Evening star. [volume], October 25, 1915, Page 4, Image 4

About Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972

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* NO INTEREST IN LIFE J
Health Gone?Position in Dan-1
t ger?Both Saved by Vinol.
i Washington people, please do us \
the favor to read this letter: \
Brooklyn, N. Y.?"I was complete- j
' iv run down, had no appetite and (
1 lost all interest in life. I thought I(
1 surely would have to give up my
i position I learned of Yinol. and (
i after taking one bottle felt better./
1 have taken it for a few weeks and)
tit has built me up and cured me. If)
\ ?eople who feel weak, nervous and \
( run down would only try Vinol I \
(know it would help them, as it did1,
(me." Robert Mitchell, 1205 Herki-(
( mer street. Brooklyn. N. Y. f
( This Brooklyn man's case is only ^
I auuilll'iuu IMI'IH ? uai ? c ?? ? ^ i
(been telling: Washington people for)
; years. We claim and are continu- )
ally proving that Vinol is the great-\
est health and strength creator for \
overworked and run-down people1,
obtainable. We will back this
( statement by agreeing to return any (
I one's money who will try it and;
, who finds our claim not trae. )
O'Donnell's Pharmacies and other /
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?UF.Utofci>*C^Ua..TOEOirrO.CAJUDA
MR. MACFARi
AND HALF
SELECTC
Henry B. P. Macfarland, former Commissioner
of the District of Columbia,
today made a statement on behalf of
the joint citizens' committee representing1
the civic associations in the District
before the Joint select committee
of Congress appointed to investigate
the fiscal relations between the District
of Columbia and the government
of the United States.
"The joint citizens' committee," Mr.
Macfarland told the committee, "consists
of delegates from the Board of
Trade, the Chamber of Commerce, the
committee of one hundred, the Federation
of Citizens' Associations, the
Retail Merchants' Association, the Bar
Association, the Builders and Manufacturers'
Exchange, the Northeast, the
Georgetown and Columbia Heights'
citizens' associations, and the principal
civic organizations of the District
of Columbia. It was organized by
those delegates early in March last,
after the creation of the joint select
committee of Congress, so that the
constituent organizations might cooperate
in collecting and presenting
the facts as to the fiscal relation between
the United States and the District
of Columbia. By the expenditure
of much time and considerable money,
contributed by many members of the
organizations and others. In small
amounts, it has collected a mass of
data, chiefly from official sources, and
extracted the essence of them for presentation,
first In a preliminary way in
a brief filed with the Joint select committee
in July, and then more fully in
the present hearing.
"The District Commissioners, the
census bureau, the Treasury. Interior,
War, Navy and Commerce departments,
the officer in charge of public buildings
and grounds, the librarian of Congress,
the librarian of the District of
Columbia, the director general of the
Pan-American Union, and others, offii
cial and unofficial, here and in other
' cities, furnished information in response
to the committee's requests.
There was a general appreciation of
I the purpose of the joint citizens' com!
mittee, and a desire to aid it to be of
service to the joint select committee
' of Congress. We count ourselves fortunate
to have the opportunity of presenting
the substance of the facts and
our deductions to this committee,
knowing that they will be given partial
and deliberate consideration. We
realize the vital Importance to the National
Capital of the inquiry by your
committee and the action of Congress
upon its report. We rely confidently
upon the wisdom and Justice of Congress,
always shown in crises in the
history of the National Capital.
All Are National Citizens.
"We are not only District residents.
We are national citizens. We have no
other citizenship. We believe we represent
not only the local but the national
feeling respecting the National
Capital.
"We believe that the intelligent and
patriotic people of this country desir? :
their National Capital as a complete ]
city, an integral whole, to be in every
respect, physically and morally, as
nearly perfect as possible, and that
they do not begrudge the small per
capita contribution which they make
to that end any more than we residents :
begrudge the much larger per capita j
contribution, which we make. We are
proud to contribute our share.
