Evening star., 1921-12-14

Works. No more careful. conscien-
tious. painstaking senator's ever sat
On the part of the House there were
Henry T. Eainey of Illinois. a man
of long, service; Warren Gard of Ohio.
and Henry Allen Cooper Of Wisconsin.
AS l said. I have not had the time
to investigate this matter and at
tempt to show that these men were
wrong. I may be neglectful of my
duty. but l am willing to take their
Judgment with reference to the ques-
ton as to whether or not the people
of Washington are paying fair and
just rate of taxation. 1 believe they
are. and ] believe it is fair to them
and fair to the government and fair
to the citizens of this republic that
the government should say in plain.
inmistakable terms that it will pay
so per cent of the necessary expenses
of the government and that the other
90 per cent" must be put up by the
people of the District.
There are one or two other prop
ositions in this bill to which l simply
want to call the attention of the
Senate. Under the act of 1878 the
Commissioners of the District are
prohibited from submitting estimates
ations for the District in excess Of
the estimated revenues of the Dis
trict, one-half from taxes and one
half from the government. The re-
suit Oh tndt we 1eel To-Day.
l remember think it was last
winter-when the matter of increas-
ed appropriations for the schools of
the District was being agitated. My
colleague. the senator from Kansas
(Mr. Curtis). suggests that it was
last spring when the Commissioners
came before the appropriations COM
mittee. We asked them why they
had not submitted the estimates
which were necessary to put the
school system here on the basis on
which it should be. They said they
other words. the Commissioners of
the District of Columbia are prohib
tied by law now from submitting to
Congress estimates of what they con-
slider to be the imperative needs of
the District of Columbia. This bill
relieves them from that limitation
and allows them to submit to Con-
gress the estimates (which they think
ought to be submitted to take care
of the needs of the District, and
then, of course, it leaves it to Con-
gress to make appropriation for those
needs or refuse the appropriation, as
it sees fit
Want Thorough Probe.
The contention of the opponents of
the measure was that the bill should
not be passed until the whole ques-
tion of taxation here had been inves-
tigated and a fair tax rate fixed. They
pointed out that the passage of the
measure now would not prevent the
eVer-present controversy over the
half-and-half system when District
appropriation bills come up.
Senators Caraway and Glass sug-
geSted that there should be local
income and Inheritance tax here.
Senator Jones pointed out that the
al % idfr Ipf n
use the S4,000.000 surplus now in the
Treasury, and would also give them
authority to use subsequent sur
pluses should they be developed.
justice and equity the money belongs
TO the citizens who paid it, upon
the theory and under the system that
required the government to contrib
ute 81 for every dollar that they con-
tributed. and should be used on that
theory and on that basis Then we
provide. of course. that if in the fu-
ture any surplus arises it can be
credited on the succeeding year. and
if there is any deficit it has to be
made by raising the IL per cent
rate"
While he favored liberal appropria-
tions for the District, Senator King
took the stand that the District resi-
dents should be taxed heavily for
them.
should BE Taxed Heavily.
"The hundreds of thousands who re-
side here should be willing-and be-
lieve the overwhelming majority are
wilIing-to be taxed. and taxed heav-
lily, for these municipal improveme ents.
and for these great governmental and
social benefits" said Senator King.
I'VE must understand, and the people
must understand. that in order to OBJ
tain good government and all of the
advantages of modern civilization.
heavy taxes must be paid by the peo-
pie. There are some who expect fine
parks, the best of highways. school
buildings of the most approved style,
sanitation that conforms to the high
est scientific formula. waterw orks and
all the important benefits that high
degree of culture and civilization not
only portend but enjoy, without pay
ing for the same.
"Those who are familiar with the
enormous budgets of New York city
and Philadelphia and Detroit and
Cleveland and Cincinnati and other
cities of our country. know the tre-
mendous burdens. which the owners
of property are compelled to bear in
order to enjoy the blessings and ad-
vantages flowing from progressive
municipal government.
"A high social state implies a vast
organization and calls for enormous
expenditures. If we must have street
cars and Illuminated streets and mag
nificent public buildings, modern po-
lice and fire protection, educational
advantages of the highest order, and
peace and law and protection. then we
must be prepared to pay for the same.
1t also should be added that where
these great advantages are found to
exist, property values increase; SO
that there is compensa ton to be de-
rived by the property holders in the
enhanced value of their property re-
sulting from municipal improvements.
Plan Called Illogical.
1.-The plan suggested by the senator
from Washington is illogical and ar
bitrary and cannot be defended upon
any rational hypothesis. He urges a
ratio of $3.50. Why not 1855. or
25-75. or 1850, or why provide that the
people of the District pay any part of
the tax? If they are to be taxed at
ALL there must be some reason for
imposing a tax. That reason is found
in the fact that justice and equity
require that the people of the District
should pay for the benefits and bless
ings and advantages which they en-
joy.
"It is no answer to say that this is
the capital of the nation and that the
national government possesses valua-
BILE public buildings within the Dis
trict. AS a matter of fact, the build
ings. if they were not needed by the
government. would be comparatively
valueless. If they have any monetary
value it is only because the govern
ment needs them. If the seat of gov
eminent were removed to some other
part of the nation. the government
buildings within the District would