Evening star., 1928-03-26

way case the final payment was made
solely from District tax money.
No Offsetting Benefits for Injuries.
4. There are no Offsetting benefits to
the injuries inflicted by the lump-sum
payment practice. All the predictions
of evil concerning IL have been 100 per
cent fulfilled. Not one of the benefits
promised for II has been enjoyed.
Washington was tempted to assent to
surrender its safeguard OF National pro-
portionate contribution by the assur-
ance that II a fixed lump-sum payment
were made BY the Nation, the taxpay-
ers would have practical control of the
question OF the amount OF tax money TO
be raised by themselves, of the forms Of
taxation to be adopted and of the OBJ
jects for which their tax money should
be spent: that since none of their tax
money came from the Nation or Ma
tional Treasury they could. with few
limitations, raise and spend their own
money TO suit themselves. dominated
by neither Budget Bureau nor Congress
Our experience has demonstrated that
the lump-sum payment practice has
given no greater freedom in any re-
spect whatever from the rigid super
vision and arbitrary control of Budget
Bureau and Congress; that 1t has not
increased a particle the Districts
power TO participate in its fiscal tax
ing and appropriating legislation
Congress still has and jealously exer-
cises exclusive power 10 determine
how much 1t shall be taxed, in what
forms 1t shall be taxed and for what
purposes its tax money shall be ex-
pended.
With gross unfairness It gives back
10 the Nation its pledge of propor-
tionate contribution which accom-
panied National seizure OF the Capt.
tails power OF self-taxation without
restoring 10 the District this self
taxing power OF which it had been
deprived It's practical effect is to
place a maximum limit on the con-
tribution Of Uncle Sam, who needs no
protection. and to remove the limit
entirely from the contribution under
compulsion OF the local taxpayers
who, impotent. desperately need pro-
lection from the unchecked exactions
OF the National partner. Some Of our
legislators at the time OF the adop-
tlon or the lump-sum payment prac-
tlce diSaVoWed any intent to increase
the Districts tax burden by the change
Of appropriation practice, and predict
ed that there would be no increase
Other legislators frankly announced
that one OF their purposes in chang
ing the appropriation practice--a pur-
pose which they predicted would be
accomplished--wa To enable n taxing
body In which the District is not rep
resented TO increase the local tax bur
den at it's pleasure. unchecked by the
requirement that every such increase
shall be reflected in some measure In
National taxation for Capital upbuild-
ing.
Authorized by substantive law to
collect only 60 per cent of District
appropriations from the local tax
cent.
The prophets of evil we're the true
prophets
The maximum National contribution
IL made definite during the time in
whlch Congress refrains from dimin-
lshing 1t; but all limits are declared
OF In respect 10 the local contribution
ana 1t remains definite only In the
demonstrated certainty that the local
taS burden will be largely and steadily
increased, and that the local tax
payers VIII not participate at any time
In the decision of the amount ~ ths
increase, The methods OF taxation nv
which the increase Is secured and the
purposes for which the tax money Is
spent '' %
FOR The reasons above stated. your
petiIiohers earnestly urge Congress I'm
tne pending District Of Columbia appro-
piat'on blIl to abandon the eKnerI
inehIai iump~sum pa yment practice and
70 return automatically In practice In
1'le deHhlte proportion contribution IN
accordance with the substantive law