Evening star., 1925-02-11

mite propOrtionate contribution pay
ment. as provided by new organic
act of June %, 1922.
To the Congress Of the United
State:
Your petitioners, the Citfzens' joint
Committee on Fiscal Relations be-
tween the United States and the Dis
trict OF Columbia and the presidents
Of it's constituent Organizations, re-
spectfully represent,
The Citizens Joint Committee on
Fiscal Relations between the United
States and District of Columbia, or
ganized In 1915. is now composed OF
authorized representatives Of the
Board of Trade, Chamber of Com
merce, Merchants and Manufacturers
Association, Federation of Citizens
Associations, Committee of One Hun
dred, Builders and Manufacturers
Exchange, Bar Association, Columbia a
Heights Citizens Association, North
east Citizens Association. Georgetown
Citizens Association, the City Club,
the d. c. Bankers Association, the
Real Estate Board, the Rotary Club
the Kiwanis Club, the Civitan Club
and the Cosmopolitan Club.
The platform of principles laid
hered to In the committees brief in
the hearings before the joint select
committee in 1915. the House District
committee In December, 1919, and the
Senate appropriations committee in
April, 1920. is as follows: ~
We contend: First, that the United
States should contribute largely to
the expenses of the District Second,
that this contribution should be a
fixed and definite proportion. Third.
that this proportion should be at
least one-half. ..- "
This platform was modified by the
Districts new organic act of 1922.
which reaffirmed the principle of def
mite proportionate contribution by To-
cal community and nation toward
Capital upbuilding. but changed the
$3.50 ratio to 60-40, imposing the 60
per cent burden upon the local tax
payers.
The committees platform of prin-
ciples. thus modified. was announced
by the executive committee of the
citizens joint committee, October 81,
1923, as follows:
We contend: First, that the United
States should contribute largely to
the maintenance and upbuildinG of
the National Capital. Second, that
this contribution should be a hxed
and definite proportion. Third, that
this proportion should be 60-40, so by
the District taxpayers and 40 by the
United States.
H. r. bill 473 provides that on and
after July /, 1924, the government of
the United States shall not bear any
fixed proportion of the expenses OF
the District OF Columbfa. but shall
pay the sum of $4,000. 900 annually to-
ward defraying such expenses of the
District as may be appropriated for
by law" This bill thus destroys ut
terly the definite proportionate re-
to protect which practically all of
the Citizens Joint Committee.
This bill Oh. r. 473) should be re-
jected for the following reasons:
/. 1t destroys the definite proper
tionate contribution system. under
the beneficent operation of which the
National Capital has wonderfully de-
veloped, and which, after seven years
of exhaustive investigation and pro-
longed discussion, has been vindi-
Gated by retention in the 1922 law.
2. 1t destroys the unrcpresented
Capitals safeguard against excessive
and unjust taxation. The compro-
mise law of 1922 coupled with the
imposition of new and heavier tax
burdens upon the Capital the vitality
important offsetting benefit Of re-
tention Of the principle of definite
proportionate contribution, the Dis
trict's safeguard against excessive
and unjust taxation by a taxing body
in which it is not represented. This
bill deprives the District of the only
feature of the compromise law OF
1922 which Is clearly advantageous
to the people of the Capital.
The vital feature of the act of 1922,
carried over from the act Of 1878, Is
that it fixes a definite equitable
standard of national participation in
CdDlLal hllS, EcIutCu ~ NhC COh
trfbutfon exacted in taxes from the
Capital community, and does not
leave this standard to the shiftings
of caprice.
From 1900 to 1913 the national
and local Capital contributions were
indefinite and unrelated. Each con-
tributed what it pleased toward Cap
ital upbuilding The nation meas
ured it's own obligations in terms OF
dollars as next to nothing. The local
community raised and disbursed It's
own taxes at its pleasure. 1t meas
ured its Capital obligation consider
ably beyond. the limits of it's meageI
taxable resources, and twice became
practically bankrupt in performing
almost unaided the nations task OF
Capital building.
In 1879 the nation confessed Its
violation or gross neglect OF Its
Capital obligation. It gave practical
expression to its revived sense ol
this obligation in its undertaking tc
pay one-half the accumulated funded
indebtedness of. the District and one.
half of future expenses. 1t took
from the District the power of self.
taxation and assumed completely ex-
ercise of the right to fix the loca
contribution as well as it's own. In
thus exerciaing taxation without
representation over the District thu
nation safeguarded the national com.
munity by the pledge that to every
dollar collected In taxes from ths
local taxpayers should be added 4
dollar from the national Treasury
and that the aggregate revenue
should be expended for Capital mp.
building. This provision protected
the District from excessive taxation
by causing a taxgatherer. alien te
the unrepresented District, to appro.
prfoate from his own Treasury for tn,
Districts benefit every time he ap-
propriated from the Districts ta1
revenue. Every dollar he took under