Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-11-05

the half-and-half plan ought to be
based on the value of government prop
-; erty here. The fact that the capital is
here makes the land valuable, but the
/ government could never sell it for any
thing worth while. nor could it be trad
/! ed. For that reason Washington is not
| comparable to any other capital in the
i world"
3; The citizens committee does not base
| its contention for the half and half on
/ that, Mr.. Cooper" said II. b. F. Mac
! farland.
i II know that, but there have been
| some arguments along that line"
| I'VE merely present the government
land as exempt from taxation.
| Senator Works handed to Commits
Sloner Newman n chart made for him
| by one of the assistant assessors, show
ing some remarkable increases in as
sessmentS on vacant lands in the Dis
trict. and MIR. Newman said he would
examine it with a view to spea king on
the subject later.
The committee was interested in what
Commissioner Newman said about the
matter of making out tax bills in the
assessors office, which is method as
sailed by II. ]. Browne Mr. Newman
showed Mr.. Browne law under which
the assessor is compelled to make out
the bills:
What difference does it make where
the bills are made?" asked Senator
salisbury.
Required by the Law.
THE assessor ought not to have his
office cluttered up with that work.
Commissioner Newman replied, but he
has to under the law
What was the point them"
Il put into the record said H. ].
Browne, arising, "a letter from the
District auditor recommen ding that the
tax bills be made out somewhere else,
because when made out in the as
SCISSORS office there could be way of
correcting errors that originated in
that office.
Following Commissioner Newmans
detailed explanation of certain in
creases in assessments over the 1912
figures in the business district, Sem
ator Works remarked:
"All of this goes to show that you
agree with Mr. Browne as to the under
assessment in those cases.
4 would not give him a blanket
agreement sad the Commissioner,
with smile.
But you agree with him on this"
Il agree with Mr.. Browne about
three-fourths of the time on about
three-fourths of his contentious"
Which is more than / can get any
one else to do" said Mr.. Browne
Says Churches Should Be Taxed.
j. H Adriaans entertained the fiscal
committee for few minutes yester
day afternoon by producing biblical
references to prove that churches in
the District of Columbia should be
taxed He used both Catholic and
Protestant bibles to show the COM
mittee that the Jews had ben instruct
o. nv X
Rome.
Getting down to his recommendations
for matters of interest in the present
generation, he urged the following:
An increase of federal support in the
District of Columbia instead of de-
crease.
Equal and just assessment of real
estate at full value.
Enactment of legislation to compel
all real estate deeds to show
the true consideration involved in
sales, trades, etc.
The abolition of the exemption of
taxes on privately owned property,
including churches. embassies, char
liable institutions, etc.
A tax on improvements based on the
income from the property.
A tax on income producing sureties.
Assails Form of Government.
Following him, ]. W. Nigh made
general assault upon the present form
of government of the District of
Columbia, and including in his ex-
coriation the citizens associations and
the Chamber of Commerce. This latter
organization he declared to be too ex-
elusive and likened it to Masonic
order. His complaint against the or
ganiZation was based on the assump-
ton that no association had the right
TO barter the ballot for DOODLE" which
was Mr.. highs way of expressing his
to the residents of the District of
Columbia
Favors Works Plan in Part.
John A. Johnson, a member of the
District bar, though a resident of
Maryland, made an. argument in favor
of the Works plan whereby the federal
government should pay all the ex-
penses of the District and the taxes
paid by the residents of the District
should be covered directly into the
federal Treasury. He criticised that
part of the Works plan, however. which
would do away with the District of
Columbia as a municipal corporation,
substituting the United States direct
ly as the governing power of the Dis
trict
I'm the first place." said Mr. john
son. except in the matter of contracts
you cannot sue the federal government
Therefore, if a citizen of the District
suffered injury from some negligence on
the part of an official of the federal
government. or from some neglect to
keep the streets in proper shape, the
citizen would have no redress He
pointed out that now it is possible to
sue the District government.
Mr. Johnson said that the citizens
of the District were in a very nerv-
Gus state" that they wanted to leave
well enough alone" and that they had
been taught to fear that if the half
and-half plan were done away with
there would be a large increase of
taxation here; perhaps taxes would be
doubled.
Compliments Washington Star.
II do not believe there is the slight
est ground for such a fear" said Mr.