Evening star., 1915-11-16
upon real estate in, this District that
| opportunity for sale is reduced to a

upon. real estate in, this District that
opportunity for. sale is reduced to a
minimum ---- b.
with the vast amount of property
held by the federal government. to
say nothing of the constant additions
to it's holdings. and the fact that the
District has absolutely neither voice
nor control over the subject of the
wholly subject to the domination of
the government, we submit is ample
justification for the contribution now
made by Congress 1t should not be
District have no voice not only upon
the question of the imposition of
taxes, but have no say as to the dis
bursementi of the revenues or the
method in which they shall be dis
bursed, who shall be the officers to
stituency of the judiciary who admin.
lister the law. Our judiciary, as well
as the municipal authorities, are ap-
pointed by the executive. and while
act been fortunate in the high char
acter and learning of the men who
have filed those positions, the under
lying fact, still remains chat the only
place in this great nation where taxa
ton without representation still exists
is in this District.
Firm and Constant Advocate.
"In the maintenance of the organic
act and it's principles, the abrogation
of which has been inooted from time to
time, the Board of Trade has been a
firm and. constant advocate. Able and
comprehensive reports, principally from
our standing committee on municipal
finance, have been published from time
to time at the expense of the board.
with the view of presenting the Dis
trict's position to Congress.
IAN effort in the recent House to an
null the present system of contribution.
resulted in the insertion of a rider in
the District appropriation bill for 1915,
which passed the House, and but for
the action of the Senate would have re-
suited in a practical abolition of that
system.
however, contained a provision for the
appointment of d joint select commit
tee of six, three members from the Sem
ate and three from the House. who are
to prepare and submit to Congress not
later, than January I, 1916, n statement
Of the proper proportion of the ex
penses of the District of Columbia to
be borne by the United States and the
District, respectively. Fortunately for
the District. we believe the gentlemen
composing this committee approach the
subject with a fair and impartial mind
and hearings are now being conducted.
1t is confidently hoped that the con
clusions of the joint congressional COM
mittee will forever set at rest this ques-
tion.
Cooperative Action Recommended.
Upon the appointment of this conf
mittee meeting of your board of .di-
rectors was Immediately called and CO.
operative action by the organizations
of the District was recommended. This
has resulted in the designation of a
comparatively small executive com
mittee, representing practically all the
civic and trade bodies, as we'll as the
other associations, to prepare'iand pre-
sent the case of the District before the
joint congressional committee.
This committee is composed oi
Messrs. Henry b. F. Macfarland, The
odore W. Noyes, Augustus S. Worth
ington, Daniel J. Callahan, Edward F
Colladay and Corcoran Thom.. Fol
many months these gentlemen, ably as
sisted by Mr.. Thomas S. Bradley, have
been untiring in their labors in pre-
Earring to present the Districts case.
without compensation or hope of re-
ward other than q knowledge that they
were engaged in endeavoring to uphold
the rights of the District, they have
made, sacrifices unheard of in many
communities. To them particularly. as
well as the other gentlemen who have
lent assistance to this committee in
presenting the Districts case, the
thanks OF this board are due. as, well
as the thanks of every citizen of the
District having its welfare at heart
Initiation Fee Suggested.
an connection with the. growth OF
the membership, the questionsHaturally
presents itself of the advisabdi4ty of
requiring an initiation fee, from those
who may hereafter unite asitn::us. sfhe
amount of this fee shoulds:not be ex-
cessive, but If limited to - or $40
would naturally be of benefit to the
board and have a tendency TO. ma aintain
the high standing which has uniform
ly been required of all applicants for
membership. Naturally. connection with
an organization of this character is
not altogether social. but is primarily
an evidence of the public spirit of those
comprising it's membership, whose only
object is to aid in doing that which