Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-06


come out Of the pockets OF the borrow.
ers."
Mr.. Brownlow pointed out that thu
taxes on public utility corporations
such as the gas and electric light com
panies was per cent on their gross
earnings. while on street railways thu
tax was 3 per cent
why should the tax on the stree
lighting companiesg' asked Represent
alive Gard.
piled Mr.. Brownlow-
Mr.. Gard asked Commissioner Brown
low If he favored the bringing OF in.
dustrial corporations to washington.
"I do not" he replied.
Senator Works remarked that he. too
was opposed to commercial future
for Washington.
Mr.. Cooper Propounds Query.
Representative Cooper said:
You favor doing away with the half
and-halr plan, and say that Congress
would continue to appropriate its just
share of the expenses for the National
Capital. You say that the record Con-
gress has made in the past for great
national improvements in the District
has nothing to do with the halr-and-
half plan. For instance, the Lincoln
Memorial is being put up by the led
eral government alone
Yes" answered Mr.. Brownlow. Con
gress has really paid no attention TO
the half-and-haf plan in improving the
District. Some years Congress has ap-
propriated far more than the revenues
of the District, believing that improve
ments in the government here were
needed that year. Then, again. as In
Of 10 ST Congress
refused to appropriate as much from
the federal Treasury as the amount OF
the local taxes.
LAS Senator Salisbury said yester-
day. Things equal to the same thing
are equal to each other? began SEN
ator Chiffon
"pid / say that?" asked Senator
Salisbury.
well continued Senator Chiffon n;
"at least you won't deny the truth OF
II. What l mean is that if you are DO
ing the sarre thing now as the thing
that you advocate. 1 don't see any rea-
son for making a change
The trouble is" interrupted Senator
Works chat the people here are being
deluded into believing that we are DO
ing what we are not, that the hah-and-
half plan is being lived up to. we
ought to quit that.
Why Make a Changer
well, If we make the people mere ieei
good, and it doesn't cost us any more.
why make the changer" asked Senator
Chiffon.
You haven't made them feel good"
said Mr. Brownlow. He said that the
feeling had grown up that Congress
was unfair to the District whenever 1t
deviated from the half-and-half plan
.aThe present controversy in Congress
has resulted in preventing any legisla-
ton for the District in recent years.
unless it was tackled on to some appro-
priation BILL" said Mr.. Brownlow.
You contend there are two great
grounds of criticism of the existing
plan" said Mr.. Cooper. First, that
members of Congress have come to a
being benefited by the haf-and half
plan Second, the belief has arisen
among the people here that Congress
is unfair to the District. You believe
that the abolition of the half-and.haif
plan would do away with both OF these
criticisms
Exactly" replied Mr.. Brownlow.
No Just Ground for Complaint.
Representative Gard asked the
Commissioner II the people of the Dis
trict of Columbia would not complain
if the half-and-half plan were to be
taken away from them.
There would be no just grounds for
COMPLAINT" answered Mr.. Browniow,
.ff the Congress of the United States
appropriated all that is necessary for
the progress and betterment OF the
There is no situation where people
do not complain" Senator Salisbury
added. land it is complaint from the
people which is responsible for I'M
provements."
The Delaware senator began a series
of questions on the subject of personal
taxes and taxes on such things as
money. credits. savings banks, etc.
Commissioner BrownIow said he be-
lieved that personal property taxes
are bad from an administrative point
Of view as well as from the standpoint
Of a single taxer. He said they are
hard to collect and that they are re-
thes made inequalities.
Calls Tax on Savings Bad.
Senator Salisbury agreed with him
for the most part He said that the
Districts tax on savings banks and
building end loan associations is very
bad, because it is tax on thrift
In your remarks" said Senator
salisbury, you spoke of an excess of
revenue here. What would you say to
remedy by abolishing all personal
taxes?'
Il am in favor of it."
The trouble with personal taxes"
said Senator Chiffon, 'is that you don't
get them i am opposed to taxing mon
eys and credits, but il this District is a
hiding place for millionaires who want
to escape taxes l think We might i'm
pose tax on their estates, so that we
could get something from that l think
tax dodgers could be kept away by
that means"
Small Taxpayer the Sufferer.
The little fellow has to pay it al
ways" said Senator Works. You will
And that when the millionaire escapes
the little fellow has to pay a tax on his
cart or his tools"
Have you a tax on mechanics tools
here? Representative Cooper inquired.
Yes. Commissioner Brownlow re-
piled. land in addition we have a grea
many onerous licenses"
He started to take his seat, and H.
b. F. mcfarland arose
In view of the fact that Commits
sioner Brownlow has quoted a speech
Of mine made ten years ago at st.
Louis" he said, It would like to say
that have since learned that the ideal
Is not practical"
He thinks the ideal is not practical"
returned the Commissioner. and yet he
which j think / have shown is i'm
practical"
Statement Is Challenged.
ct believe we can show that the half
and-half plan is entirely practical be-
fore we are through Mr.. mcfarland