Evening star., 1915-11-09

decided to assess on full value, this
| would be the result.
Possible Law Violation.
| Senator Works asked Mr.. Brownlow
if Congress would not have to violate
| the half-and-half law to appropriate
more for the District than the amount
estimated for the District by the Com
missioners when the Commissioners
had estimated on twice the amount of
the District revenues.
"Yes," replied Mr.. Brownlow.
(, He added that the Commissioners in
mating for many needed projects be-
cause of this inhibition.
| But you can call the attention OF
congress to needed projects in other
ways" suggested Representative Gard
| Mr. Brownlow said that was SO.
THE needs of the District have no
Influence under the existing law" said
| Senator Works, ION the amount of tax
Ies which are raised here.
Preparation of Tax Bills.
| At the request of A. s. Worthington.
Mr. Richards was recalled to the stand
and several questions put to him by
he insisted that the tax bills should be
made out in his office instead or the
office of the auditor.
| THE law requires that the bills be
made out in the assessors Office" was
the reply.
| Mr.. Gard asked Mr.. Richards if he
! had ever opposed the removal of the
| bill making function from the as
| SCISSORS office.
| NO" replied Mr.. Richards
Commissioner Brownlow told the
committee that the expenditures for
| But he said. Il do not believe that it
| costs twice as much to run Washing
ton as another city of similar size"
| He said that he believed that the Dis
| trict's affairs had been economically
administered for many years. and that
| there are as few spots and blemishes
on the citys record in this matter as in
any city of the world
Congress Refuses Requests.
II believe" he said. that the District
commissioners have recommended many
things which should have been granted
by Congress, but these things were not
granted" He contended that under the
| half-and-half plan 1t was impossible
| for Congress to authorize many I'M
provements recommended by the Com
mlSS10nerS without Sloldt1h6 INC A@AA-
and-haIf principle.
| A. S. Worthington stated that while he
| believed in the half-and-haH plan. he did
not believe that it had been carried out in
fact by Congress as 1t should have been.
| E. W. Oyster took the stand again and
| declared that he did not believe that the
| assessors could tax property at full value
here under the law and that he for one,
when he took Office. had 80 told the Com
missioners.
S. R. Blanton. who gave his home town
as Boston, Ca, told the committee that
| he wished to protest against the half and
half plan in the name of the farmers OF
the country.
He said that it would be possible to
raise considerable revenue in the Dis
trict by making all grocerymen and
other business men pay license to do
business in the District.
| Are such licenses paid In other
cities?" asked Representative Gard.
They are paid in my town, Boston.
| Ca was the repluy.
| How many people are there in Bos-
ton. Ca" asked Senator Works.
| "Fifteen hundred" said Mr.. Blanton.
mo wonder it's small town." said
Senator Works, IF you tax everybody
who does business there"
Mentions Farmers Union.
| Mr.. Blanton mentioned the Farmers
Union, a powerful organization. Ac-
| cordins to Mr.. Blanton, 1t was sitting
up nights worrying about the half-and-
half.
Are you an officer of that organi-
zationr asked Representative Rainey,
who comes from one of the richest
farming sections of the country.
| mot an officer. but Washington cor
respondent and there is my authority"
He slammed a telegram down on the
iNoI W
tive Cooper read it aloud. 1t came from
a town in the midst of Arkansas. and
read as follows:
| IS. r. Blanton, Washington: If you
think it worth while, go ahead. A. c.
Davis"
THAT is strong credential."
| Mr.. Blanton in three minutes assumed
positions on both sides of the half -and-
| half plan and arraigned the United
States government bitterly for SPEND
| ing money on education OF children in
| the District of Columbia; and then de-
clared he favored the District getting
all it could possibly get.
"By the way" asked Representative
Rainey. What did you wire to Mr.. Da-
Wis to get that reply?"
congressional investigation Of the half
and half and that the people were not
properly represented" Shortly there
| after Mr.. Blanton sat down.
| Asks for Day to Reply.
While the committee was awaiting
the arrival of witnesses yesterday aft
ernoon Henry B. F. MacfarIand made
a request that the representatives of
the Joint citizens committee be given
day to reply to statements made in at
tack upon the half-and-half plan and
also to present new facts to the in
lyaStioa ting committee
Senator Chiffon. the chairman of the
lcommittee, understanding that Mr.. Mac
farland's request was to give A. S.
Worthington, Theodore w. Noyes and
Mr. Macfarland each an entire day,
made objection. declaring that the COM
) mittee had been very liberal in the
manner in which IT had permitted wit
nesses to discuss even matters which
were not before the committee for con-
sideration.
Representative Rainey and Senator
Works said they believed the citizens'
COMMITTEES, which had been under Are
for a number Of days, should be given
an opportunity to be heard in reply.
Mr. Rainey suggested that the citizens
committee should be heard after all
other witnesses had concluded all they
wished to say.
Herbert J. Browne, A. 8. Truudle and