Evening star., 1915-11-15

men of the District have not had the
courage to oppose their views to those
of the powerful organizations which
YOU represent" said Senator Works.
He said that the committee had re-
quested a number of citizens of the Dis
trict to appear before the committee
and give their views. but that consid-
cradle number of those so invited mad
not come.
Their Failure to Appear.
"I am quite sure that none of the gen.
tlemen included in the list invited to
appear by this committee failed to
come here because of lack of courage to
express their honest conviction" an
swered Mr.. mcfarland.
''Why didn't they come. Them asked
Senator Works.
"I do not know" said Mr.. Macfarland.
but do know that of those who came
here at the invitation of the committee
considerable majority did speak in
behalf of the half-and-half plan"
After contendinS that the George re-
port on the District assessment and
taxation was directly responsible for
the agitation in Congress against the
half-and-half plan, Mr. Macfarland de-
lieved it had shown conclusively that
the George report was based upon er-
roneous figures. and should be entirely
disregarded in the future.
Mr.. Macfarland answered n criticism
of the half-and-half plan made by the
District Commissioners to the effect
that it was, after all, Legislative fic-
ton
81 do not regard the contention that
the half-and-half plan is a fiction as
having much force commented Senator
Works. What we must decide here is
whether this plan is to be continued.
] take it for granted that this commit
tee of Congress will consider that the
law creating the half-and-half is in
effect. 1t would be singular thing
for the Congress of the United States
to regard its legislation as fiction
Mr.. mcfarland replied that he had no
doubt Congress would so regard it, but
that opponents of the half-and-half
plan We're attempting to show that
there was no need for continuing the
half-and-half plan because it really did
not exist. He told the committee that If
the development of the National Capt.
tai of the last thirty-seven years is at
trihuta BILE to a fiction that fiction GER
tainly should be continued
Power of Congress Discussed.
A discussion of the power of Congress
to change the organic act of the Dis
trict of Columbia was provoked at this
point by some of the declarations by Mr..
Macfarland.
Congress undoubtedly has the power
to change the organic act said Sena tor
Works, 'and suppose Congress should
want to change the proportion of its
contribution. Do you think it could be
done in an appropriation bil?''
1T could be done, undoubtedly" Mr..
Mcfarland replied.
Senator Chiffon entered the discussion.
IF Congress should reenact the Or
ganic act: if it should refuse to say
word about the organic act; or if it
should wipe out the organic act, the
next Congress can do anything it wants
One Congress: is not bound by a pre-
vious Congress in this matter And yet
you are talking about being nervous"
Mr.. Macfarland explained that the or
ganic act constitutes not only statute
but a rule of action and lays down
policy to be followed.
%. Quotes Supreme Court of U. S.
Mr.. Macfarland quoted the Supreme
Court of the United States, wherein the
act of 1878 was called an Organic act
and the constitution of the District of
Columbia"
Our contention is that all this is
true" MIR. Macfarland said, referring to
the words from the Supreme Court.
cation to continue the act, but the fact
remains that 1t has not been repealed.
Congress has faithfully followed it
with a few slight deviations. and under
IT the District of Columbia has been
built up In an orderly manner"
Yes, the organic act did provide a
form of government for the District of
Colum bia, but did not go farther than
that" commented Senator Works. 4
And as an organic act it is not to
he oh oh II to La -
benefit of every doubt, and the COM
mittee should give great consideration
to any proposal to change it," Mr.
Macfarland then went on to discuss the
ideal methods of appropriating under
the half-and-ha1f plan, declaring that
for many years appropriation commit
tees looked on the estimates of the
Commissioners entirely on the merits
of the case.
What was the advantage of the
were made on their merits and not
with the half-and-half in mind?"
asked Representative Gard.
Greater Progress Possible.
The advantage was" Mr.. Macfarland
explained to him, that when the ap-
propriations were made they were ap-
portioned one-half from the revenues
of the United States and one-haIf
a. oHi ti4c te'cii'~Ss VI tHt biStTlCI, ana
a greater progress in the District was
made than IL all the expenses were
made froru' the Districts revenues"
Senato.' Works referred to former
Senatof Blackburn's view that changed
conditions, increased land holdings by
the United States government, makes
tiie halfandhalf plan unfair to the
residents Of the District. He said:
Il hold that the government ought to
acquire still more land to house its de-
partments. Now, how long would the
half-and-half be fair under such condi-
tons-or do you think II fair now?"
Il think ii fair now" answered Mr..
Mcfarland, "and the main contention
we make is that the people of the Dis
trict ought not to be forced to nav
more than one-half" He declared that
this should be written into the statutes
as a guarantee. Referring to former
Senator Blackburn's views. Mr.. Macfar-
land said that the changed conditions,
ownership of more land by the United
States. etc. are no answer to the claim
that the orderly progress of the Dis
trict ought to be maintained under the
half-and half plan.
q. S. Should Maintain Capital.
II would not have you believe" said
Senator Works, that the governments
responsibility here rests on the amount
OF property owned by the United States
This is the capital of the nation, and
the government ought to maintain 1t
regardless OF what some one else does"
The progress for thirty-seven years
under the half-and-half plan" Mr. Mac
T. 1