Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-06-14
The Clash of Statistics.

denounces The Star as falSlner 1oi
differing from him concerning the per-
centare relation of the National Gov
eminent contribution to the total DIS
trict budget and concerning the num-
her of Treasury dollars, If any, in the
Districts accumulated surplus.
The Star has said that according to
Auditor Donovan's estimates the nine
millions lump sum payment OF the
Nation will for 1880 be twenty plus per
cent of the total budget. Mr.. Simmons
declares that the only true statement
Of this percentage Is approximately 20
per cent. Thomas Walker Page OF
the Institute Of Economics, after
thorough and intelligent study, says
that the Federal Government &C
tually pays less than 20 per cent OF the
budget of the District and that with IN
creasing property values here 1t Will
soon be paying much less than 20 per
cent unless the annual appropriation oy
Congress- of nine millions is increased.
Though Economist Page and Mr.. SIM
mons both differ from The Star con-
corning the percentage Of Government
contribution to the Districts total
budget The Star will not permit itself
tn indulge in denunciation OF the
veracity or lack of veracity OF It's EEL
low statisticians.
When statisticians differ in their con-
illusions the natural assumption is not
that one of them is liar, but that
there is a difference of opinion between
them concerning the premises upon
which the contradictory conclusions are
based.
In the present case. if we figure the
percentage relation of the nine millions
lump sum contribution to the Districts
general fund" ($3e,s64,0oo plus), we
conclude that the answer is % plus per
cent. If veracity is involved in these
calculations, and % plus is the correct
percentage, then all three of the differ
ing statisticians are falsifers, The Star
the least of the lot, since its percentage
most closely approximates ~ per cent.
Analysis of the conflicting figures
shows that Mr.. Page and The Star have
calculated the percentage relation OF
The nine millions lump sum payment to
the total revenue of the District, while
MIR. Simmons has increased the nine
millions lump sum by the addition OF
various disputed items and has cut down
the total revenue figures by the sub
traction OF several large items of spe-
cial revenue, the propriety Of the sub
traction of which in this connection is
disputed. Since the premises differ the
conclusions of necessity differ also.
Whether the national contribution Is
20, az or 20 per cent of the total cost
of running the municipal government"
the figure violates the substantive law,
which has resisted repeated attempts to
amend it and which self-impoSes upon
the Nation the obligation to contribute
90 per cent.
Mr.. Simmons also differs from The
Star In opinion concerning the presence
of any but District dollars in the Dis
triet's surplus. So far as this surplus
consists of money in underlined and
naturally increasing amount, set apart
by the law of 1922 to put the District
upon q pay-as-you-go basis, all OF thf
dollars are distinctly District dollars. Il
there are other dollars in the surplus
resulting from the failure of Congress
to appropriate to meet the Districts
urgent need of all of the tax money
which 1t has exacted from local tax
payers the fair presumption is that these
unspent dollars are also District dollars
The nine-million dollar lump sum does
not fiuctuate and by law is Ito be adj
vanced" on the first day of the fiscal year
and is thus available from the
very beginning of the year. The ta'
revenues do huctuate. If there hao
been failure In the District tax dollars
TO make up with the lump sum thu
amount required In the opinion OF Con
Rress to meet the municipal needs TIT
deficit would be In District dollars, a1c
60 II Congress exacted In local taxe'
more dollars than In combination witt
the fixed lump sum were required Il
meet the congressional decision Of thu
Districts needs the surplus thus created
would also, 1t seems, be wholly Distric
dollars.
There is something abhorrent In thu
theory that the injection Of a small
and steadily decreasing percentage o
Treasury dollars into the total Distric
revenues so permeates the whole mas
as to render equitable treatment Of tn
slightly affected District dollars as ma
tional or semi-national dollars in appro
priations by Congress.
Mr.. Simmons makes unkind imputa
tions Of a change of front by The sta
in respect to the civic center. The Sta
always has been and is now in favor o
ths quick purchase of land for the civil
center and of the building at the Ma
tional Capital Of model, magnificen
municipal structures, not unworthy I
represent the great Capital of tn
cords greatest Republic. The Star q
siae same time has always been and
now the advocate of equity in apportion
ing the expense Of this grand semi
national project. Congress Is the Di'
trict's legislature will naturally an
wisely impose upon the District the COZ
Of municipal buildings of the type whic
. comparable self-taxing and self-suI
tanning city would impose upon itself f.
this purpose. II Congress expends mi
lions more Of dollars upon such stru'
lures primarily TO erect for the nation
! &inU monumental hnildinas 90 eosElEs