"Our fellow countrymen are not protesting
against the continuance of the
half-and-half arrangement, nor have
they ever so protested. We feel sure
that they would not want their share
of the common burden to be shifted |
wholly or in part to our shoulders. We
shall show you that our tax burden i
is greater than that of many American i
cities, and comparable with that of j
any city of similar population, even
though there is no other city of similar
conditions.
"For we wish to emphasize throughout
that the basic reason upon which
our case rests is the unique character
of this capital, among all capitals, and
of course among all American cities, as
the only purely governmental national
capital, and on & great scale. Since
last March, when Congress laid before
[your committee the question, and, as
we understand, the only question now
to be reported upon, namely, what is
the proper proportion of the expenses
i of the government of the District of
Columbia to be borne, respectively, by
the United States and the District of Columbia,
we have been considering it in
me iiKiii oi ine iscig as we a??ernDieu
them. We have not been considering
forms of government or forms of taxation
for the District of Columbia, since
they were not comprehended in the
question before your committee.
City Under Federal Control.
"Beginning with the foremost fact of
the peculiar character of the city, as
nothing but the home of the government
of the United States and absolutely
under its control, and planned
accordingly, we were brought to the
conclusion that we were justified, by
all the facts, in our belief that the
United States should continue to contribute
largely and in a definite proportion,
which should be not less than
one-half, to the expenses of the government
of the District of Columbia.
"Our position Is not taken upon any
particular proportion between the government
property and the private property
in the District of Columbia, but
upon the general equities of the matter.
The government property exempt from
taxation is an Important fact that ought
to be considered, but it is not decisive.
Estimates of its value will differ. Exact
measurement is not possible. Moreover,
it is a shifting proportion, and therefore
unsuitable for a permanent arrangement.
a amnion on sucn a line wouia De as
detrimental to the welfare of the capital
as a division on a line between expenditures
classed as nattfc^al and expenditures
classed as local in a common
municipal outlay, even if the latter division
were practicable.
"The National Capital as such must
be first considered above the interests
of any individual, but it is not in the
Interest of the National Capital to add 1
to the tax burden of the comparatively'
few people living here, and thereby che^k
the progress now being made in its develojrfnent,
as the mere threat of such
unjust taxation has measurably done.
Quotas Senate Committee's Beport.
"Because of the fundamental importance
of the acts we dwell in our
brief and desire to dwell in this hear- !
ing with emphasis upon the origin and
design and history of the National Capital.
Thirty-five years after the national
government removed from Philadelphia
to Washington the Senate
District committee, in a report to the
Senate, said:
" 'The design of the Constitution and
Its founders was to create a residence
for the government where they should
have absolute and unlimited control,
which should be regulated and governed
by them, without the interference
of partial interests in the states: which
should be built up and sustained by
their authority and resources, not dependent
upon the will or resources of
any state or local Interest. If this had
not been the design, a temporary or
permanent seat or government would
have been selected In some populous
city or some territory subject to state
jurisdiction.'
"Chairman Southard of New Jersey,
who wrote that report in 1835, after
long study by his committee and that
of the House of the relations of the national
government to the National Cap
IU11. I'*C WVIICI IIIQli lilVil V.VIIRI DH
could actually rememb?r the establishment
of the government In the District
of Columbia. When he said in that historic
report that the committee regarded
the District of Columbia, the Federal
city, the 'child of the Union,' as 'a
creation of the Union for its own purposes'
he was stating the historic fact.
Senator Southard's Becord.
"Senator Southard was a man of unusual
ability and had an unusual career.
The son of Henry Southard of New Jersey,
a revolutionary patriot, who was
a member of Congress from 1801 to
1811 (beginning his serrtee Just after
the capital was occupied) and again
*
LAND DEFENi
' PLAN BEFi
COMMITTEE C
from 1815 to 1821, a democrat. Senator
Southard was a whig and served first
from February, 1821, to March, 1828.
