorial, which is a heavy building,
was being placed in Potomac Park, and
that at one time it had seriously been
considered placing the railroad termi-
nal, now the Union station, in Potomac
Park.
Mr.. Browne said that he had applied
to the District Commi toner's to know
just how the assessor had arrived at
his conclusions in the assessment of the
Riggs Bank building, the Union Trust
building, the Shoreham Hotel and sew
eral other buildings in the business
section. He said that he had received
letter from Commissioner Newman.
under date of October IS, saying that
the figures used in arriving at these
assessments had not been kept, and
therefore could not be given to Mr..
Browne.
Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-10-29
Comparison of Estimates

"A few comparisons of Assessor
Richards 1915 estimates with Assessor
Darneille's 1904 estimates" said Mr..
Browne, will show the absurdity of
the whole effort to assess the non-as-
sessable government areas. They are
all raised from two-thirds to full
value: