Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-06-25

NOT CONDEMNED
Joint Fiscal Committee Did
Not Declare 1t Unjust
or Unfair.
RECORD REFUTEs CHARGE

1t is contended that the joint con-
gressional fiscal committee of 1915
unanimously reported to the House
and to the Senate that the arbitrary
half-and-half provision was wrong;
that it was unjust and unfair to the
federal Treasury"
On the contrary, the unanimous re-
port of the joint committee is to the
effect that the half-and- half provision
is just and fair to the federal Treas
ury; that under it the District resi-
dent pays the full tax that can be
equitably exacted, and that 1t Is the
nation, and not the Washingtonian.
which contributes too little to capital
maintenance and development. The
half-and half provision is not found
to be unjust or unfair or wrong. The
committee does say that once neces-
sity, it is now no longer needed.
The committee finds that the organ
ic act of 1873 was conceived as an
economic necessity" and was justi-
fed by the exigencies of the time and
the conditions Of that day." but that
1.-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 SEEM
ing necessity--need no longer be ap-
National Contribution Still Needed
The committee indicates the changes
in conditions causing it to think that
an arbitrary half and-half rule may
not be necessary today. The District
had in 1873 less than half its present
population, and was then weighed
down by a heavy burden of debt,
w
The District no longer needs, the
committee thinks, to be compelled by
law to bear it's proper share of the
burden. On the other hand, the ma
dicates. has since 1878 recognized
the splendid utility and beauty of
the city planned on a national base;
1t has erected many buildings of the
very highest standard of architec-
ture": 1t has acquired more and more
ly governmental purposes, and with
drawing it from participation in as
sessment and taxation: Its "increas-
ing needs in this, its central
home. demand. and will continue to
more reservations" In other words.
the capital land holdings of the ma
ton and its reasonable pride in the
beautiful city which 1t has developed
have SO increased since 1873 that the
necessary to cause the nation, through
Congress, to bear half Cor even more
than halo the burden Of capital up
The Committee does not nnd that
the capital no longer needs the ma
tioRal half eontribltiens<.Qn the e93.
that the national half cUhfffbd 6h 10
needed more than ever, and should, II
altered, be increased The need Of
mare than boIf confrihufior HI, %ha
nation is affirmed; only the need Of a
law to compel at least this half con-
tribution is denied.
Washingtonian Pays. Enough.
First, in regard to what the WASH
ingtonian should equitably pay, the
committee recommends that the peo-
pie of Washington pay a tax COM
parable in assessment, rate and amount
to that tax paid by the residents of
other cities similar in population and
location to the city of Washington.
This. we believe, is eminently fair
and there should be NO greater exac.
ton in taxation from the people of
the District OF Columbia" with the
payment Of such taxes the
financial responsibility Of the residents
of the District should be concluded"
The committee further finds that I'M
der the operations OF the existing
half-and-half law District residents
are now assessed and taxed up to the
limit Of local taxation, which, they
say, cannot eQuitably be exceeded
The committee declares that the
present assessment valuation of pri-
vately owned real estate in Washing
ton is fair and reasonable; the pay
ment of taxes on real estate from the
assessments as they are now constf-
tuted Is fair and reasonable response
in such taxation for municipal bene-
fits received by the citizens Of the
District: the annual tax in Wash
ington is approximately SIG per cap
tia. In the judgment of your COM
mittee this is reasonable tax levy
at this time. especially when we con-
slider. as we must. that a large pro-
portion of the population here paws
but a small amount of the taxes i'm
posed"
In these words the committee Wig
orously indorses the half-and-half
law as absolutely fair to the nation
in exacting from the District every
cent Of tax money (and perhaps a
little more) that could equitably be
demanded in conformity with the wise
standard of measurement and of in
committee.
Nation Pays Too Little.
The committee declares that under
the half-and-half law the Washing
tonian does not pay too little. 1t also
afflrms that under this law the nation
does not pay enough Running
through the report is the suggestion
that the national expenditure upon the
nations city should be largely in
creased and not, as demanded by the