In 1821 he met his father serving on a
joint committee, and they voted together
on the Missouri compromise. He
was Secretary of the Navy from September,
1828, to March, 1829, and also
Secretary of the Treasury from March
7 to July 1, 1825; also temporarily Secretary
of War. Then he was Attorney
General and Governor of New Jersey
and returned to the Senate in 1833,
serving until his resignation in 1842.
and as president of the Senate in 1841,
when Tyler succeeded President Harrison.
His personality and his knowledge
j?ive peculiar weight to his report,
which, we doubt not, the members of
this committee will carefully read.
"Riotous, unpaid revolutionary soldiers,
who, in 1783, frightened Congress
from Philadelphia to Princeton,
furnished a suggestion of a new city
secluding and safeguarding the national
government, devoted wholly to
its purposes and entirely under its
control. Alexander Hamilton, as chairman
of the committee, had to report to
Congress, June 21, that an appeal for
protection to the Pennsylvania authorities
brought the reply that the
Pennsylvania militia could not be depended
upon to protect the Congress.
The constitutional convention of 1787
therefore provided for a 'federal District*
for the seat of government. When
the city was being founded, the mob of
Paris first overawing and then destroying
the government of France showed
the wisdom of the fathers, and so, in
less degree, did the mobs of other foreign
capitals In great cities. Strike
riots and other violent outbreaks In Industrial
cities, here and abroad. In our
own time suggest what might have
happened If the national government
had remained In Philadelphia or gone
back to New York. Here, owning all
the public space In fee simple, with
complete and exclusive control of the
entire District, discouraging any Industries
except its own, the peace and
dignity and Independence of the national
government are safe from local
disturbances, and also from state or
municipal interference or any conflict
of jurisdiction.
City Pounded by Gen. Washington.
"George Washington founded the
city as the last important task of his
life. Even his reputation for common
sense did not save the magnificent plan
from ridicule, but George Washington
had a vision of the future in that day
small things, and his plan is his prediction,
written large, as though in his
own bold handwriting, that the Infant
nation would grow to need such a
great capital. The Morrill joint select
committee of Congress, in 1874, said in
its report:
" The streets, avenues, squares and
general plan of the Capital city bear
the Impress of paramount and exclusive
nationality. Spacious and grand
in design, dedicated to the sacred uses
or a capital, the provision for supervision
of all suitable Improvements and
decorations obviously properly and Imperatively
devolves upon Congress; and
: it will, as it respects the character of
| Its jurisdiction and the dignity of its
I trust, exercise a jealous care over it.'
! "The Southard report, in speaking of
I George Washington's plan, said;
" 'It is a plan calculated for the magnificent
capital of a great nation, but
| oppressive from its very dimensions
and arrangement to the inhabitants if
its execution to any considerable extent
is to be thrown upon them. No
people who anticipated the execution
and subsequent support of it out of
their own funds would ever have
dreamed of forming such a plan. It
would have been the most consummate
folly.'
House Committee Declaration.
"The House judiciary committee, in
its report of June 1, 1874, said:
" 'It is clear if this National Capital
was founded for the use of the United
States and was placed under its exclusive
government and control and
upon a scale of magnificence appropriate
only for a national capital, it
never could have been contemplated
that the burden of expenditures should
fall upon those citizens of the United
States who might temporarily or permanently
take up a residence at the
capital. Originally, we know, there
was no population here to which the
government could look for contributions
toward these expenditures; and
as the city was not to become one of
trade and commerce and manufactures
the local population could not be looked
to in the future as being sufficient,
either In numbers or wealth, to carry
out the magnificent intentions of the
founders. Nor, indeed, would It have
been just to impose this burden upon
them; for, upon the theory upon which
the capital was founded, all these expenditures
would ultimately be for the
benefit of the whole people, and Justice
would dictate that the burden should
fail upon the whole people.'
"The discussions in the constitutional
convention, especially on July 26, which
we have termed 'District day,' sustain
the view that what they designated th.'seat
of the government of the United
States' was to be solely and exclusively
for the transaction of that government's
business. It was agreed that It
should not be in any large commercial
city any more than a state capital, but
that it should be a national reserve for
'the workshop of the nation,' to use the
phrase of Senator Ingalls.
