Evening star., 1915-01-09


ment.
"Sir, if taxes are too low, let US revise
| them and make them higher. but do nos
let us take away from these waros u
| the nation, helpless and unrepresentea'
the protection Of the time-honoreo'
fundamental agreement between ove
whelming power and the helpiessne;ss ;s
for the old half-and-half arrange
ment, which is the sole protection OF
the people of Washington against our
arbitrary rule"
Details Present Arrangement.
Senator Gallinger presented to the
Senate a detailed account of the rela-
tions which have existed between the
federal government and the District.
Referring to the johnson rider. he
said:
This is not an entirely new con-
troverSy, Mr.. President. 1t appears
biennially, if not annually, and JON
with others in the belief that it ought
in some way to be settled. one year
ago we were met by proposition In an
appropriation bill to take the surplus
that the taxpayers of the District of
Columbia had raised over Wnat hau
been appropriated and turn 1t BACK
into the Treasury of the United states.
That was most extraordinary prop
District money that they had raised
by taxation and give 1t to the federal
treasury-but, nevertheless, we were
met with that proposition, when Ior-
tunately did not prevail.
1--WE are now met by another PROPOSE
tion, indefinite, and not as look upon
it, founded upon either justice OF
equity; and we are asked, on an appIo
priation bill, to destroy the work tnat
wise men thirty years ago worked out
after very laborious and careful con-
sideration. Four long years they Were
engaged in that work. In view OF tne
fact that this was the nations capltal,
in view of the fact that the District
of Columbia had given the nation one
half of the area of this District as
free gift; in view of the TACT that ths
people of this District were the WARDS
of the nation, and had very few rights
except those of living here, payins
taxes on their property, and ENJOYING
the benefits of this great capitai-ana
not to be minimized-all things con.
sidered, those wise men concluded that
the government of the Un1ted StaIes
could well afford to pay one naI ing
expenses of supporting the Capltal OF
the Nation; and the law was enacteo,
and has been on the statute books Tor
about thirty years. e.
For myself think it might be wen Ior
a Joint committee of Congress to De ap-
pointed to take this entire matter under
consideration, but 1 do in all seriousness
urge that we shall not, on an appIopli-
alton bill, adopt the measure that mas
come to us from the other House. II Is
not we'll worked out. The senator from
Georgia (Mr. Smith) has offered an
amendment which I think improves 1t.
but, after all, it is crude. and In my oudg-
ment not equitable as between the Two
interests that are concerned
Surprised at Senator James.
..I ,,,,. .,,r,r,sod vesferdav at some ut
terances that were made in the debate
observe that the senator from Kentucky
(Mr. James) suggested that the govern
ment ought not to pay any taxes on it's
property here, but all of it ought to pc
exempt from taxation; and he cited the
fact that the capitol in his state-ano
he might have said likewise the federal
building in the town of Marion, Where ne
lives-is exempt from taxation That Is
true The state capitols in every state,
apprehend, are exempt from taxation
The federal buildings scattered mere ana
there throughout the country are exempt
from taxation. That, however, IS very
different proposition from the hundreds OF
millions of dollars worth of property that
the government owns in the District OF
Columbia, probably an amount almost
equal to the taxable property of the Dis
trict. To say that that shall be exempt
from taxation is going altogether too far
II want to call attention to the tax
law of the District OF Columbia. ASIDE
from its not taxing intangibles. l think
it is about as strenuous q tax law as
can be found anywhere on earth; and
that word Intangible Is somewhat in
tangible to me. l do not know why the
word tangible would not properly
reach good deal OF so,ea!led intanglo
BILE property, but may be mistaken on
Il have had very little experience. Mr..
President. in paying taxes In the DIS
trict of Columbia, but what little ex-
perience 1 have had justifies me in say
ing that if anybody is escaping taxa
ton in the District of Columbia he
must be fortunate man. All sorts OF
taxes are levied upon the people Of the
District Of Columbia. A street is OPEN
ed half a mile from your house, and
under the law they can exact benefits
from you because of the opening of
that street That is being done con-
stantly. Other burdens are placed upon
upon the people in any other COM
munity that I have knowledge of.
81 really feel. Mr.. President. that, as
| far as this matter of taxation is con-
cerned, Congress acted wisely when the
system was inaugurated. but the time
may have arrived when It should be re-
vised: but, II so. it ought to be done
calmly, considerably and justly to all
parties in interest.
81 said yesterday that the people of
my state do not begrudge the cents
per capita that is to be paid to sup
port the government of the District of
Columbia. Other states may begrudge
| it, but our people do not. The people
| of New England have just pride in
the capital of the nation. They come
| here by hundreds and hundreds every
year. The school children come here
during their vacations, and they go
back and tell their families and the
scholars with whom they associate of
the beauty and the magnif1cence of
the capital of the great country of
which they are all SO proud. I hope
nothing will be done to halt this de-
velopment. I plead with senators to do
nothing that will halt it: and my final
plea is, Mr.. President, that this amend
ment which the committee has offered
shall be allowed to remain in the bill
and go to conference, believing that if
it prevails and the existing condition
continues one year more no harm will
come to anybody, and that in the
meantime it will give US all time to
consider the best procedure for cor
recting any Irregularities or wrongs
that may exist in the present laws re-
lating to the government of this
reservation" in realty belonging not
to the people of the District of Column
bia. but to the people of this great
country. Let us act deliberately, con-
1servatively and wisely"
Opposes James Amendment.
Senator Lee of Maryland opposed
the amendment offered by Senator