Evening star., 1915-11-12
Works.
Interest of District Might Suffer.

l
Works.
Interest of District Might Suffer.
IT do not think that Congress is lack
ing in interest in the capital" replied
Col. Truesdell. But demands are COM
ing from all parts of the country for
| expenditures of public money. Then
there is the need for political parties
consequent pairing down of appropria-
tions. Here we have no voice in the
government and 1 am afraid that the
interests of the District would suffer"
Senator Works replied:
4 believe that Congress should be
very liberal with the District of CO.
lumbla l am sorry that the impress
sion should prevail among the citizens
of the District that Congress will be
niEgardly to-the District"
Representative Gard said that with a
fixed rate Of taxation and the triennial
assessment he did not see how taxes
could be increased here
There is agitation for annual assess
ments here" replied Col. Truesdell.
and then, too. other forms of taxa
| ton may be forced upon us if Congress
| hnds that money is needed"
Mr. Worthington asked him how
many people in the District believed
with him that the half-and-half plan
| should be retained.
Il should say 80 per cent of the peo-
pie here are for the half-and- half
plan. was the reply.
"One of the District Commissioners
testified the other day that majority
of the residents here believe with them
that the half-aRd-ha plan should be
done away with" said Mr.. Worthing-
ton.
'Oh, no." said Commissioner Brown
low. Neither Commissioner Newman
n sta TO apf
Then it was Col. Lancaster" said
Mr.. Worthington.
col. Lancaster is not one of the
commissioners said Commissioner
BroWnlow.
Representative Rainey called atten-
tion to The fact that the revenues of
the District would produce a surplus
I thls year unless Congress should ap-
pfoprlate some $4,000 for the next
fiscal year.
we could use 1t ALL" said Col Trues-
dell He added that there were very
many needs in the District which could
be looked after if that sum was an
proprlated- He said that he could con-
eslVe OF time when the revenues of
the District added to a like amount of
money contributed by the government
might be more than the District would
need. but that time had not yet come
what useful function does the Dis
tr1ct of Columbia. as a separate organf-
zation. perform?" asked Senator Works.
Defends Present Government.
Col. TruesdeH replied that it merely
acted as the agent for the United
states government He defended the
present form of government here, say
ing that he believed 1t the best that
could be devised for the capital city.
He testified, too, that there should be
some change in the present law by
which the highways are opened I'D in
new subdivisions, saying that the bur-
dens placed upon small holders were
| frequently too heavy under the existing
law. He also said that when benefits
were assessed against property owners
they should not be paid until the i'm
provements were actually made.
L believe in assessing benefits where
benefits exist" said Col. Truesdell. But
the method of assessing benefits here
has been a vicious one"
Col. Truesdell was asked by Mr..
Worthington If he thought that under
the half-and-half plan 1t was feasible
and advisable to adopt plan by which
the taxes raised in the District could
be made amenable to the needs of the
District. Mr. Worthington read from a
hbill introduced in the House by Rep
resentative George in 1914 providing
for such plan.
Col Truesdell replied that he thought
it would be an excellent plan
Mr.. Worthington then read letter
written by Commissioner Newman in
the same year to the House District
committee commencing this plan.
why didn't we hear anything of
that letter when the District Commits
SionerS were on the stand here?' asked
Mr.. Worthington.
Both Mr.. Newman and myself ad-
vocated the adoption of a plan by
which the taxes of the District should
be made to depend upon the needs of
the District" said Commissioner
Brownlow. I'VE urged it in our ad-
dresses to the committee"
"Oh. l thought you said it was not
practical under the half-and-half PLAN"
said Mr.. Worthington.
II did say So" replied Mr.. Brownlow
but we are for such a plan"