The Washington times., 1915-11-05
MR.. NEwMAN's FISCAL PLAN

safety.
MR.. NswMAN's FISCAL PLAN
Commissioner Newman, speaking
for himself, for the District Com
mission, and without doubt for the
National Administration. today
made to the Congressional commit
tee on fiscal relations a peculiarly
lucid and straightforward presenta-
tion Of the facts surrounding the
discussion that has been going on
for two or three years. For the
simple and analytical presentation
of facts about relations between ma
tion and city, and for the careful
statement Of the financial position
of the partnership, Mr.. Newman is
entitled to congratulation. There is
not much to add or to be taken from
his statement Of facts.
Mr.. Newman's conclusion of the
matter is that the half half
plan of dividing city expenses is
anomalous, out Of date, and untitled
to present requirements Of the city.
1t tends to bring unfair and petty
criticism Of almost every proposed
expenditure; it creates a bad atmos-
phere in Congress, on whose sense
and vision the city Of both today and
the future must at last depend.
Mr.. Newman proposes that the
rigid division Of expenses on the
old b1sis ought to be dropped, and
even people who want to preserve
that plan must realize that 1t is
likely to be discontinued, whether
or no. 1t has served its time. The
substance of it. if its substance is
needed, may be secured under a
more logical scheme, less subject to
the carping and misguided criticism
that has in recent years injured the
city and thwarted much development
that should have taken place.
! Mr.. Newman would have property
in Washington taxed fairly, as prop
erty in other cities is taxed. He
would levy the taxes with the view
to fairness, not to producing all the
revenue that might be necessary to
meet the expenses of maintaining
both a National Capital and city
of 100000; and then he would have
Congress, taking into the National
Treasury this tax fund. appropriate
what was needed for the town, with,
out reference to the amount col
lected.
If the town paid $7,000,000 ir
taxes in a year; and if there hap
pened to be, in the Congressiona
judgment, need to expend thre.
times that amount, Congress woule
appropriate three times that sum
but would appropriate it because i
was needed, not because it happened
to bear some fixed relation to th'
amount raised by local taxes. If i,
!. another year the town raiset
$9,000,000 from local taxes ant
needed s15,OOO,0O0 to maintain i
properly, Congress would appropri
ate the $15,0O0,000. In this case th'
ratio would be three dollars of loca
-, revenue to two dollars from tn
|, Federal Treasury.
!, The argument in favor Of thi
plan was strongly put by Mr.. New
man; and in some form or other |
is pretty certain ultimately to b
adopted. 1t is the one plan tina
cap be assured Of permanency an
4 of avoiding the friction, misunder
standing and jealousies that hav
been arising under the ha.lf-and-hali
Congress has come to regard Wash
|ington's demands and needs wit
suspicion, because the old arrange
n ment was calculated to breed meth
e, DDS justifying some measure of sus
t picion. Permanence is especially de
e sirable in dealing with such a stat
h of affairs; and the plan which N;
5 Newman and his colleague, Nj
e fBrownlow, have indorsed, seems tn
: ono host ada ntad Tn conditions