"The existing Georgetown and Alexandria
satisfied the economic need for
cities in this neighborhood. It was the
government vyhich desired and founded
the city, and the presence of a few
hundred people then or a few hundred
iii'jUBctmi peupie 11 u w wno purciy incidental
to the location and operation
of the governmental machinery on this
particular spot. President Washington
selected the site of the District and
acquired the land for the Capital city
after the cession of the sovereignty by
Maryland of that portion of the District
which atlll remains since the retrocession
of Virginia's portion in 1846.
Agreement With Land Owners.
"We quote in the brief the agreement
he obtained from the nineteen original
proprietors and the trusts upon which
they conveyed the lands to trustees
under the agreement. They gave 6,111
acres for the site of the city, and under
the agreement the United States took
4,147 acres for the streets, avenues and
reservations and one-half of the remaining
1,964 acres in the form of lots,
the original proprietors receiving back
the other half of the lots, 982 acres in
extent, or between one-sixth and oneseventh
of their original holdings.
Out of the proceeds of the United States
lots $36,099 was paid by the government
for the public reservations at the
rate of $66.23 an acre.
"As was stated in the agreement, the
proprietors expected 'great benefit'
from having the federal city established
on their lands, and all concerned expected
that from the prpceeds of the
sale of its share of the lots the government
would make real highways of
the streets and avenues which thus far
existed on paper only. There was no
one else to carry on the improvement
at that time.
"President Jefferson refers to the proceeds
of the United States lots in his
message to Congress January 11, 1802.
as Intended to "insure a considerable
surplus to the city, to be employed for
Its Improvement." But both expectations
were disappointed. Daniel Carroll.
one of the original proprietors, in
his letter of July. 1837. to the mayor
of Washington, states the common
knowlege.
" *In answer to yours, I fear the
deeds will fully express the relinquishments
of right in the streets to the
government. I nevertheless perfectly
remember that the general opinion was
that so great was the gift that the
citizens would never be subject to taxation
for the improvement of the
streets?having relinqulshel every alternate
lot to the government.
After nearly half a century the result
is now fully known; the unfortunate
proprietors are generally brought to
ruin, and some with scarcely enough to
buy daily food for their families. The
subject Is so truly frightful to me that
I hate to think of it, much less to write
of it'
Value of the U, S. Holding*.
"The United State* lota were aold
from time to time, chiefly before 1800,
OS HALF I
IRE JOINT
)F CONGRESS
and tip to 18315 they had brought $741.024.45,
which indicate? that if they had
been properly managed the general
improvement? of the city might have!
been carried on from the beginning.
The money was chiefly used for United
States buildings and improvement of
their neighborhood. i
"In the Van Ness case, 4 Pet., 232, the 1
United Supreme Court squarely decided
in an opinion by Justice Story that the
United States had 'an absolute, uncon-,
ditional fee simple* in the streets and
public squares of the city under the
conveyance by the original proprietor?.
There was elaborate argument by eminent
counsel, including Taney, afterward
Chief Justice of the United State?,
for Van Ness, and Daniel Webster and
William Wirt and Attorney General
Berrian on the other side. The case of
Smith vs. Washington, 28 How., 135,
decided in 1857, which has been quoted
as modifying the opinion in the Van
Ness case. did nnt nooa nn?? >?-. Vnn
Ness case or the question Involved in
it. And the Supreme Court, since the
Smith case, has repeatedly approved
the Van Ness case. See Steamboat
Company case, 109 U. S., 072, and Morris
vs. United States. 174 U. S., 190.
"Under the Van Ness decision the
United States could close or sell any of
the streets and reservations in the
original city of Washington. As Representative
Garfield said in the House
June 19, 1870:
" "They (the fathers) went even
further. They went so far as to arrange
that the fee simple of the streets
of the Federal city should be exclusively
and only in the government. And so
far as I know it Is the only city on the
globe that owns the fee simple to
every foot of the streets in it.
