Evening star., 1915-01-08

L
amendment as permanent policy. Iht
proposition is too indefinite. should no'
favor the half -and-half system being
changed until something definite Is pro-
posed.
II would suggest that an inquiry be
made with respect to the matter. II
seems to me a plan which would PRO.
duce absolute equality would De 70 .et
the government pay taxes upon ..aaa an - =
compel the District to maintain govern
ment here and at the same time exempt
the government of the United states
from the payment OF taxes.
Cites Vice of Taxation.
Senator Nelson declared that the vice
Of the system of taxation in the Dis
trict lay in the fact that only real es-
tate and tangible property are assess
| ed.
houses and live in this city, leaving
their own locality, escape taxation and
not pay cent of taxes to the support
of the city of Washington. said Senator
| Nelson. He urged that a system of
taxation which would apply to mort
cages, bonds, stocks receivable should
be adopted here
Senator MARITIME of New jersey en-
tered Il defense of the half-and- half
system. He said:
Il have not heard much protest
against the half-and-half system which
as 1 understand, now prevails here.
and think, sifted down to it's finality.
the provision which the Senate COM
mittee has reported to strike out is an
effort to abolish the half-and- half sys-
tenn.
Il know what 1t is to have real es-
tate and to be real estate poor; I
have been real estate poor all my life.
feel this way in regard to this mat
ter: This Is our capital; we are all
proud of it: this is the grandest coun-
try and the grandest capital in the
me; and ! feel 1t Is part of my duty
not only to legislate for the general
welfare of my commonwealth and
of the country, but to make this city
even more beautiful If / can. With
out endeavoring to be extravagant or
unjust to anybody, 1 purpose to vote
that way.
Praises Government.
II feel that we are doing fairly well,
so far as the general system of gov
ernment is concerned, in the District of
Columbia. The government of the Dis
trict of Columbia is run on the commits
sion plan, and 1 have been an advocate
of the commission plan of city govern
ment for a great many years OF my
life. / believe that Washington Is about
as well regulated socially, morally and
industrially and in every other way
municipality as is any other city of
which / know anywhere in this country.
I'm the senator's effort to reach those
worth a million dollars or five hundred
thousand dollars or threabouts who
come here to shirk paying taxes on
their credits 1 will Join him in doing
everything can, for they are the ones
/ am after. I want to have the burden
shared as nearly equitably as can be.
and believe that the democratic party,
in ascendency in the Senate and In the
nation, in the matter of the income tax
has at least taken a step in the right
direction"
Declares Rate Is Lower.
Senator Kenyon. reading from the
George report. told the Senate that
wealthy property holders were taxed
upon approximately only 40 or so per
cent of the value Of their property.
while small property holders were
taxed at the rate of IS or more per cent
of the value of their property. Senator
Kenyon insisted that the rate of taxa
ton in the District of Columbia was
far lower than in other cities of the
same size as Washington.
A new argument against the half
and-half system was injected by Sena-
tor Sheppard of Texas, the author of
the Senate resolution for nationwide
prohibition. He said:
LAS / understand it, the District gov
ernment charges a license fee of $500,
and the federal government, under this
half-andhalf plan. pays to the District
an additional s1,500. The federal sa-
loon license is only $25. Consequently,
there is paid a practical bounty of
SLAB to the District government for
each saloon it authorizes
Senator Kenyon declared that IL the
people of the District of Columbia were
taxed as to the extent that people in
other localities were, the revenues
raised in the District would soon be
sufficient to meet the entire expenses
of the municipal government.
Gallinger in Defense.
1T is a most extraordinary sugges-
tion," commented Senator Gallinger of
New Hampshire, that the government,
owning, it is estimated, nearly one
half the property in the District of
Columbia, should not in some way make
a contribution to the support of the
government here, which is under the
absolute control of Congress Citizens
have no right here except to pay taxes
and to draw salaries. All this talk
about what the government contrib
utes to the District of Columbia
amounts to cents per capita on the
people of this country. The people of
New Hampshire are willing to pay it,
They would like to pay more and
make this city still more beautiful
than 1t is"