The Washington times., 1915-11-13
TAX PROBERS BAR
FURTHER EVIDENCE.
HaIf-and.HaIf Probe to Close
Tuesday Alter Arguments
Are Summed Up.
Continued from First Pase)

CONTINUED from First Pase)
days namely. the calling Of washing
ION business men by the committee to
diScnss %,, the half-and.half controversy.
ings will end Tuesday. Il may be pos
sible for the COMMITTEES TO have It's
ready by the opening
on Consress. The committee has un-
III January. however. to report.
Heiskell Heard.
Jesse l.. Heiskell. real estate operator.
was the last witness heard today. the
committee voting to hold no afternoon
session. and adjourning until 10 O'Clock
Monday.
Mr.. Heiskeii advocated the retention
OF the half-and- half plan, saying that
,he district had operated successfully
under II for forty years, and that In
vestments have been made here on the
assumption Of Its permanency. The
however. he insisted had not been car
ried out at times either by Congress
or t,e commissioners and disproportion-
ate ntributiOns had resulted.
hf sassf to ae1,ss sa;s ise H..ss
mas created unsettled conditions he.-.
mas resulted in distrust. has depressed
property values, and discouraged In
Nv CapltAI.
Mr. Heiskell charged that assessments
IN washington are abnormally high. and
when reminded that Mr.. Brandenburg
the preceding witness. had said theV
iievsd Fs 'Ss, Sis mr. ide,skenI said he be,
transactions better qualified him to
speak on this point.
lie complained that the assessors
onice had assessed certain property held
py him near the Government Insane
a t,a "a. Isla -
Mr.. Heiskell said he paid only $500 for
IT.. and would sell II today for consider
ably less than $4,000.
Mr.. eHiskeil testified that he regarded
the present taxation rate as fair and
sessments
The single tax idea is rampant in the
lax assessors Office he said. These
high assessment ideas are especially
rampant concerning any property In the
outlying sections.
Both For Present Plan
Edwin C. Brandenburg, president Of
the Board OF Trade. and Evans II.
Tucker. president Of the Northeast
Washington Citizens Association. both
urged the retention Of the half and half
plan.
Mr.. Tucker introduced himself by say.
ing he had peculiar qualifications as a
! resident here because his grandfather
came here after the war OF 1872 and
his father lived here all his life. and
that he. too. had been a lifelong resi-
When he began to tell why he fav-
ored the half-and-haif plan, he was In
terrupted by Senator Works with the
question:
You say your association indorsed
this plan two years ago. Did your body
ever consider any such plans as that
outlined here by the District Commis-
sioners or by former Senator Black
"NuA specifically" said Mr.. Tucker.
Though I think those plans were con-
sidered IN specific way" - ~ = .
While aue.tioning Mr.. Tucker. sena-
tor Works said his plan <as virtually the
sioner Rrownlow. except that II CON
templatcd change Of name for tho
city.
Put. as understand It." said Mr..
a department. headed by q political APP
Profanity Barred
In other words you want an angel
to run the District. What is your idea.
anyway. OF a politician" asked Sena-
tor Chiffon.
The rules do not allow profane Ian
Euage at these hearings said Con-
u have heard references made to
here" said Senator Chiffon.
Now Washington. and Jefferson, and
Lincoln. l thought, were politicians.
You seem to be doing the same thing
way"
hAs / understand it," said Congress-
man Cooper. you are opposed to car
pc! p,!.rSsg SsgEing poiltieians" t,s - w
don't want imported ones running the
District"
There probably are morn here. now.
to the acre than In any other city in
I'm theory the plan OF senator Works
Is all right" said Mr.. Tucker. but l
tice."
From definitions Of a politician" the
what is a lobbyist?" When Mr.. Tucker
said that he resented the imputation
that he Is. lobbyist because he tried.
without compensation. to urge upon
Congress beneficial legislation for the
Dictrict.
What II your definition OF a lobby
iAt?" asked Senator Works.
Generally a lobbyist Is the other
fellow" interrupted Senator Chiffon.
As To Lobbyists
Now. Mr. Tucker" said Congress-
man Cooper. do you think your idea
of - lobbyist Is strictly accurate? 1t
is all right for you to talk about COM
Ing up here, without compensa tion. and
pleading for District benefits. but sup
pose an organizat ton, with a purpose
ns clean as that of the body you repre-
sent, should wish to send a man IRON
California. or Chicago, to Washington
to lay their case before Congress
wouldn't It be all right for them to pay
his way" Would you object IL so-cailed
lobbyists were registered. as they are In
Massa chusetts. or II their errand eere
clearly defined?"
There would be- no objection to
paying their expenses II they received
no other compensation" replied Mr..
Tucker.
Mr. Tucker said former Senator
Slackburn's description OF nightmares
that awaited District citizens when
they learned of new legislation was
iully justified.
Such an example OF "nightma re" leg-
islation. Mr.. Tucker said. was a bin
providing for the Improvement OF An
acostia fats and assessing the people
of the District half the cost OF the i'm
provemcnts. He said Potomac Park.
which Is used principally. h.: wealthy
people, has been improved entirely by
the Government. but when Congress
reached q poorer section of the city II
wanted the poorer people to pay half
the expenses. Senator Works said
many other cities now were paying for
half the cost of improvements provided
for in rivers and harbors and similar
bills