Evening star., 1915-11-16

and buck1er-the organic act OF 1873
in order to diminish or destroy ma
tional participation in capital main
tenance. They would by double taxa
tion compel the local community to
raise all of the revenue needed They
would substitute for the definite pro-
portionate contribution of one-half by
the nation an undetermined, indefinite
reduced to nothing or to
a very little. and that little to be
given fuctuatingly. capriciously. spas
medically, from session to session. as
the spirit moves Congress. They would
deny or minimize into a molehill the
national obligation: they would magni-
fy into a mountain the local obliga-
tion.
Washington's Desperate Resistance.
Washington desperately resisted
these successive assaults upon the law
which embodied recognition of the true
relation of the nation to the capital,
by which for thirty-seven years both
nation and nations city had benefited.
and in which is crystallized financial
principle of equity that is vitality es-
sential to the capitals prosperity and
general welfare. Through the faith
fulness and wisdom of national legis-
lators in Senate and House these at
tacks were ultimately baffied.
But the last attack, that made by an
amendment or rider on the District
appropriation bill. approved by the
House and condemned by the Senate,
was finally voted down by the House
only through the substitution for it of
provision creating a joint committee
to examine thoroughly into the whole
subject and to report the proper pro-
portionate contribution toward capital
upbuilding of nation and District, re-
spectively
Washington welcomed this tribunal.
1t felt that the facts concerning the
true relation of nation and capital were
not suff1clently known or considered by
its legislators. The creation of this
joint committee gave the people of the
capital the desired opportunity to bring
the truth in respect to these relations,
ana concerning the respective capital
Obligations of nation and District, dis
tinctly and forcibly to the attention of
thelr legislature, and thus to correct
the erroneous beliefs and unreasona BILE
preJudices which have worked such in
jury to them. They are now trying,
ganizations, to utilize this opportunity
and to destroy these harmful preju-
dices."
Indefinite Contributions,
The arrangement of indefinite con-
trlout1ons proposed as a substitute for
the half-andhalf plan gives to the un-
Iriends OF Washington every substan-
tiai power to injure which they have
demanded. They have been fighting to
secure the power to tax the District at
tnelr pleasure in the amount which
they or any of them consider just and
equitable. including those who in the
last congress nearly succeeded in get
ting the District taxes doubled on the
score of alleged equity and justice.
The proposed plan gives them precisely
this power, without the self-imposed
limitation of the half-and-half ar
rangement and without any check of
any other kind.
For years men in Congress have
sought this unrestricted power of tax
alton in the District in order to in
crease excessively the local tax bur-
den The new policy of non-resistance
We fight no longer. Take the power
you have sought in order to injure the
District; but We expect you when you
get it not to hurt, but to benefit and
bless the capital
Under the system of definite proper
tlonate contribution every dollar of
taxation exacted by Congress from the
District increases correspondingly the
national contribution. Under the pro-
posed system of indefinite contribution
every dollar eXacted, from the District
decreases correspondingly the national
contribution. The distinction is vital
in the protection of the helpless Dis
trict against excessive taxation and in
the prevention of extravaganza in
spending the local tax money. No tax
alton is just which is imposed from the
outside by an alien body in which the
taxed are not either directly or indi-
rectly represented, or in which their
interest is not substantially safe
guarded
Mr.. Cooper's Query.
Representative Cooper asked whether
there should be statute fixing the
rate of taxation and the basis of assess
ment at two-thirds actual value.
Mr.. Noyes replied:
IF we are to go back to the organic
act and have the appropriation precede
the levy of the taxes, then the rate
should, of cource. be flexible. 1t would
have to be flexible to raise, by applica-
tion. the assessment. the exact amount
that was indicated as needed by the
appropriation.
ITO declare generally that the finan-
cial responsibility in respect to the
capital is upon the nation is to an
nounce what some of us have been
urging for years. We believe that this
obligation has existed from the birth
present task is to measure in definite
terms this obligation.
ITO declare generally that reason
able and equitable taxation should be
imposed upon the Washingtonians gets
us nowhere in our task, for the pro-
portionate contribution of. the Wash
ingtonian necessarily takes the shape
of taxes and proper proportionate con-
tribution, and reasonable and equitable
taxation mean in this case precisely
the same thing.
ITO fix the Washingtonian's proper
contribution, his reason
able taxation must be fixed definitely
and precisely by this committee. and
this taxation to be equitable should
be related to a minimum national con-
tribution as a safeguard of the un-
against excessive tabatiOn
thoughtlessness or neglect"
Possible Substitute Enactment.
Mr.. Noyes said that if deprived of the
half-and- half plan, the District should
be given something exactly as definite,
with as long a continuance as possible.
Senator Works suggested that the
question should be looked at from
other than the half-and-
half plan. and Mr.. Noyes continued. say
ing that he believed the law limiting
in making their esti-
mates should be repealed. This would
relieve the cramping of the appropria-
tions and permit the estimates to rep
resent the actual needs of the District
The appropriations, he said, would more
fairly meet the needs of the District
and the threatened surpluses would not
appear.
He continued, saying:
IF there are any Surpluses we urge
that they be held as IA reserve fund,
first. to pay any District Indebtedness,
ike the alleged ancient resurrected
iebts which have been conjured up in