We could build a block of buildings all
the way from the western front of our
Capitol to the Treasury, filling Pennsylvania
avenue from side to side, if
we chose to do so, because we own
every foot of the ground.'
"Decisions of the courts and declarations
of public men are quoted in our
brief to show the supreme control of
Congress Without participation by the
District residents, and the fact that
CongTess exercises Its power primarily
In the interest of the United States and
also that the District residents have
not the rights of residents of states,
political or juridical. Without amendment
to the Constitution the District
cannot be represented by any one with
a vote in either Senate or House. No
District man can aspire to the presidency
or vice presidency, or even to
the electoral college. Practically none
can hope to sit on the Supreme bench.
Industrial and commercial development
are discouraged. Senator Gallinger
is quoted as saying in the Senate
last winter:
" We discourage all efforts to establish
manufacturing establishments
here. Many such attempts have been
withdrawn upon representations that
some of us have very urgently made.'
Words of Representative Borland.
"And also Representative Borland Is
quoted as saying in the House at about
the same time:
" *It is entirely unlikely that Congress
would tolerate manufacturing
districts here, with the massing of
Industrial population, the danger of
strikes, boycotts, lockouts, etc. No one
but a few real estate agents could possibly
profit by the establishment of
manufacturing Industries here. In all
other respects it would be a distinct
and irreparable disadvantage. Washington
should become the center of the
nation's artistic, literary and scientific
life.'
"The stringent provisions of the antismoke
act, February 2, 1899, and the
statutes of May 1, 1899, and June 1,
1910. restricting the height of private
buildings throughout the entire District
of Columbia, expressly excepting
buildings owned by the United States
or the District, are In line with the
control which President Washington
exercised over buildings in the beginning.
"Those who might grant that because
of its peculiar character the United
States should contribute liberally to
the expenses of the original city of
; Washington sometimes claim that
I there is no such obligation as to the
rest of the District of Columbia. They
! forget that it was the District which
j became the seat of government and
i was founded in 1790-91, and that it
! was not until May 3, 1902, that the
I city of Washington was incorporated.
; But regardless of whatever distincI
tion there may have been at the be'
ginning between the District and the
, city, they are now coterminous in fact
| and in law. The Boundary street of
old Washington became Florida avenue
years ago because the name had become
a misleading misnomer.
Act of February 21, 1871.
"The act of February 21, 1871, creating
the so-called territorial form of government,
practically extended the city of
Washington over the entire District, and
this was indisputably done by subsequent
legislation. The act of August 27, 1888,
T-iz-v future aiih/ttvlirinn of
1" w ? ?
1 land anywhere In the District of ColumI
bla outside the old city of Washington
and Georgetown should be recorded, 'un!
less made in conformity with the general
| plan of the city of Washington.' And
; then, March 2, 1893, was enacted a much
j needed act to provide a permanent system
of highways In the District outside
of the old city, and that after the adoption
of the new plan under it of highways
conforming to the plan of the city of
' Washington no further subdivision of any
land outside the old city should be recorded
unless in conformity to the map of
the plan.
"That map, the fourth and last section
of which was filed May 16, 1900,
extends many of the principal avenues
j of the original city of Washington to the
| District line, and provides for other new,
i great avenues, and in all other respects
manifests the will of the nation that
George Washington's plan shall embrace
the entire District of Columbia. We
say in the brief:
Insured Proper Development.
" 'This act of 1893, as thus carried into
effect, was a necessary and splendid proj
ceeding for the proper development of
| the National Capital. But for it the
original city would have been "cribbed,
i cabined and confined" by a surrounding
| belt of subdivisions, with narrow streets
! fitting in neither with the existing city
! streets and avenues nor with one anI
other. Numerous such subdivisions had
! previously been planned and recorded in
j Hie 6ui veyui b unices, in auvuiuauuc mini
! the laws then existing. Many of them
had been covered with private dwellings.
