The Washington times., 1924-12-06
What Uncle Sam Should Pay
Toward Upkeep Of His
Own National Capital
BY BILL PRICE.

81
One item tells that the District Commissioners win
seek have Congress the 6O4O plan financing the
upkeep Of the Nations Capital in the next fiscal year
Another item tells us that Congressman CHARLES r
DAVIS chairman of the subcommittee Of the House Appro
prations Committee which handles the District appropriation
bill sounds warning that the Commissioners get gay
or fail to show the proper humility Congress may to
cut the 9OOOOO lump appropriated for this fiscal year
OOOOO in the next year. and raise taxes here make
up the difference
the poor old Commissioners political appointees Of the
party IN power and good citizens Of the District
Congress retain the fixed ratio Of 6O or some other fed
ratio rather than this lump sum scheme which
lent for downward change every year. they will roughly
swatted by the that be in the House they beg on
Bonded knees that the people Of the District be treated fairly
and not saddled with virtually the whole upkeep Capital
that belongs to the whole nation and to the people Of that
nation they will be swatted just the flies in summer
time.
The affairs Of the District have for years been conducted
In economical busineske manner without waste Of money
and the political graft which prevails throughout most
municipalities counties towns the United States where
the voters do not put stop it, and in nearly all instances
they unable So because the local political rings
know just how to spend the peoples tax money way that
throws much Of it to political favores and followers no
matter which party is in power.
This state Of affairs widespread despite all efforts Of
the people to stop it. has brought about high and
heavy bonded debts everywhere These bonded debts require
large part Of the tax payments to settle interest charges
The District Of Columbia under the management Of Con-
gre has wiped out its bonded debt The people this city
helped to pay off that debt accumulated during period Of
what has often been called the most exavagant in the history
of Washington.
Anyhow, our tax rate should be lower than in some
localities but comparative figures show that after ALL
about the in most cities considering that property
assessments are based full and honest values not two
thirds half values in most places Where municipalities
base their rates onehaR property valuations the tax
necessarily be high In District valuations there
again political manipulation Every piece Of property
is assessed at FULL VALUE political other pull being
ignored In other American localities political pull is power
full in having mighty low values fixed property assessments
of the influential with the result that the political bosses and
their friends escape their rghful burdens which fall
heavily honest people who do not happen stand in with
rings and cIques
These things tell the story Of high taxation through the
country and yet certain in Congress- particularly in the
House. compare tax rates here with those elsewhere
instead trying to lower the rates in their home States
cities and counties by educating the voters what being
done to them.
Aside from this the people Of the United States expect
their National Capital to be the finest and beautiful
city the world and they do not expect this be attained
by making local people put the money They expect Uncle
Sam himself to do a liberal part in making his own city
something worth while and the pride of great nation
Congressman MADDEN, who is chairman Of the House
Appropriations Committee seeks to be speaker the next
House. he is big enough for that job he ought to
be big enough to put stop to further njusces to the
NATIONAL CAPITAL ITSELF and to the tax payers Of
this city should be broad minded enough realize that
the people of Washington have voice in affairs here
that the District is the of the Federal Government and
controlled by suit the Federal Governments own ideas
It is rankly unjust that beautiful attractive Federal Capital
should have to be maintained almost wholly Of the
pockets of dranchised local citizens whose protests
sarcastcally ignored