Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1922-05-06
Rate by MIl-Payable in Advance
MARYLAND and Virginia.
Unconditional Surrender?

wholesome proposals Tor the capital s
welfare and not surrender uncondi-
tionally on every issue.
The House proposed the temporary
60 10 ratio of contribution and sliding
scale taxation of realty and tangible
personally to raise the Districts so
per cent. The Senate proposed no ratio
at all. The conference proposal makes
permanent the 60-40 ratio. proposed
for the year only by the House. The
capital community gratefully appre-
ciates the yielding of the Senate on
this point and its assent to the fixing
of a permanent definite ratio of con.
tribution, in accordance with a prin
ciple of fiscal relation between nation
and capital of which the Senate has
been until very recently the enthusi-
astic and victorious champion.
The Senate proposed specific decla-
ration Of the primary obligation of
Capital. rejecting the spirit of the act
of 1878. The conference proposal shifts
this primary obligation from nation to
local taxpayers, and makes Of the ma
ton the incidental contributor toward
capital maintenance and development.
Under the law and present practice the
nation, with all the assets and power
of control in it's hands, advances
money for District maintenance for
few months in each fiscal year and re-
Of Sho
for the District share Of capital eX-
pense from the tax money then paid
In by the local taxpayers. Under the
conference proposal so completely is
the primary obligation shifted to the
local taxpayers that the latter must
accumulate and deposit in the Treas
ury in advance a whole years tax
revenue, in order that the nation may
not spend a dollar of it's 40 per cent
capital contribution until the 60 per
cent contributed by local taxpayers
has been exhausted.
The Senate proposed a fixed tax rate
Of s1.75, and that other tax provisions
should remain unchanged. The con-
ference proposes a possible realty tax
increase of so per cent and the definite
increase Of the .Washingtonian's in
tangibles tax by 6s % per cent.
The Senate proposed to utilize for
the Districts benefit Washington's ac-
cumulated f1ve-million tax surplus,
now lying idle in the Treasury, by ap-
plying it to pay the Districts share
OF the cost of some great permanent
improvement, like water supply in
crease or remedying past neglects in
buildings. The conference PROPOSAL
fatty negatives use for the Districts
benefit of the Districts surplus. and
retains it in idleness in the Treasury,
and then enlarges and intensifies the
surplus evil by creating a new and
larger prospective surplus to be main
tanned unused in the Treasury for
Uncle Sans protection against in
advertent advances to the capital, and
to be extorted in increased taxes from
The Senate proposed the exemption
Of $4,000 in the assessment of i'm
proved realty, in principle a whole
some provision. The conference cuts
out this decrease of assessment, and
proposes in it's place a so per cent in
crease of all real estate assessment.
Moreover. several other legislative
proposals, seriously affecting District
revenues, altering present law and
practices, never considered for min
ute by the Senate, never submitted
for consideration to the controller of
the Treasury. or the District auditor
or the Commissioners, or to local pub
lie sentiment are pushed to enactment
q by the conferees. the Senate yielding
In respect to all Of them.
The House proposed in defiance Of
law, equity and the controllers de-
cision to make the sinking fund pay
ment on the 1865 bonds this year on
the 60-40 ratio instead of the $3.50
ratio of the nations contractual obi
cation in respect to these bonds. The
Senate restored the $3.50 ratio, to
which the faith of the nation is
pledged. Disputing over the issue
whether this years payment into the
sinking fund should be made In &C.
cordance with the law as construed by
Controlle. Downey, or in violate of
law and Inb:ol.en precedent, the con-
ferees decided not to make any pay
ment this year at all on any ratio and
eliminated the appropriation entirely.
IN fighting over the appropriation
ms the Senate ha- been this year
unusually successful in it's labors to
secure adequate appropriations for
zeal municipal needs. and on this ac-
count the capital community owes it
debt of gratitude. On legislative issues
the Senate has seemed. however. to
gain nothing for the District, and to
Yield even when its contention was
distinctly juster and fairer than that
OF the Ho, Sc.
Surely to reciprocate for its many
surrenders the Senate should prevail
upon the Eouse to yield at least upon
the old and new surplus issues. RecOg-
nize and utilize to pay the Districts
share of capital expenditures the old
and existing surplus. Cut out as I'M
necessary and y.threatening the
proposed new surplus. Why not?
Walter Reed Buildings.