Evening star., 1920-01-12
BILL TO Abolish
$3.50 PLAN BEING
DEBATED IN HOUSE
Representative Mapes Urges
Measure; MIR. Williams
Speaks in Opposition.
LATTER SAYS TAXPAYERS
ARE NOT UNDERTAXED
Declares False the Charge on
Which PrinaiDk Is Endeavored
to Be DESTROYED.

w AtCh = 1lH H-lVkS % A-SioNSlNOANo
to Be Destroyed.
The Napes bill. proposing to abolish
the half half' law of appropria-
tions for the support of the District
of Columbia. was under debate in the
House this afternoon. Representative
M2pes made the opening speech Cor
the bill and he was followed by
| Representative Williams of Illinois
as leader of the opposition
THE charge on which those on
deavoring to destroy the half-and-
half principle of maintaining and de-
| veloping the National Capital base
! their contest is entirely false said
Representative Thomas S. Williams of
| Illinois, leading the republican MAJOR
| ity of the House District committee
| in opposition to the Napes oil. They
| claim that the District taxpayers are
undertaxed." continued Mr.. Williams,
but in reality they are paying as
! heavy a burden of taxation and have
done so since the fathers laid oIt this
most beautiful city as do the residents
| of any other community of compar-
| able size or advantages"
| In leading the opposition to the
proposed abolition of the time-honor-
| ed half-and-half principle. as pro-
vided in the organic act. representa-
tive Williams emphasized the tact
| that it is the republican majority OF
| the House District committee that is
| standing against the Mapes bill.
| He charged Congress that it is
sacred duty upon them not TO disturb
| the fixed proportion IN regard TO
| financial relations between the resi-
| dents of the District and the federal
government until they have investi-
gated most carefully and considered
with the utmost deliberation the
real facts in the case.
| The Mapes bill was called up by
! ka
| trict committee and arrangement
made for four hours of general de-
| bate, confined strictly to the bill.
Representative Foss of Ohio presided
/ in committee of the whole.
Address by Mr.. Mapes.
Chairman Mapes started the debate
| and addressed the House for one hour.
He pointed out that there is a surplus
| of approximately S4,0o0,000 in the fed
eral treasury to the credit of the Dis
| trict taxpayers. He said it would be
| foolish to increase assessments when
what he called present low rates p-o-
duces a surplus which will be con-
stantly increasing.
Mr., Mapes quoted extensively from
testimony before the joint fiscal COM
mission in 1915, notwithstanding that
| his own committee had recently taken
voluminous testimony which covers
! conditions up to the Immediate pres
| ent. During his statements he was
| frequently interrupted by other re-
publican members who challenged
some of the statements and some or
his statistics. Representative Iihl-
man of Maryland arose to answer a
| question regarding the comparison of
| assessed values with actual sales
! Representative Murphy OF Ohio ard
+, REPRESENTATIVE Williams of Illinois
| arose to discuss the reliability o1 Ian
rates and assessment presented by
| Mr. Mapes as for their home cities
which he had received in reply to
kilograms sent by him to the home
cities of the eight republican mem
bers who had signed the report in
! opposition to the Mapes bill.
| Mr. Mapes' argument in general was
| the same as that presented in his re-
port on the bill from which he quoted
extensively.
Applause for Mr.. Williams.
| Representative Williams of Illinois
was given much applause as indicat-
ing the feeling of the House as opposed
to the proposed abolition of the half
and-half principle. He was the first
| speaker among a dozen or more OF the
most prominent men in the House who
| have asked for time to speak in opposi-
ton TO the Mapes bill. Representative
| Gould of New York, who has taken
most active part in legislation benefi-
| cial to the District, is in charge of time
for those opposed to the bill.
| Representative Williams said the
| one most important matter to be con-
sidered in connection with the Mapes
| bill is that it endeavorS to destroy
the policy adopted in 1873, whereby
the government contracts to contrib
ute a definite proportion toward the
maintenance and development of the
| Capital city. He impressed upon his
colleagues that this question of def
mite proportion is of paramount i'm
portance and that the half-and- half
! system is merely relative.
| congress should consider most
| carefully and act with the utmost de-
| liberation before it destroys this con-
tract" said Mr.. Williams Every
| committee of Congress that has con-
sidered this matter in 120 years has
| reported that it is important that the
relations of the citizens to the ma
tional government in the matter OF
maintenance and development should
be definitely fixed,' he said
! Old Haphaznrd Method.
For seventy eight years following
the having out of the Capital city.
Congress proceeded in a haphazard
method of contribution, Mr.. Williams
nointed out, and this led" he said.
ITO the people of the District being
frequently the verge OF bank,
ruptcy while this most elaborate and
beautifully designed city was wholly
1 y
and disgrace to the nation. 1t was
to correct this abuse that the definite
proportion of contribution between
the federal and local governments was
established under which has been built
up the most beautiful city in the
world" he said.
Comparison of Per Capita Tax.
'"The city of Washington pays a
! greater tax per capita than 176 of the
! 227 cities approximating it in size
! or advantages" declared Representa-
| tive Williams. He pointed out that
the bureau of census establishes the
per capita tax as the proper method
1 of computing tax burden. This is
the only method whereby you can ar
rive with any certainty regarding the
| tax burden" said Mr.. Williams. en-
| phasizing that those who charge
| Washington with undertaXation fig
ure only upon the tax rate. or the as
sessment valuation, which mean moth
! ing unless taken in proportion with
! the population"
Lanham Argues for Mnpes Bill.
Representative Lanham of Texas
| argued in support of the Mapes bill.
Strong Endorsement of the assessment
system in Washington, as absolutely
| fair and equitable, was given by Rep
| resentative. Burdick, formerly mayor
of Newport. r. ].
| II am one OF those who came to the
consideration of this question prejudiced
aga inst the city of Washington" Rep
resentative Burdick admitted. Due 20
what L believe the higher cost of living
| and the many reports that had come