The Washington times., 1915-10-20
Report of House
Judiciary Committee.

SouASAoIy SOnInIttec.
And the Committee on the Judiciary
or the House, in the report presented
by Mr.. Poland. on tho first OF June,
1874 referring to the same subject. said
''As TO tho third and last branch
OF the resolution, asking whether
some accurately defined basis OF
expenditure cannot be prescribed
and maintained by law. your COM
mittec remark that they believe this
to be OF paramount Importance both
TO the Federal and local government.
There never has been. since :hc
location OF the Capital at this place,
any consistency or even intelligence
In the adjustment or these expendI-
lures. 1t Is believed that IL
VIII be much wiser and much more
economical both to the National
ana local governments. to nx upon
icnhite sum or proportion to he
contributed by both, and that II Is
more Important that these apprO-
priations should be made regularly
and upon some well defined princi-
pie. than that they should be large
The only other plan that has been
suggested. 80 far as we are advised, to
regulate the contribution which the
General Government shall make to tho
expenses Of the District, is that the
citizens OF the District shall be taxed
from time to time whatever Congress
shall deem to he reasonable. and that
II the amount reached by such taxation
shall not be sufficient, Congress shall
supply the deficiency by appropriations
from the funds OF the Treasury THIS
may be called the indefinite contribu-
ton plan. 1t was substantially this
plan that was in force from the time
trict Ia lso) until ls7s 1t has oeen
shown above how complete was the
failure of that system to do Justice
10 the District OF Columbia. Particu-
!arly was this system on trial from
the tiCe the territorial government OF
the District was abolished by the act
or June 20. lSi, until the passage or
tho act OF June II. lSIS. establishing the
present 'half-and-half' system. Mr..
Hendee. in charge in tho House of the
said:
Up to this time nothing has ever
been done to ascertain and establish
the relative position OF the United
states Government and the District,
IN relation TO this matter. whenever
1t has been deemed necessary TO
make improvements and pay ex-
pensos' Congress has Appropriated
such sum as II saw Mt. and the
people OF the District have been re-
CURED to pay the balance by taxa
determines
We cannot better state our conten-
tion on this point than BY the follow
Ing quotation frc m the remarks Of Mr.
Underwood. made in the House on tho
.hn OF Feoruary. 1915 when the Dis
trict appropriation bill for the current
hscal year was under consideration:
1T is manifest that the fact that
INC Government has this large num-
har
mat must be maintained. that must
be protected from Are. that must
have general police protection out
In the building, with the other % funce c.
tons OF the city government that
must be performed so far as the
lhstrlct property Is concerned-it Is
manifest. | say. that the burden OF
ernment Of the United States ought
not to rest. In business and fair
ness. on only the people who live
In the District of Columbia. They
conld not carry the burden. 1t would
be an impossible burden. if It rest
ed on them. and there ought to he
some fair adju><meN OF it. The sit
uation Will remain as II is. and it
Will DO bone OF contention Com
gross after Congress unless we reach
some reasonable. sane. proper set.
tlement of the difficulty. do not
think the proposition in the original
language Of this bill in any way
solves the difficulty In capable
way, As ! understand the language
~ the bill which the gentlemen from
Kentucky seeks to adhere to, II
merely provides that the same pro-
portion Of taxes shall be levied or,
IN other words. that taxes shall be
levied as under existing law today.
ana that then. after that levy is
collected, be Il great or small. the
Government shall pay the balance.
Il not I hope the gentlemen from
kentucky will correct me-that the
Government shall nay the balance
after you have levied the taxes un-
der existing law. with ali due re-
spect to the gentlemen who offered
tho proposition, ] do not believe that
that is fair. lust. or proper way
to determine this question. There
Is certain amount Of property in
this District owned by its citizens
There is certain amount owned by