Evening star., 1916-05-26
tee and ignores it's constructive recon-.


tee and ignores it's constructive recon-
| mendations.
| TT destroys outright the old law for
which the committee found no reason
or necessity for continued existence
and leaves chaos in its place.
| ut fails to provide by law fixed and
| certain local taxation along the lines
urged by the Joint committee. Such
taxation is left uncertain and fuctu-
| ating. The pending bill adds to the
| local tax burden. which the joint COM
| ditional special assessments in connec-
| tion with street paving, new charges
in connection with the aqueduct and
new rental tax on vaults under side
] walks. These local payments under
the bill reduce correspondingly the ma
I tion's contribution, which the joint
committee says is now too little
In the background with the half
| and-half law repealed lurk the in
heritance tax and the tax on intangible
| personally.
Liberal Appropriations Denied.
The new organic act, by rider on
| appropriation bill. fails to provide in
place of the repealed law the definite
policy of regular and liberal appropri-
ations by Congress. urged by the Joint
|
posed. divorced from any definite
policy. are irregular and illiberal
IF the Joint committee had found that
| the half -and-half law was grossly un-
fair to the nation, and that the District
resident was underassessed and under
taxed and shirking his proper capital
contribution. the appropriation bill.
| with Its cut of three and a half mil
| lions from the Commissioners esti-
| mates, Its new tax exactions from local
residents and its rider Internationally
repealing the half-and-half law. could
| hardly have been differently worded.
How, then, can it be maintained that
this bill is in accord with the findings.
the letter and the spirit of the joint
committees CON nm report? Will Congress,
| thought or feared that the half-and-
half arrangement was unfair to the ma
ton, adopt the rider after the law has
been demonstrated to be fair?
will not those friends of the District
| IN Congress who would repeal the half
and-half law in order that the nation
nlght 90 more than at present for the
upbuilding of the capital vigorously op-
pose repeal which reduces at once
| the national contribution by millions
and clearly points to the ultimate with
drawal >of that contribution?
snail we not all get together. sinking
public interest. and unitedly oppose re-
peal at this time. in this way and with
this disastrous result?"
Adopted With Applause.
Henry B. F. Macfarland, former Dis
trict Commissioner and chairman of
the executive committee of the citizens
committee which compiled and present.
ed to the joint select committee of Con-
sress facts In support of the continual
tion OF the half-and-half plan. moved
the adoption of the report and further
moved that the officers and members of
cnf,o cne SGard OF Trade, individually and
collectively. present the arguments
"hlch 1t contains to members of Con-
sfess. In seconding the motion, Ed
ward E. Clement further moved that
the vote be a rising one
When President Brandenbure caI1ed
for the vote every one of the 500 or
more members present rose and ap-
plauded.
Frank p Leetch called attention to
the work. done in defense OF the half
and d-half provision by Mr. Noyes and by
Mr. Macfarland, and moved that the
Board of Trade extend to them a vote
of thanks He told of the part PLAYED
oy MI Noyes in the preparation of the
special committees report. and by Mr.
mcfarland in the preparation of mat
ter contained in the Districts case as
presented before the joint select com
mlftee of Congress.
7.
Noyes and Mr.. Macfarland." said Mr.,
Leetch, these matters would not have
neen SO clearly presented. The Board
OF Trade owes a debt of gratitude to
enese gentlemen. and l move that we
extend to them in the name of the or
ganlZaton vote of thanks"
This course was pursued. and Mr.
Brandenburg in behalf of the board
thanked Mr.. Noyes and Mr.. Macfarland
Report on Water Supply.
The first matter considered at the
meeting was the annual report of the
committee on water supply, A. p
Clarke, chairman. The board concurred
In recommendation that steps be
taken to bring about the adoption of a
plan for increasing the water supply
or the city and the execution thereof
All reference to site was eliminated
from the recommendatio of the com
mittee on public health with regard to
tne proposed municipal hospital in its
annual report. Recommendations of
this committee, of which DR. D. Percy
Hickling is chairman, were as follows:
Favorlng the erection of a municipal
hospital; that duly qualified dentist
be added to the staff of each hospital
In the District Of Columbia, and that
there should be better ventilation of
street cars. either by limiting the num-
Der or passengers or by means of fans
or otherwise, as in other cities
The annual report of the membership
committee showed that the total en-
rollment of the Board of Trade at pres
ent Is slightly in excess Of 1,450 Rec
concentrations contained in the report
which was read by Charles F. Crane
are as follows; That the work of the
committee during the ensuing year be
directed more especially to keeping the
membership at it's present high-water
mark rather than to further increase
in the total membership. That when
the board shall enter upon. the next
year definite budget of work may be
mapped out and each man given an
opportunity as a member of proper
committee. actively and vigorously led
to exert his talents for the benefit of
the organization and the community"
National Forest and Park Reserve.
The following recommendation was
contained in the annual report of the
committee on national forest and park
reserve. read by William V. Cox:
That the Board of Trade urge Con-