Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-07-15
Generally Believed Body Will
Hold Out for Reten-
ton of Plan.
UNWILLING TO CHANGE
LAW IN FORM OF RIDER
Assert Organic Act Should Not Be
Altered Until Proper Substitute
Is Worked Out.

That the Senate will support the APP
preparations committee in its recon-
mendation that the half-and-half plan
of caring for the expenditures of the
District be retained, was the opinion
expressed generally at the Senate end
of the Capitol today. Attention was
called to the fact that if it comes to
a long drawn out struggle between the
two houses. the Senate has the whip
hand, since the half-and-haf plan is
the existing law. and some affirmat tive
action must be had before this law can
be changed. Should a deadlock be-
tween the two houses result. and should
ii become necessary to pass a joint reso-
luton continuing the existing law relat-
ing to appropriations for the District.
the half-and-half plan would be re-
tanned necessarily.
Members of the Senate not only are
emphatic in their statements that the
half-and-half plan is fair to the coun-
try and to the District alike, but also
in their assertions that 1t would be a
great mistake to tear down the organic
law of the District without Offering
any substitute as the House has pro-
posed to do in merely adding rider
to the District appropriation bill abol-
ishing the half-and-half plan.
Wants Separate Legislation.
They consider it a mistake to at
tempt to tear up by the roots system
of financing the District government
which has proved successful over
long term of years by means of
rider to an appropriation bill.
THE Senate committee did not be-
lieve that ii was wise or just to abollsn
the existing plan of appropriating for
appropriation bill" said Senator John
Walter Smith of Maryland today. Sen
ator Smith is chairman of the District
committee. and chairman also OF the
atoms committee which has charge of
the District bill. III any change Is
TO be made. it should be undertaken
in a separate piece of legislation. which
should be given full consideration in
both houses of Congress. The House
in doing away with the half-and-half
plan offered no sa tisfactory substitute"
The District bill is now on the Sem
ate calendar awaiting its turn with the
other appropriat ton bills. 1t may be
two or three weeks before it will have
its day in the Senate, but Senator
Smith intends to get it up for action
as soon as possible.
OSSCSS1ACAtSs
One of the Senate committee amend
ments to the bill is designed to remedy
evils of existing law so far as the
method of assessment of taxes in the
District is concerned. This amendment
is as follows:
Hereafter assessments of real es-
tate in the District of Columbia for
purposes of taxation shall be made
biennia1ly in the same manner as is
now required by law for triennial as
trict, and the time for the completion
of each biennial assessment and the
time in which appeals from such as
eessments may be taken to the board
of equalization and review shall be
the same as is now provided for the
assessment of real property which has
become subject to taxation and which
has not been taxed. and for the assess
menf of new structures: Provided,
That on and after the date of the ap-
prevail of this act all records and ac-
counts in any way relating or pertain
ing to the bookkeeping, accounting and
collection of taxes and assessments,
now prepared and kept in the Office of
the assessor of the District of Column
bia. shall be transferred to and kept in
the Office of the collector of taxes of
said District. and the collector of taxes
shall hereafter be charged with the
duties heretofore required of the as
SCISSOR in relation to the preparation
and issuance Of tax bills. and bills for
preparation for public inspection of
lists of all real estate in the District
of Columbia heretofore sold, which
may hereafter be sold, for the nom
payment of any general or special tax
or assessment. and said collector shall
furnish. whenever called upon, certi-
fed statement over his hand and Off
cial seal. of all taxes and assessments,
Nd f11 kInt :.
at the time of making the said certif-
icate: and he shall prepare the lists
OF taxes on real property in said Dis
trics subject to taxation on which
taxes are levied and in arrears on the
LIST day of July of each year:
Provided further. That on or before
November each year the assessor
shall prepare and deliver to the COL
ledgers in completed form. showing
the assessed owners, amount, descrip-
tion and value Of real property listed
for taxation in the District of Co
lumbia: and on or before April Of
each year the assessor shall prepare
and deliver TO the said collector per-
sonai tax ledgers in completed FORM
showing the names and addresses of
assessed owners. and the location and
value Of property assessed: And pro-
vided further. That In order to enable
the assessor Of the District of Co.
1umbia to make the biennial assess
ments OF real property as herein pro-
vided. there are hereby appropriated
the following sums for the employ
men of personal services, namely.
record clerk. 81 800; record clerk, 81 500:
craftsman. $1,000; two stenographers
and typewriters. at 1920 each; Ave
field men. at $1,000 each; in all. ST.
300"
Appropriations for Roads.
The Senate amendments to the ap-
preparation for construction of sub
urban roads are numerous. They fol-
low: