Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-03

the various organizations represented
by. the joint citizens committee who
were opposed to the half and half plan
and to the present system of govern
ment in the District
He admitted that the Joint citizens
committee represented considerable
portion of the members of the ORGANIC
ations. but insisted that the members
of the organizations had been told
again and again that if the half-and-
half plan were done away with taxes
here would be doubled.
II don't believe that taxes would be
any higher" said Mr.. Trundle. Il don
Relieve that the poor man would have
to pay a single dollar more taxes on
his home if the half-and-half plan were
abandoned"
He recalled to the committee that
debate on the District appropriation
bill in the Senate at the last session or
Congress. had suggested that in oroer
to help out the small owners an e9-
emption to the extent of $4,000 be MADE
on homes here, just as an exemption OF
$1,000 is made on personal property
Victim of Ring Rule" he Says.
Mr.. Trundle then discussed what he
called ring rule" in Washington, say
Ing that he personally had been made
to suffer greatly from this ring rule.
He mentioned as some of the things
which have been done by the ring" the
methods adopted by the health office.
street paving, taxation In Inequalities,
the ty-thousand-dollar steal,'
the manner in which electric and gas
light has been purchased for the Dis
trict and the watering of stock of pub
lie utility corporations.
A 5. Worthington of the joint citi-
Zens committee interrupted to ask II
MT Trundle maintained that the 10 nj
citizens committee had adopted gag
rule Mr.. Trundle replied that he did
so maintain. He continued that he was
member of one of the organizations
which the committee claimed to repre-
gagged"
We'll" said Representative Rainey,
the investigating committee hasn't
muzzled anybody yet
No. and | thank God for it, said
Mr.. Trundle.
We may have to before we are
through. however" suggested Repre-
sentative Rainey, amid considerable
Mr. Trundle said he was glad to be
able TO state that the present District
commissioners were not under the
ring rule"
Under what laws. as limited by the
constitution of the United States are
taxes levied and the money expended
here without representation of the peo-
pie who live here?" asked Mr. Trundle
He insisted that that was the crux of
the whole question.
Where does our money go and who
are benefited by it?" he asked
Money Wasted in Streets, He Saws.
Mr.. Trundle said that one place where
the money of the people was wasted
was in the development of streets,
sewers, etc, in unimproved parts of
the city, to the benefit Of real estate
spectators. He said that at one time
not long ago there were nine schools
In the District which had no water or
sewer facilities, though streets had
peen laid and paved around property
owned by former District Commits
sioner, and those streets were still de-
void of houses.
The electric light scandal beats any
thlng l ever heard in my life" he told
the committee. He read from hearings
before subcommittee Of the House ap-
1910, showing how the contract be-
tween the electric light company and
the District had called for 900 candle
power lights. when as matter Of fact
the company was for years furnishing
only 700 candepower.
The company said that candlepower
dldnt mean anything; that it wasn't a
scientific way Of measuring light. anv-
way, said Mr.. Trundle. He said that
the company had saved s25 a light an
'nually to itself.
Mr.. Trundle said that he didn't blame
Congress for conditions and that much
OF the trouble lay in the fact that mem
bers of Congress who learned about
matters here and would have followed
them up failed to come back
IF Mr.. Burleson had remained in the
House he would have cleaned UP this
die dieefFie light business. said Mr.. Trun-
ment of high salaries to experts en-
pioyed by the public utilities commits
sion of the District as a waste of
money.
Objects to Location of Bridge.
Another violent objection from Mr..
Trundle was that the Connecticut Ave-
nue. bridge had not been placed some
where else SO that people without au-
tomobiles and carriages could use It.
He also objected to the lights in Po-
tomac Park, on the ground that too
much money Is spent for the exclusive
beneft Of people who have means of
riding around the speedway.
You wouldn't appropriate money for
that park and then leave it in darkness.
would you?" asked Representative
Cooper.
No
Well, then, what's your objection"
think money ought to be spent for
HshtS IN poorer sections"
And II those parks are lighted" pur-
sued Mr.. Cooper, lit is perfectly leetti-
mate for people to ride in the parks"
"Oh, yes
able TO give instances of official Dis
trict of Columbia automobiles being
used for purposes other than District
business.
Scores Milk Inspection.
He had gone along for over an hour
before he reached the subject of milk
inspection and the health officials of
the District-subjects on which Mr.
Trundle has been appearing before
committees Of Congress and elsewhere
Tor several years. On reaching this
subject he charged that milk inspec-
ton here means nothing; also that on
one occasion he had to stand in his
own place of business with a gun in
each hand to keep the police away
The authorities were merely trying
to keep the milk supply pure" sug-
gested Representative Gardner
Mr.. Trundle's reply indicated that he
had no very high regard for the health
authorities purity campaigns, and de-
cared that at one tine when the milk
men were being called murderers'' he
found that babies were dying for causes
other than impure milk, and he gave
a list OF about $50 babies, only a few
of whom were fed on milk previous to
their death.
Were you ever convicted Of selling i'm
pure milk he was asked by member
of the committee.
Mr.. Trundle replied he had not been
.8a.r3..