Evening star., 1924-05-28
D. c. FISCAL PLAN
ACTION IN SENATE
SEEN LATE TODAY
Backers of 60-40 System
Hopeful of Retention as
Measure Nears Vote.
Three AMENDMENTS
STILL TO BE ACTED ON
Two Hours Devoted Yesterday to
Debate on Cramton Pro-
posal on Floor.

A decision of the controversy in the
Senate over the so-called Cramton
amendment to the District appropria-
| ton bill Is expected when the Senate
resumes consideration of the amend
ment this afternoon. Supporters OF
the 60-4o plan of appropriating for
| the District. under the leadership OF
Senator Phipps of Colorado. were
hopeful that the Senate appropria-
tions committee amendment restoring
the 60-40 plan would be adopted, and
that the Cramton amendment pro-
posing a lump sum appropriation OF
| $S, S,0OO,00 as the federal government
contribution to the upkeep of the
National Capital would be rejected.
The District bill was laid aside
temporarily when the Senate met at
noon today so that a bill for the pro-
lection of Alaskan fisheries might
have the right of way. with the un-
derstanding that 1t would be taken
UP again as soon as the fisheries bill
was disposed of.
Pass Three Amendments.
The Senate yesterday afternoon
agreed to all the committee amend
ments except three, which were tenn
porarily passed over for considera-
tion today, and also to all the amend
ments which the committee had au-
thorized Senator Phipps to offer from
the floor, except that providing for
OF ri r.
plus revenues now in the Treasury
which also was passed over for future
consideration.
The Senate agreed also to an amend
ment proposed by Senator Pepper OF
Pennsylvania. chairman of the COM
mittee on library, who has been work
ing toward a comprehensive plan for
the development and beautif1cation OF
the National Capital, which provides
S53,500 for laying walks and drives In
the various parks, and OF which sum
$50, 900 is to be expended for opening
and paving walks In the Mall between
the Botanic Garden and 9Th street
northwest.
The three committee amendments
passed over without action were those
relating to the fiscal relations OF the
District and the federal government
an amendment providing funds for
the Public Utilities Commission and
an amendment relating to the pur-
tor McKellar Of Tennessee asked to
have the Public Utilities Commission
item passed over, as he desired to Of
fer later an amendment seeking TO
compel the commission to order the
street car companies to return to a
fye-cent car fare and six tickets for
25 cents.
Fiscal Amendment Debated.
Although the so-called fiscal rela-
tions amendment, which seeks to re-
store the 60-40 plan of appropriating
for the District and to strike out the
Cramton sS,000,000 lump sum as the
governments contribution toward the
support of the National Capital. was
passed over without action, that
amendment was debated in the Senate
for the better part of two hours. The
assault upon the 60-40 plan was led
by Senator Caraway of Arkansas
Senator McKellar of Tennessee and
Senator King Of Utah, with Senator
Jones of New Mexico concurring in
their demand that the lump method
of making the governments con-
tribution toward the upkeep of the
District be adopted.
Senator Phipps of Colorado and
Senator Ball of Delaware spoke In
defense of the 60-40 plan and strongly
urged that no further attempt be
made to change the fiscal relations OF
the District and the Federal govern
ment through rider on an appropria.
tion bill. Senator Phipps insisted that
such a change, If any were made
should only be made through a leg
islative bill. handled by the legisla-
tive committees. This, he said, had
two years ago the 6o-40 plan was
written into permanent law. the Sen.
ate yielding its long contest for a 60
so distribution Of the expenses OF
the District between the taxpayers
here and the federal government.
Favors Crnmton Amendment.
Senator Caraway demanded thai
the Cramton amendment, providing
$S,o00,0 900 as the federal governments
contribution to the expenses of the
District, be adopted. He said:
Then let the District Commission
ers raise the tax rates in the District
until the people here pay taxes equa
to those paid by the people of thu
capital OF Utah. the capital of New
Mexico or the capital of Delaware"
Senator Phipps, defending the 6o-4t
plan of appropriation, as proposed
the fiscal relations of the District and
the federal government. pointing out
that for many years the expense OF
the District was divided between the
two on the fifty fifty basis.
He said that when two years age
the 60-40 plan was enacted into per.
manent law 1t was the understanding
that the controversy between tn,
House and the Senate over the flsca
relations of the District had been set.
tied and that no change would b,
made in 1t except through som'
legislative measure and not through &
rider on an appropriation bill.
Assessment Method Changed.
Senator Phipps pointed out that II
the law passed two years ago tn,
method of assessment was changed 81
that property here would be assessed
at its full value.
Senator Ball quoted figures of re-
cent sales of large property here
showing that the assessed value.
were practically the same as tn,
prices paid for the property.
"I believe that the people Of tn,
District should pay fair taxes" sale
Senator Phipps, "and ] believe tina
the people Of the District are willinf
I to pay for the advantages of theil
city government just as the peopl,
pay in other states"
That Washington was city o.
tar dodgers was insisted by Senator
Caraway, Senator King of Utah ant
Senator Mcclellan of Tennessee. Sen;
ator Caraway suggested that every
| thing in the National Capital wa,
held up as model for the rest o,
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