The Washington times., 1916-01-06

and half law" which was conceived as
an economic necessity to lift the burden
of debt from the oppressed District ana
its tax-paying citizens, was justified by
the exigencies of the time and the con-
Gitions of that day. IT CANE INTO
BEING BECAUSE THE GoNsEM,suS
DAY WAS HA JusIcE DEMANDED
THAT THE FEDERL GOVERNMENT
SHOULD DEFINITELY COME TO
THE AIDnoE THE r3Ss pIsTRIcTu sJuANI, ANP
OF THIS VAST DEBT INCURRED FOR
PUBLIC WORKS.; THIS WE THINK
is THE REAL REASON FOR THE
RAssAGE F 4 a! t,A4 or THE HALF AND
While there were those in 1878 who
doubted the propriety or even the X
pdincy of lgislation fixing. certain
and definite ratio of contribution by
expenses OF the District. this act was
apparntly considered satisfactory
compromise solution OF a problem then
exceedingly difficult of proper de-
termination by reason OF the conditions
I'm the District OF Columbia at that
time.
But we think that the conditions OF
today and of the few years last past
are so different from the conditions Of
1873 that this arbitrary rule-a rule OF
then seeming necessity-need no longer
be applied to District appropriations.
. Then the District was under a great
debt; today that debt has been very
| largely paid. and the next few years
ner m' we we have described herein.
Tim the District was surfing from the
many experimental forms of govern
ment which had been tried in successive
years almost today the form Of gov
ernment is one Of long existence. tried
and tested.
Then the population was lss than one
half of the nearly $4,000 people who now
reside in washington.
Then the pienoid utility and beauty
of the city planned on a national base
were Just beginning to be seen; now the
Government has many buildings which
are of the very highest standard of
| architecture, and has laid the founda-
ton by purchase of additional areas OF
! land Tor more public buildings. PARKS
and reservations.
More and more every year is lana
being acquired and held for strictly
governmental purposes. Withdrawn
from participation In assessment ana
taxation.
The increasing needs OF the Govern
ment in this. its central home, demand
| and will continue TO demand more
! land. more buildings. more reserva-
tions.
All Of this means that the District
OF Columbia and the National uov-
! ernment should not be longer on any
| partnership basis OF contribution. nut
that the National city, the nations
| home. should be district where the
national authority is not only supreme.
| but district where the just pride OF
n great people should insist upon its
maintenance In a manner most hitting
| to the dignity OF the citizens whose
manifestations of central government
| II is.
Nothing is clearer to US than 1t never
! was the iiEent that this District should
| dens OF expense incident to its plan
end occupancy as a National CITY. and
| any such proposed plan would be most
inequitable and UNJUST now.
| But around and about this great
workshop OF national affairs has grown
a city with all the complexities incident
TO the multifarious utilities OF mod
ern American CITY.
| 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
similar In population and location to
| the city OF Washington:
This we believe is emineItly fair, and
: there should be no greater exacton in
! taxation from the people OF the Dis
| trict OF Columbia.
In seeking to apportion benefits re,
sulting to the general government and
! to the citizens and residents. Of the
! District Of Columbia 1t is manifest trat
no line or rule OF distinction can De
found.
The expenditures Of the District Cf
Columbia are FOR police and fire pro-
lection education, sanitation, and
health. charities. correction and reform,
the care of the insane and the poor.
and in each and every one OF there
specific times Columbia are benefited,
but the ratio OF benefit is impossible
to determine and under our thought uE-
: necessary.
Here, in addition to the Emecutive
and his Cabinet, the supreme Court
and other Federal Courts: and the
over 10000 employees of the Federal
Government. These persons, drawn
from every State in the Union. with
their families. compose a large part
Of the population Of the District
Here come every day also thousands
of visitors, young and oil. to all OF
whon the lessons or patriotism re-
sultinS from n visit to the Nation S
Capital result in a higher type OF cit
tion in the affairs OF our Government
grows stronger with the realization
of it's latest power and outward clS
nity and grandeur
The protection to life and property,
.he measures to secure, health, happi'
ness, and tie BENEFITS of education, as
we'll as the measures for the care oi
the POOR and the sick. are beneficial
tho District OF Columbia. but TO all
the american people between the
The annual tax in Washington is
approximately $500 per capita.
In the judgment Of your COMMITTEE
this is res sonable tax levy at thi!
time. especially when we consider. a!
We must: that a large proportion o
the population here pays but n small
amount of the taxes imposed.
The subjects of taxation in Washing
ton differ somewhat srom those o
many other American cities Here, fo
instance. Intangible personal propert,
is not a subject Of taXlttn and take
> on franchises and earnings of public
service corporations are not classed a
personal taxes.
, We find from the evidence of far
minded men, resid~Hts OF Washington
| familiar with real estate values il
: general, that the present assessment o
real estate for taxation is fair an
reasonable.
We are perfectly aware that mar'
discrepancies lIaN appear even in th
. | best regulated assessment plan and in
! | stances OF INEQUALITY may oc found il
the present ussesSmen Mt in Washington
:. hut. taken as Il whole, the assessment
made against all classes of properly il
tn" diffcrcn, locations in the cttE ar
| equitable.
An examination OF the assessments il
some former years leads uG to belirv
that in those wears many of tn, ia!
Valuations were too low and tfat theI
many more incnualitIC! of taxation eN
: listed thar now. and that under tn
! 1I-r sent asses smCnt parne and hC n