Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-02
gress Ahould deal fairly with the people
Of the National Capital. He said In

81 the National Capital. he said IN
'This IL a very important question
It means the changing Of tho system o1
District Of Columbia.
This question was not raised IN any
manner before the committee hav'ne
this investigation in charge. 1t ID o.
to warrant its being made an inde-
pendent measure, whore all those IN
il terested might have q chance to De
heard. do not think that 1t 10 quite
fair to the committee itself: I do not
believe that it is fair to the people
who are vitality affected by it. 1t is OF
no concern to me as an Individual, ex
cept as one of the one hundred miloon
people in the United States. 1t may pc
Of very great concern to those ,N, . whose
interests are all in the city OF Wasnlns-
| ton"
| Calls Time Inappropriate.
above all other times, 1t occurs to
me that this is the most Inappropriate
time for this radical change. We are
living under abnormal conditions
throughout this country; in the city OF
| Washington they are more abnormal
| than in any other place in the United
States. By reason of these great war
activities here great amount OF wear
and tear is going on constantly thar a..
l
| circumstances. You take the streets OF
the city of Washington. They are In
bad condition and growing worse con-
stantly by reason Of the governments
OF hauling over them. which would not
be permitted under any ordinary cir
I'VE saw here the other day that
brought over here by reason Of the war
and for the purpose Of encouraging
and developing enthusiasm for the sale
! Of the governments bonds. We saw
| that immense tank going over the
streets Of the city and tearing up the
paving, much Of 1t. all to pieces. There
| fore. 1t seems to me this is not the time
for this change to be made.
I realize that much may be said in
favor of this proposition. and I dare
| say that if 1t were taken up for in
vestigation much might be said against
It,. But it occurs to me that now. while
! this city is torn up from one end to
the other by building activities: differ
the city of Washington. this radical
| change should not be had. and this
! radical change should not be had at
any time without the people vitality
affected having their day in court :.
This question was not even nooted
during the weeks Of hearings that we
had on the bill i'm the committee.
Therefore. say that to the members Of
entirely a new and novel question;
and it occurs to me that 1t is Of such
vital importance that the. fullest de-
velopment Of facts and the fullest hear
ings should be had before any steps
are taken toward making this change.
II it is good thing it will last. They
have been under this system for mahy
years. and tho results have not been
now II the proposed changes were
| made, and we might bring injustice to
| those upon whom we would not care
! to have it brought. III the change is
| to be had It Should be had in normal
| times. 1t should not be had in times
so abnormal as we now have in the
city Of Washington. Therefore think
this amendment should not be carried.
i should be, at least. deferred until
the next session Of this Congress-
those Of US who are not acquainted
| with these investigations might have
| the opportunity at least of being per-
. mitted to read them before we are
1.-THE assertion is made by the gen
tler1an from Ohio (Mr. Gard). who -
| the proponent Of this amendments.that
| 1t will make no change whatever. IN the
| taxation. that it will make no change
as far as the assessment of values is
concerne ed. Then what is the real pur-
pose? The real purpose must be that
| the money now in the Treasury may
! be expended for governmental pur-
| poses.
THAT money may be needed to make
| the repairs I have spoken about and to
| replace the wear and tear that is now
| going on by reason of these extraor-
| radical Change shovid not be n made s" at
this time and until there has been a
full and fair Investigation"
| Cannon johnson Tilt.
| Representative Cannon had q lively
| tilt with Chairman johnson Of the
District committee over the fact that
| the United States government has the
f.. estimated will be to the credit Of the
District at the end Of the next fiscal
| year.
Denying that the government owns
(, one-half Of the property in the District
| and comparing the District taxation
| with that elsewhere, Chairman johnson
| said:
1.-THE government never has owned
| that much. Way back yonder In Boss
Shepherds time he got up a table in
United States. all the public space to
| the United States, all that IL in the
rivers to the United States and all the
parks to the United States. He charged
United States. and then could not make
1t appear that the United States owned
half Of the area Of the District Of Co.
llumbia; but, driven to a final statement.
he said the government then owned ap.
lproximately half Of the values Gin the
District Of Columbia. But even that
was not true. Now, the claim Is made,
particularly by the editor Of The Star.
who seems to be tho spokesman for the
District Of Columbia, not that the Dis
trict Of Columbia pays a greater rate OF
tax than any other city Of comparable
size, but that the people here pay q
greater per capita tax than 10 paid in
other cities. There are q number OF
rich men here and there are q number
Of poor people As we'll. The poor people
own nothing or but little and the rich
own . great deal, and. in that way. the
per capita tax 10 great. When 1t comes
down to the property tax I maintain
that It 10 less in this city than In any
other city of q comparable size In the
world.
'Three years ago made a speech on
the subject, and at that time I had be-
larger in population than the District
Of Columbia and twenty just q little
smaller than the population Of the Dis
trict of Columbia. The property tax
in the District Of Columbia was less
than in any Of them. Now. bear in
mind one thing. you gentlemen who
have not heard the matter discussed
before. in the District Of Columbia
there 10 but one tax. and that 10 a mu-
nicipal tax. The real estate is taxed at
a rate Of $3.50 hundred on q two
81 q hundred. That IL the only tax II
pays, while In every other city Of the
United States there is q municipal tax.
q county tax and also q state tax.