Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-05-16
DISTRICTS TAX REVENUES, INCLUDING SURPLUS,
SHOUI ID BE APPROPRIATED ON HALF-AND-HALF BASIS

We are here in a representative ca
pacity. Mr.. Noyes and !, who have
been chosen as the spokesman, are
members of the executive committee
of a joint citizens committee COM
posed Of representatives Of the prin-
cipal civic organizations in the Dis
trict of Columbia. the Board OF Trade.
the Chamber of Commerce. the Fed
Grafton Of Citizens Associations, COM
prising some forty associa tons in all
parts Of the District of Columbia, and
others. including an estimated mem
bership Of approximately 10000. This
membership covers the whole District
of Columbia, covers all classes of our
population. and is thoroughly repre-
sentative OF the opinion Of the District
Of Columbia on these questions. We
we might have a united representa-
ton before tho joint select commit
tee OF Congress in that year which
made an inquiry into this matter. and
we have been continued from that day
to this. In order that we might con-
tinue to represent the views Of our
constituents and to present the facts
as we gathered them for the informa-
ton Of Congress.
Let mo say that from the beginning
to this hour it has been our desire to
views as well, but the facts as facts.
without prejudice, impartially. for
whatever effect they might have.
Let me say also-what it ought to
be unnecessary to state-that we give
our services without compensation.
not as attorneys, but as citisens rep
resen4ing our fellow citi5ens In a
service which we believe to be not
only for the National Capital. but for
the whole country. service that we
consider worth while at any cost. be-
cause this question Is vital to the
life and progress OF the common
capital
The names Of the members of the
executive committee, besides myself
as chairman, are A. s. Worthington.
Theodore W. Noyes, Corcoran Thorn,
d. ]. Callahan and e. F. Colladay.
We appeared before the House COM
mittee on the District of Columbia on
the so-called Mapes bill. which is sub
stantially presented in the rider on
the rider is added this increase OF
taxation Of 66 2-3 per cent. There. as
here, the tax matter being SO inter-
woven with the half-and-half plan,
the greater part of the discussion in
the hearings was on the tax question.
mittee on the District of Columbia
who took part in the voting in the
House on the Mapes bill, ten were
convinced by our facts and stood
with US against the change, and
seven stood with the chairman of the
committee. although he had been al
lowed to report the bill by the votes
OF those who reserved their right to
vote in the House as they pleased.
X
No request has come from outside
the District of Columbia for any such
Legislation. There is no petition.
there is no letter from any Of our
fellow citizens throughout the coun-
try asking any change. They ap-
pear to be entirely content with the
the justice Of the self-imposed obli-
cation Of Congress under its primary
duty. to take care Of the National Cap
ital under the unique status Of the
nations city, to contribute one-half
Of the expenses toward the mainte-
mon capital. I never heard any OBJ.
lection from outside, and I do not
believe that anybody in the country
has any objection to paying his share,
which is about 10 cents per capita,
toward the maintenance Of the CAPT.
ment holdings, which, of course, can
not be taxed in any ordinary way, and
in compensation for the services rem
dered through the District appro-
priations for all the government de-
partments and to make the capital
what the country desires-the best in
OF course, the government shares
as a government and through it's
members and employees individually
in the benefits of all the municipal
services Of the District Of Column ia,
and any attempt to separate between
what the individuals here receive in
municipal services. as was shown by
the joint select committee in 1915, Is
absolutely fruitless. The two are
So that the people OF
the country do recognize the value
and the necessity Of the half-and-half
plan for this reason, and also as
perhaps check upon extravaganza
on the part Of citizens Of the District
in their requests, and check, on tho
other hand. against excessive taxation
on the part of the government.
Senator Jones has just spoken of
his proposed amendment which he
had already submitted before the COM
mittee on the District OF Columbia,
and which he proposes to submit here.
Besides striking out the House rider.
which ought, of course. to be done, it
provides. in a word. for the repeal OF
the limitation Of the act Of March.
1893, on the estimates Of the Commits
sioners Of the District OF Columbia.
SO that they may be able to present
all the needs Of tho District. as they
did before that time, and Congress
may then choose as to what It desires
to appropriate.
The reason for the so-cailed sur
plus or unexpended revenues Of the
District Of Columbia is that Congress-
did not have the full needs Of the
District Of Columbia before it. It
would not appropriate the fnii
amount Of the estimates. It must ana
would reduce under it's appropriating
habit, and therefore there Is piled up