Evening star., 1932-02-01

virtual confiscation of local property
through excessive taxation.
The District Did It's Duty.
THE District has shared in every
national tax and undergone Speclal ma
| tional burdens. Since the enactment
| of the internal revenue law in 1862,
| the District has paid to the United
| States Government under such law
duties to the amount OF SH8l5, ,o3o.oV,
and of customs duties during the last
ten years $557790. The latter hgureS,
it should be added, represent only the
actual amount received from duties at
| the custom house in Georgetown, the
port of entry of the District Of Colum-
bia. 1t is estimated that only about
per cent of the goods imported
into the District pass through the
Georgetown custom house, the remain
ing 95 per cent coming through other
ports at which, OF course, the duties are
levied.
The only national taxes that fall
directly and unmiStakably and In as
certainable amounts upon Americans
are the internal revenue taxes. Inc
States and Territories which have con-
tributed in 1895 less internal revenue
collections to the National Treasury
Alabama. Arkansas, Delaware, Idaho,
Maine. Mississippi, Montana, Nevada,
North Dakota, oregon, South Carolina,
South Dakota. Utah. Vermont, Wash
ington and Wyoming Q6 States, and
Alaska, Arizona, Indian Territory, New
Mexico and Oklahoma IS Territories. g.
The per capita contribution OF the
District of Columbia is greater than
that Of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado
Delaware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kan
saS, Maine, Montana, Mississippi, Ne
vada, North Dakota, oregon, South
Dakota, South Carolina, Tennessee,
Texas, Utah, Vermont, Washington
and Wyoming (22 States) and Alaska
Arizona, Indian Territory, New Mex
leo and Oklahoma (5 TerritorleS).
The District of Columbia contributed
in 1895, in internal revenue taxation
for the support of the National Gov
ernment considerably more than the
combined contributions of Maine Yer
mont, Mississippi Idaho Nevada,
North Dakota Wyoming, Arizona, In
dian Territory and Alaska.
The records show tFat for the War
OF 1912 the citizens of the District
paid direct tax of $50 900, in COM
mon with the States; raised a volun-
tary fund Of $4,000 and gave it to the
President to defend the Capital; fitted
up a building for Congress when the
Capital was burned, and rendered a
| loan OF $500 600 to rebuild the public
buildings, which Congress authorized
the President to accept.
The record further shows that the
District furnished its full share of VOL
unteerS for the Mexican War, and the
gallant deeds of some of her sons gave
to their names a worldwide fame.
In the late war the District paid
$4,000 special tax, in common with
the States, and While but seven of the
loyal States even filled their quotas,
the District filled hers and 1872 per
cent more thus eXCelling every State
of the Union but one, and had the
Districts home guard been included
as it was there, We would have eXCelled
even that one. The first volunteers
sworn into the United States service
in the late war were citizens of the
District, and to this day they have
not been paid for their equipments,
furnished at their own cost No bounty
for volunteers was ever paid here.
Though sharing all the national
I burdens, the District has not ade-
quately shared in the distribution of
national land and money among the
States for educational and other pur-
poses, but supports its school system
out Of the annual revenues.
While the General Government has
given to the States $4,000 900 surplus
cash from the Treasury and for pub
lie schools, universities. agricultural
colleges, railroads and other internal
Improvements, 35000O,OOO acres of the
public lands, its financial aid to the
District schools has been compara-
hor
given to the District an acre of the
public lands for these purposes.
In 1890 Congress provided for an
annual appropriation of $4,000 for
agricultural and mechanical schools for
each State and Territory, but excluded
the District from any share therein.
"A large number of the pupils in
the public schools of the District reside
in the States and Territories All Gov
ernment employees and officials, inClud-
ing Senators and Representatives. may
send their children to the District
schools, and many availed themselves
OF this advantage. Congress has en-
acted a compulsory law imposing a
fine Of $40 on each parent or guardian
for failure to send each child of school
age to school II weeks each year. :
In conclusion, the District of Co.
lumbia asks from Congress only JUS
tice, and not favor. It's people make
no appeal to sympathy, nor to pride,
but. strong in the equity of their case,
as here presented, they invoke for it
the impartial judgment Of an enlight-
ened Congress. If it is said that no
other city has half its expenses paid
by eXtraneouS aid, it is answered that
no other city has to maintain a mag
nificent Capital, fit to be the political
metropolis of seventy millions. If its
financial system is anomalous, its situa-
tiOn and its obligations are equally an
| omalous. The only child Of the Union,
as Senator Southland styled it so years
ago, was never so worthy as now of
its illustrious parentage. The 'exclu-
+ sive legislation of the American Con-
gress surely entails upon that body a
grave responsibility, and all that is
| asked is that the relative rights and
obligations of the District and the
Government may be discussed and de-
cided in the forum of reason, and by
the we'll settled principles of the Con-
Stitution."
Results of Comparison.
In June, 1905, Washington, with a
population of O2,883 had an assessed
value CT s239, 461 ,985. Some of the
other cities at that tine ranged as fol-
lows: Cincinnati, 343,337 population,
$3.50. .528,8 $50 assessed value; Detroit,
325,563 population, 5000. .3O4 $40; Mil
waUkee, 3l2,948 population, 1852 2,O37,-
355 assessed value; New Orleans, 3O9,-
639 population, $111,768,121; Newark,
N. j., 283,289 population, $153,OO6, ,055;
Minneapolis, 26l,974 population, s1O4,-
002,917; Jersey City, 232,6 population,
$95,935, ,305; Louisville, 222,660 popula-
ton, $92 435.344, and Indianapolis,
212 1913 population, $94 761 400.
When the tax levy and assessment
are presented on a per capita basis, in
dicating the effect On the individual
/ taxpayer, the average Washingtonian at
that time bore a heavier burden than
| the average resident of anv of those
cities. The following table based on a
] Cen.NLS special report shows the ner