Evening star., 1920-01-06

city OF Washington, naturally you
would ask in the first instance to what
taxation it was subject II the owner
is an honest man, he can simply reply
10 you that he does not know.
This condition of things unsettles
values In the District. No value can
be attached to a foot of real estate
owned by a property holder within the
limits Of this District, because the pur-
chaser cannot tell what taxation he will
oe subjected to- The people Of the Dis
tr1ct have a right to demand that you
sna!i hx this question permanently and
nnally. If you do not intend to bear
more than 10 per cent of the burden
OF taxation, then say SO; II you will bear
sO per cent Of 1t, then say SO. But what
ever per cent the federal government is
to bear should be determined and fixed
manent land values may be established
IN this District
Favored Definite Plan.
The reasonable limits to which this
statement should go preclude further
quotations from the eminent men who
participated in the various debates lead
ing up to the final enactment of the
organic act in 1873. There was a great
unanimity Of opinion in both the House
ana Senate that justice to the citizens
OF the District and the best interests
OF the government required that some
oennlte plan should be adopted pro-
violng Tor certain. fixed and regular
contribution from the federal govern
ment to the municipal expenses of the
;DIstrlct OF Columbia. The paramount
Importance of this arrangement was
emphasized time and again in the de-
bates.
On this subject Mr.. Poland in his
report from the House judiciary COM
hittee on June 1, 1874, said:
70 10
OF the resolution asking whether some
accurately defined basis of expendi-
~ lure could not be prescribed and main
talned by law, your committee remark
mat they believe this to be of para
mount Importance both to the federal
ana local government
Definite Proportion Favored.
1T is believed that it will be much
wiser and more economical, both to the
upon definite sum or proportion to
ne contributed by both, and it is more
important that these appropriations
snoulo be made regularly and upon
some weli defined principle, than that
tney should be large
was recognized and freely admit
teu IN the debates that the time might
ana probably would come when fairness
ana equity to both the government and
tae DlStr1ct would require the propor-
tlonate contributions to capital build
ing ana maintenance to be fixed upon
oi1erent basis than that of SO per
cent TO each. But it was undoubtedly
the deliberate Judgment Of those who
framed the act Of 1873 that the prin-
c1ple OF fixed, certain and regular
contribution from the federal govern
ment to District expenses should for
ever remain the permanent policy of
the government. Their judgment in
this matter is entitled to great respect.
1t was arrived at after mature refiec-
tlon and after they had spent years
In the most painstaking study Of the
whole problem of capital upbuilding
and maintenance.
Now Proposed to Repeal.
1T Is now proposed to uncondition-
ally repeal this provision Of the act
OF 1873. 1t is not only the ratio Of
expense borne by the government and
the District respectively as now fixed
that Is to be destroyed and broken
down. but what is more important
especially to the citizens Of the Dis
trict, the wise and well considered
plan adopted in 1873. providing for a
definite, fixed and regular contribu-
t .ion to capital expenses by the ma
tlonal government is to be discontin-
0ed. In its place will necessarily be
substituted the old hit-and-miss plan
followed from the founding Of the
capltaI down to 1878.
a bill similar to this was consid-
cred In the Ffftyfourth Congress-
The committee on the District Of CO.
lumbta made a unanimous report May
22, 1896. against the bill. Mr.. Bah
COCK of Wisconsin in SUBMIT ting the
adverse report of the committee said:
To change the act of 1878, as pro-
posed by this bill, would be a clear
reputation Of both the equitable and
legal obligations assumed by the ma
ton in regard to it's national capital
This we cannot believe Congress will
do.
"a reputation of national obliga-
tion in respect to the nations city
would result in either a discredita BILE
capital, poorly sustained by reason
able taxation upon local resources, or
In the virtual confiscatton Of local
property through excessive taxation
Sentiment in G3d Congress.
I'm the Sixty-third Congress a
Strong sentiment developed In the
House of Representatives to repeal
the half-and-half provision of the act
was predicated entirely on the argu-
ment that conditions had vastly
changed since 1878 and that the i'm
position of a tax on the residents OF
the District equal to that borne by
citizens in other cities of the country
defray all District and capital ex-
penditures without any contribution
from the federal Treasury. Elaborate
arguments were made, supported by q
great array of facts and statistics OF
apparent authenticity, to sustain the
claim that citizens OF the District
were undertaxed. 1t was argued with
great earnestness that the tax bur
dens borne by the citizens of the Dis
trict were on an average not more
than SO per cent of those Of citizens
elsewhere. The agitation for the re-
peal of the half-and-haf provision n
and the charge that citizens OF the
District were greatly undertaxed led
to the insertion Of the following pro-
vision in the District appropriation
bill Of March 8. 1915:
"That a joint select committee
senator's, to be named by the presid-
ing officer of the Senate. and three
members of the House. to be named
by the Speaker of the House of Rep
resentatives, whose duty 1t shall be
to prepare and submit to Congress a
Of the expenses Of government of the
District of Columbia. or any branch
thereof, including interest on the
funded debt, which shall be borne by
said District and the United States,
respectively, together with the rea-
sons upon which their conclusions
may be based
'sThe committee named under this
resolution consisted of Senator Chill
ton of West Virginia, chairman; Sena-
tors Works of California and Sauls-
bury of Delaware and Representa-
tives Rainey of Illinois. Cooper of
Wisconsin and Gard of Ohio.
Painstaking Investigation Made.
This committee made a most COM
prehensive and painstaking investi-
cation Of the whole subject of capi-
tai building and maintenance. The
relations of the national government
To the District of 'Colu m hia were