Over and across these subdivisions and
J over and across all the lands and build- 1
lings in that part of the District outside
of Georgetown and the original WashingI
ton the maps filed in the surveyor's office
under the act of 1893 cast a shadow
which, as to most of the land, remains
to this day. Ancient streets and other
highways in the county were abandoned,
and the authorities of the District were
expressly forbidden to keep them in repair.
Buildings already erected on the
line of the projected highways were
rendered unsalable at any price approximating
their real value. Small holdings
were so cut up by the proposed streets
and avenues that what was left could
not be profitably utilized for any purpose.
The act provided for no immediate
condemnation of any of the lands
the title to which was so affected, but
looked only to partial condemnation from
year to year in the future. And the act
further provided that when such condemnation
should take place each proprietor
should recover from his neighbors
one-half of the amount awarded to him
for his land, and that the taxpayers of
the whole District should pay the other
half?the United States contributing
nothing. When the turn of his neighbors
to have their land condemned would
come he was required to help contribute
one-half of their damages; so that in the
end he would receive only one-half his
loss.
" 'And all this was done by the nation
for the nation's glory, and at a time
when, because of the constitution of the
District?the act of June 11, 1878?the
taxpayers residing therein were induced
to remain quiet because by that constitution
they were told that the Congress
that was calling upon them to submit to
such sacrifices for the benefit of the whole
1
Union would M for all time that onohalf
of the expenses of maintaining the
magnificent city the Congress was creating
would he paid by the nation.'
"Why did not the nation from the
first carry on the development of its
capital In a regular and systematlo
fashion T It was of course because at
the outset the national Treasury, was
empty so that it had to borrow money
from Maryland and Virginia to supplement
the lot money In erecting the national
buildings. The agitation for the
removal of the capital following the
capture of Washington by the British
In 1814; "the winning of the west; the
absorption of the people In the settlement
and development of the country;
the absorption of Congress In national
political questions; the distribution
among the states and territories,
In 1837, of the first large surplus of
the national Treasury, and the civil war
prevented Congress from doing Its full
duty to the National Capital. Spasmodic
appropriations were made from
time to time for municipal purposes,
over and beyond those which were
made for public buildings and their
surroundings, but until the act of June
11, 1878. no permanent provision was
made for regular appropriations by
Congress for the expenses of the District
of Columbia. In that period the
District residents thrice bankrupted
themselves. In 1836, In 1871 and In 1874,
In their attempts to do the great task
of developing and maintaining the common
capital. The silver lining to the
cloud was that at each period the desnprAte
cnndltlnn nf the mnnlrfnftl A f
fairs secured the careful attention of
Congress which yielded reports by
committees and action by Congress of
value to the National Capital,'eventually
leading up to the most beneficial of
all, the organic act of 1878. The Intent
of the founders and the duty of Con- i
gross to contribute at least half of the
expenses were clearly set forth In the
very first of these reports by Chairman
Southard of the Senate District |
committee In 1885. It is the best au- !
thorlty on all that had grone before. It
has been quoted as the classic In subsequent
reports to Congress. It Is
noteworthy that on the different Joint
and regular committees that dealt with
this subject were some of the foremost
men In Congress, Including Allison and
Thurman.
Government's Duty Recognized.
"The duty of the national government
to contribute largely to the expenses
of the National Capital had been
recognised. The necessity that this
contribution should be a definite, fixed
proportion of the expenses had become
apparent with the 111 effects of the
lack of systematic contribution. The
indefinite method of contribution had
prevented regular, steady progress In |
the development of the city plan. In j
some years no appropriations were
made by Congress, and in other years
they varied greatly and were made
spasmodically, without relation to the
continuous execution of the plan of the
city.
