Evening star., 1915-01-10
Barring Unexpected Delay, the
Senate Will Take Up
Measure Tomorrow.
ADVERSE VOTE LIKELY
ON THE JOHNSON RIDER
Views of Commissioner Siddons Dis
approving the Abolition of Half
and-Half System.

Barring unexpected delays, the Dis
trict appropriation bill will be taken
up for consideration in the Senate to-
morrow afternoon, and Senator John
Walter Smith of Maryland will urge
speedy action upon the measure. Con-
ferees on the immig grafton bill, 1t is
true, are ready to report to the Senate
and House, and should that conference
report be called up. it might cause the
District bill to be laid aside tempo
rarily.
AS the debate has proceeded on the
District bill, it has become evident that
the Senate will stand strongly opposed
to any change in the existing half-and-
half plan of appropriating for the Dis
trict without a careful investigation
being first made. Members Of the SEN
ate are strongly opposed to enacting
general legislation in an appropriation
bill, and while the Johnson rider re-
pealing the half-andhalf plan was held
in the House not to be general legisla
tion and germane, it has been pointed
out that in it's effect it is general leg
islation, changing the organic law of
the District.
1t is expected, therefore. that the
Johnson rider will be eliminated by
vote of the Senate. Also the amend
ment to the appropriation bill which
has been offered by Senator James OF
Kentucky, amending the tax laws of
the District SO as to tax intangible
personal property, probably will fail,
although it appears that an effort will
be made to have the tax laws investi-
gated along with the relations which
exist between the federal government
and the District. The James amend
ment is, of course, subject to point
of order on the ground that it is gen
eral Legislation on an appropriation
bill, and single objection would
throw it out.
Commissioner siddons. at the hearings
on the District bill, expressed disap-
proval of the johnson rider.
Extract From Report of Hearings.
Following is an extract from the print
cd report of hearings on this subject:
Senator Gallinger-I presume, MIR.
commissioner. You are not in full ac-
cord with the proposed changes in the
organic law on page 1 of the bill.
Senator Dillingham-The House pro-
vision doing away with the half-and-
half principle.
Commissioner Siddons-Mr. Chairman
and senators. speaking .or myself. if ii
is determined that there shall be any
change or that 1T is desirable to contem-
plate making any change in the fiscal
relations between the federal govern
ment and the municipal government. 1
earnestly submit for the consideration
Of the committee the desirability of an
examination and investigation into that
question by a joint committee of the two
houses. l do that, first, because, speak
clear or convinced in my own mind
whether the present system of dividing
the expense of conducting the municipal
government is on the whole just and
appropriate one. On the other hand. I
am certainly not clear in my mind that
what is proposed by this change made
by he House. if enacted. would be just
method of treating the matter.
My own conviction is, born of a good
many years of observation of the rule
II division and the constant discussion
that occurs in the District of Columbia
and in Congress about the matter, that
unless it is brought to some very
speedy settlement in some just way
that shall commend itself to the judg-
ment of Congress the District is likely
20 suffer.
Psychological Aspect.
There is a psychological aspect Of it,
{ venture to submit, which has it's ef-
feet. The citizens of the District are
N Il state of uncertainty as to the fu-
:ure of the municipal government and
is relations with the federal govern
nent. The matter is, i think, of too
great Importance to be determined. ex-
.ept as the result of as careful an ex-
animation as could be given by, say,
'oint committee of the House and Sem
ite, appointed for the purpose. That
IS my feeling in the matter, and if l
lad to make a recommendation that
would be the recommendation l would
make.
Senator Smith of Maryland-Then we
understand you are, as Commissioner,
opposed to the change made in the
pending bill by the House.
Commissioner Siddons-At present 1
AM, in its present form, and I would