Evening star., 1916-08-23


ernment. in order to make Washington
the. pride of the people of this country
and the admiration of the world
Who will contend this should be DONE
or that it can be done by about $4,000
land owners out of a population of
100000 people composing the National
Capital for the benefit of more than
100.00o.000 people in the United States,
without a greater assistance on the
part of the federal government than it
is now rendering?
Where Is Another Washington.
You have compared the general an
nuaI taxation of Washington with that
of other cities. and you have made out
a case favorable to the contention that
the local land owners are proportion
ately and sufficiently taxed. but after ALL
Mr. Editor. where is there another
Washington to use as an illustration or
comparison? Where is the other city to
which all the people of this country
look with q feeling of pride, and the
visitors from all parts of the world are
expected to admire as the Capital city
OF this great nation? Independent Of
the federal character of Washington
and the constant necessity of having
everything done here upon a national
scale OF Importance. we must remember
that whatever the burden may be here
as compared with elsewhere the people
OF other cities govern themselves, as
sumo their own obligations, make their
own improvements, levy their own as
sessments and fix their own tax rate
whether it be small or large They
know, thev consider and act with refer
ence to their municipal income. their
productive capacity and they are priv
ileged to exceed il or not. If they do
they voluntarily assume the burden
Not one of them makes or causes to be
sip 10
eral burden, nor do they pay 81 that is
imposed by other people upon them
nor do they assume duties for the bene-
At of other people. but Congress con-
ought not to be called upon to bear. and
1t has required US to pay for federal I'm
provements made for the benefit Of the
nation. Here obligations are placed
upon US by others for the benefit of the
whole country, and we are helpless.
Tax to Assist Nation.
1t occurs to me you overlook the tax
imposed upon US by Congress to assist
the nation in paying for improvements
declared by Congress to be national.
You compare the general annual rate
in Washington with the rate in other
cities. but I have not seen your COM
pariSon of the special taxation here
and elsewhere.
own property here which has been
burdened In single year with special
tax far exceeding the general annual
taxation. 1 fear Congress overlooks
make improvements largely for the
benefit of future landowners from the
proceeds of a bond issue or a long
term loan. and that we are attempting
to make these identical improvements
for a new and greater Washington
from current revenues at the expense
of the present generation Is this just,
fair and proper? Is 1t businesslike? :?
Where is the municipality in this
country: where is the bank, railroad,
commercial enterprise or manufactur
ing establishment which delays its pro-
posed self-sustaining enterprises until
current revenues enable its directors
to inaugurate needed improvements?
ments would probably never be made.
Reaches Transition Period.
I hope you realize, but I very much
fear Congress does not realize or even
consider the fact that Washington has
reached a transition period: that for
almost one hundred years we gradu-
ally established the old city. extend
ing from the river to Florida avenue
and from Georgetown to the Eastern
branch. by regulating. grading and
paving the streets. laying large water
mains. sewers. providing police and fire
departments. and making other municipal
improvements This has all been done,
not from current revenues, but to q
great extent from the proceeds of loans
obtained from time to time and bond
issues. and that twenty-five years ago
We concluded to make and we are now
building . A6w and greater Washing-
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