Evening star., 1916-08-16
UNJUST SLURS
ON WASHINGTON
People of City Have Met
Faithfully and Fully Their
Capital Obligation.
NOT SELF-TAXED
AND NOT UNDERTAxED
Unjust Determinations Against
People of City-Unnecessary De-
NAL of Representation in Con-
gress and Electoral College.
No. vi.
Iitorial Correspondence of The Star.

Editorial Correspondence Of The Star.
BY THEODORE w. MOVES.
Representative johnson holds this
doctrine:
tl) Washington rcspOnsibly con-
trolls it's tax income for capital maintc-
nance and Is stinsy in tax paying, and
Is. in fnct. only half taxed as compared
with other American cities.
The maintenance and upbuiIding of
the National Capital are the primary
and practically the sole concern of the
local residents. The nation. upon which
no capital responsibility falls, and
which should in equity contribute to-
ward Its upbuiIding little or nothing.
has contributed nearly all. The local
residents. upon whom the capital re-
sponsibiIity directly fall. and who
should contribute practically every
thing. have. In fact, contributed COM
paratively little.
t11D Washington, upon which the
sole responsibility for the capitals
erably failed to meet this great obli-
EatiOn.
We Do Not Tax Ourselves; We Are
Not Undertaxed.
Washington does not control its tax
income devoted to capital maintenance.
Though taxed inequitabIy In principle
and somewhat excessiyefy In amount by
allen tax imposers and tax gatherers,
1t has paid every municipal and ma
tfonal tax levied upon 1t, though denied
the representation which in accordance
with fundamental and vital American
principles should accompany such tax-
alton.
Instead Of being haIf-taxed or up-
dertaxed in any amount Washington fs
Ms heavily taxed as the comparable
American city. though 1t has less re-
of this taxation.
This fact was conclusiveIy demon-
strnted before the Joint fiscal commit-
tee.
That committee declares in vigorous
and unmistakabIe terms that Washinx-
ton is thus equitabIy taxed.
Mr.. Johnson, using the census figures
of comparative tax rates as a standard
of measurement declared unreliable bv
the census authorities themselyes) saws
the average city tax burden and that
Washington is the lightest taxed of
American cities.
The joint congressional committee,
using the per capita tax levy standard
of measurement. which the census au-
thorities approve, finds that Washing
ton pays not one-haif of but more than
the whole of the average city tax bur
den.
The committee finds that in compari-
son with other cities Washington is
today. under the operation of the half
and-half law, reasonably and equitably
taxed. Senator Works expresses the
opinion that in these times of real es-
tate depression Washington is taxed
too high. Consider the exact words of
the committee on this vital issue. The
committee says:
The rights of the people of the Dis
trict are to be considered. and we would
therefore recommend that the people
of Washington pay tax comparable in
assessment, rate and amount to that
tax paid by the residents of other cities
similar in population and location to
the city of Washington.
This, we believe, is eminently fair,
and there should he no greater exaction
In taxation from, the people Of the Dis
trict of Columbia.
<"The annual tax in Washington is
appro ximnteIy 1900 per capita.
"In the Judgment of your committee
this is a reasonable tax levy mt this
time, especially when consider,
we must, that n large proportion of the
population here pays but small
amount of the tnnes imposed.
THE committee believes that, inde-
pendently of the question of what
should he the proper subjects of taxa
ton in the District of Columbia, the
payment of taxes Oh real estate from
the assessments as they are now con-
stituted isa fair and reasonable re-
sponse in such taxation for municipal
benefits received by the citizens of the
District
"The correct rule should be that the
responsibility in taxation of the resi-
dents of the District of Columbia be
as fixed and certain as the response
bilitv of residents of other American
cities comparable with the city OF
Washington; that with the payment OF
properly assessed against privately
owned taxable property the hnanclal
responsibility of the residents of the
District should be concluded that the
pre.ent assessment valuation OF prf-
vnteiy owned renl estate In "ashins-
ton IL fair and reasonable.
Senator Works adds on this point:
~ have been entirely convinced by
the evidence taken at the hearing that
the peopie of the District are not un-
dertnxcd They are, In my Judgment,
bc.rtnp their full share of the burden
NJ the expenses of the District. just
now when times nre hnrd and real
estate values are depressed, . thihN
they are being taxed too high. because
~. ..xc.,ment Of real estate Is too
high"