Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1918-05-02

trict with trading of the voting
privilege, when they were afraid Q,
the negro vote, for the half and-hal1
plan. He argued that the federal gov.
eminent does not occupy exclusively
more than fifty acres out Of the $4,000
in the District.
Representative Mclaughlin Of Michi.
gan argued that II ID not right for the
federal government to escape taxation
entirely on its immense property hold
ings in Washington, ana that II the
half-and-hAlf principle 10 ono-sided 1t
should be compromised on a different
proportion rather than be wiped out
altogether.
Representative Gard. in explaining
the purpose of his amendment. said
that it ''is to carry into effect not alone
two previous actions of this House.
but also the unanimous action OF a
special commission, consisting OF three
United States senators and three mem
bers Of the House Of Representatives.,
who have made finding. which finding
is the same as that embodied in the
amendment ]. have offered Its purpose
IL to stand by the authorization OF the
issue Of the funded debt OF the Dis
trict Of Columbia. and when it comes
to the payment of municipal expenses
it takes away the fiction of the half
and half
01ScuSSeo A6uy ,41WcS.
"The so-called half-and-half matter
has been discussed in the House many
times, and the House has twice voted
to strike it out because It served no
useful purpose. 1t is purely entirely
a fiction. 1t cannot accomplish any
good for the District of Columbia. and
1t can only work harm to the general
taxpayers of the United States, VINO
are called upon to contribute money
h I'd a
at time when the assistance Of the
federal government was necessary to
take care of certain extraordinary ex-
penditures Of the District But now
the District of Columbia. OF which the
has a very small indebtedness; in fact.
the Indebtedness is being paid for in
yearly proportions of appropriation,
and in 1924 there will be absolutely no
Indebtedness. The tax receipts OF o., the
~. and are now far in excess OF the
tav revenues Of 1873:
'"The plan proposed in this amend
ment is the sensible plan. the only plan
which the cities. towns and COUNTIES ties IN IN
that the District of Columbia shall pay
. fair tax: that the rate shall be as
sessed on an equitable valuation OF the
real and personal property, and tnat
that sum Of money should be applied to
tnS payment Vi lh0 CApSAsSS VI eAiS
District; that the necessary balance
shall be contributed by the federal gov.
eminent; no matter what it may be, 1t
shall be contributed 30 that the Dis
trict Of Columbia will have a, proper
and substantial government. because
this is the national oity of the country
and should be model for the capital
cities Of the world.
ITO show the limits to which we have
gone, I call the attention of the COM
mittee to the financial statement Of the
auditor Of the District Of Columbia for
the year 1918. in which he showed that
there IL At this time a cash balance to
the credit of the District of Columbia
in the Treasury Of the United States o.
$2,664,717.17, with another cash bar
ance on account Of the general fund.
so that the f ea, al o cash balances
District obligations on account Of its
share Of unbalanced appropriations
amounting to $1,313,2so9s. leaving a
resulting surplus Of revenue from all
appropriations and charges to and in
Guiding June 80. 1916. as above stated.
of S13S021S 80.