The Washington times., 1915-01-10
FEDERATION ASKS
Citizens TO DECIDE.
ON FISCAL PROBE.
Constituent Bodies Asked to
Express Views on Need Of
Congressional Inquiry.
NEWMAN OUTLINES PLAN
Commission Present at "Get
Together" Meeting Of Cen.
tral Body.

I'VE know our Commissioners now
better than We ever did. There Is q
better understanding and closer re-
lationship between us than ever be-
FORE" said Edward F. Colladay, presi-
dent of the Federation Of Citizens AS
sociations in summing up the results OF
a get together" meeting in the Cham
ber Of Commerce rooms last night. The
speakers included each Of the three
Commissioners. Senator MARITIME Of New
Jersey, Corporation Counsel Syme. and
D. A. Edwards, former president OF the
federation.
Commissioner Siddons, Engineer Conn.,
missioner Kutz, and Mr.. Edwards sug-
gested a joint Congressional investiga-
tion Of the fiscal relations of the Dis
trict with the Federal Government, and
q resolution that the Federation in
dorse such step was referred to the
committee on law and legislation. This
committee will lay 1t before the several
constituent bodies of the federation.
Significance of Meeting.
The presence of the entire board Of
Commissioners at the meeting as we'll as
definite statements by Commissioners
Newman and kutz Is taken by many
to mean that the board looks to the
fedora ton as the most representative
organization in the District through
which the people may express their
wants and views. Commissioner New
man said that he felt he held "a sort
Of morganatic relationship to the Fed
Grafton since. as an editorial writer on
The Washington Times. when the or
ganization was first suggested, he had
urged its completion.
speech centcred chiefly around his de-
fense Of his present position as a de-
fendant in proceedings to GUST him from
Office. He talked more more freely on this this
subject than ever Ssfore hornsp Aftsr refer
complete examination of his case made
by the President before appointing him,
and by the Senate before the appoint
II sincerely believe that these acts Of
the President and the Senate: settled the
question of my eligibility. That S my
case. and l don't mind announcing here
ing squarely upon it to the end Of the
chapter.
His Platform.
When I became Commissioner 1 laid
down a general platform or set Of
broad prime pies upon which l have
based my activity as Commissioner.
That platform had three important
planks. First. the socialization Of the
instrumentalities and functions of the
District government. Second, the ef-
nd Il
tion Of privately owned public utilities
with the hope that ultimately these
concerns would pass from private to
public ownership. and third, the re-
organiza ton, readjustment and re-
form of the taxation methods Of the
District.
"When Congress passed the public
utilities law: creating a public utilities
trict Commissioners as the members Of
that commission, 1t clothed them with
complete authority. for the adequate
regulation Of such things as street cars,
telephones teL,Pp gas companies and SO
"But We found that when we came
to invoke our authority the law also
placed upon US not only authority tt
REQUIRE these companies to improye
responsibility OF :ustifying whatever
services and whatever rates we or
dered.. Then we found that we hae
no information and could get no in
formation with which to make tha
proof. We. therefore. determined tt
begin at the bottom and get that in
formation.
MY ambition to see the taxation
system of the District readiustcd suf
fered a setback last year when tho
George hill was lost in the House o
Representatives. Broadly speaking
that plank in my platform was very
well represented by tho George bill
rrySpi oh, nI n IT n
triennial assessment. for a fluctuat
ing tax rate to be fixed by the Com
missioners at wnatever percentage u
necessary to raise whatever revenu,
is needed or required. and creating al
organization sufficient to carry ou
the purposes Of the bill. I trust. how
ever. that before l leave the Office
of Commissioner this last and mucl
needed improvement in our taXatio.
system will have been made"
Views of Siddons.
Commissioner Siddons began his ad
dress by saying that he had lived il
the District more than u generation
but recently has observed with anXiet.
growing misunderstanding betweel
Congress and the citizens Of the Dis
trict that was quite incomprehensibl
to him.
II am not going to discuss the half
and-half plan. Ny position in that re
gard was made clear when | appears
before the subcommittee of the Sen
ate Appropriations Committee. \
that time / recommended that Join
House and Senate commission be ap
pointed to make a thorough examina
lion of the whole question of taxatio
in the District. The people could b
heard amply and fully and every ON
interested might state his case.
Nov is the time for us to invok
the spirit of concord and fairness:
may be true that the half-and-hal
principle should be continued. Blu
whether it is true or not there ar
many members of Congress who en-
tertain varying views on the subject
So intense Is the question that W
ought to ask that 1t be settled 1ustl!
and for all time to come
Favors Investigation.
Enstnecr Commissioner kutz said: e
can see no objection to a fair an
} thorough consideration Of the questio
of the relation between the District an
the Federal Government. feel no'
k-k h. A. mi.