"The proposition now made to return
to the unsystematic and unsatisfactory
practice before 1878 Is condemned
by the experience under that practice
and by the findings of the statesmen
of 1874-78, who changed the method of
national contribution because of that
experience. The condition of the early
records, the different methods of bookkeeping
and other reasons have made
It very difficult to ascertain even ap- I
proximately what was contributed by I
the United States and what was con- j
trlbuted by the District of Columbia '
to the expenses of the District government
between 1790 and 1878.
"From the facts collected by our committee
we can state approximately that i
the total amount contributed by the I
District of Columbia for the whole
period was $51,407,742.82, while the apparent
amount contributed by the
United States was $32,413,755.85, of
which much more than half, namely,
$18,585,857.59, was contributed between
1870 and 1878, under the new desire j
to improve the National Capital. On
the face of this statement the excess
contribution of the District of Columbia
was $18,993,986.47; but an analysis
of the contribution of the United States
such as we have made In our brief for
the period between 1790 and 1871 I
shows that a large part of the contribution
of the United States was not I
for general municipal purposes.
"But, whatever classification of the
items in the United States government's
contribution mnv K? *u -
radical fault of the method of contrl- I
button lay in its uncertainty. The rea- !
sons why. for the ?ake of the United j
State* government and for the sake of |
the District of Columbia, the amount
of United States contribution should be
in (lied proportion to the District's
contribution have been clearly stated
by congressional committees and by
senators and representatives The Allison
committee, in its report of June
16, 1874, said: 'For the protection of
the government it is essential that
some fixed, unvarying rule should be
established for the ascertainment of
what the government should contribute
toward the expenses of this District.
Without it an appropriation committee
will always be likely to be misled
into improper allowances.'
"The House Judiciary committee In
its report of June 1, 1874, said:
Lack of Consistency looted.
" 'As to the third and last branch of
the resolution, asking whether some
accurately defined basis of expenditure
cannot be prescribed and maintained
by law, your committee remark that
they believe this to be of paramount
importance both to the federal and local
government. There never has been
since the location of the capital at this
place any consistency, or even intelligence,
in the adjustment of these expenditures.
" It Is believed that !t will be much
wiser and much more economical, both,
to the national and local government,
to fix upon a definite sum or proportion
to be contributed by both, and that
it is more imoortant that these anoro
priations should be made regularly and
upon some well defined principle, than
that they should be large.'
"Senator Root, in the Senate debate
of last winter, announced that he stood
for the 'old half-and-half plan,' for one
reason?because it was 'the sole protection
of the people of Washington
against our arbitrary rule'?pointing
out that the obligation to appropriate
dollar for dollar prevented extravagant
or reckless appropriations, such as
might be made out of District revenues
without the half-and-half obligation.
"Senator Blair Lee put it strikingly
when he said that the fact that every
dollar from the District must be matched
by one that 'bites' gave the District
protection from unwise appropriations
of its money.
"False Assumptions" of 1912.
"The power of taxation and the power
of appropriation being in Congress, and
not in the people of the District of Columbia,
it is clear that the taxes might
be increased to meet increased appropriations
so as to save the national
Treasury from contributing, until those
taxes reached the point of confiscation.
Advocates of the abolition of the halfand-half
plan in Congress have proposed
this very thing. On false assumptions
they claimed, in 1912, that the
real property in the District should be
assessed at |744,000,000 and that the
real and personal property should be
oaaatHseri At SASS.AAn ftftft TKlc. lo n*
course^ preposterous, as a glance at the
census bulletin on cities for 1913 shows.
New York, Philadelphia and Boston are
the only cities there reported as .having?
real and personal property amounting:
to $933,000,000, and those three and
Pittsburgh are the only ones reported
as having more than $744,00,000 in real
property. Chicago, St. Louis, Cleveland,
Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Detroit, Buffalo,
San Francisco. Los Angeles, Milwaukee,
Cincinnati, Newark and New Orleans
are cities of greater population
and wealth than Washington, which
are reported as having much less total
property than $933,000,000 and much
less real property than $744,000,000.
"The high 1915 assessment of real
property in the District of Columbia?
an over-assessment as we claim?
amounts to $890,098,849. We shall show
that is 73.09 per cent of the true value
as to over thirty-four millions actual
I sales reported by the assessor, which
' would make the total value of real
property in the District three years
after 1912 over $533,600,000.
Mr. Underwood's Views.
"The proper principle was set forth
by Mr. Underwood pf Alabama in the
House, February 27, 1915, when he said:
'You should only levy taxes to the extent
that the exigencies of the gov
ernment require, and In distributing
the burden It should be distributed not
as & matter of charity to help the Dis- i
trlct out with eo much revenue that it
cannot pay, but there must be some
place, eome line of demarcation, where
you oan determine that the government
ought to bear a certain portion
i of the burden, and that the people of
! the District ought to bear the other
[portion; and when you fix that, then
I you ought not to levy a dollar more of
taxes than the exigencies of the government
require/
"Moreover, the new form of the oldtime
system, or lack of system, now
suggested, contemplates taking the
District revenues as national revenues
and making the appropriations for the
District in a national appropriation
bill, whioh would make It appear that
the government was paying all the expenses
of the District of Columbia, and
make constant friction In every Congress,
as new members, and even old
members, would be puzzled and confused.
Most important of all would be
+ Via fa llii pa t rt malra an cVi qtpsdv t-i rncr.
ress in the development of the National
Capital as has been possible only under
the half-and-half plan of 1878.
"The government's contribution would
fall far below the amount under the
present arrangement; the local taxes
would Increase, and the District .would
be again bankrupted. One of its effects
would be an uncertainty as to
what taxation would be required,
which in turn would render uncertain
all taxable values, and ultimately destroy
them. It is as important to the
taxing power as to the taxpayer that
such values should be reasonably
stable. On the subject we quote Mr.
Blackburn's unanswerable reason, given
in the House in 1878, why there
should be a definite proportion of
contribution between the federal
Treasury and the District of Columbia,
so that the District taxpayer
should not be left the victim of the
whim and caprice of Congress.'
Shonld Fix Percentage Permanently.
" 'Whatever per cent the federal government
is to bear,' he said, "should be
determined and fixed permanently, so
that legitimate and permanent values
may be established in the District of
Columbia.'
"Our third proposition, that the proportion
of the District expenses to be
paid by the national government
should not be less than one-half, was
fully recognized by the majority of all
the committee that passed upon the
question during the 1874-78 period,
even by the one committee, the joint
committee of 1876, which reported in
favor of a contribution by the federal
government of *not less than 40 per
cent,' according to the statement of
Mr. Hunton of Virginia, a member of
I that committee, in the debate of 1878,
I when he supported the half-and-half
plan, and said:
" 'I believe I can say. In the presence
of the gentleman from Vermont (Mr.
Hendee, who had also been a member
of the Joint committee of 1876), that a
large majority of that joint select committee
thought that 50 per cent on the
part of the government and 60 per cent
on the part of the people was about
the fair thing."
"The half-and-half plan was adopted,
as practical American statesmen settle
great questions, because it was on the
whole a fair division as between two
parties in interest, in view of all the
equities. It was not revealed from
heaven; it is not a rule of perfection,
but it has proved its value by experience,
and its Justice, to all those who
have examined the facts without prejudice.
It has been accepted by the people
of the country and the people of
the District, as on the whole the moBt
satisfactory plan that could have been
adopted; it has worked well, and it
ought not to be changed unless it is
shown by irresistible evidence that
there is better reason for a change
than has yet been produced.
Not Impaired by Departures.
"Since 1878, in the large total of District
appropriations, leaving out the
self-supporting water distribution service,
the half-and-half plan has been
followed strictly with the exception of
comparatively a very small amount of
expenditures wholly from District
revenues, amounting, to June 30, 1914,
I to only $3,120.717.49. There have been
Inn Kiirh rienartures from the nlan as
warrant the statement that it has been
impaired by departures, although it
would have been better if it had been
strictly observed.
"Much of the discussion of this question
has implied that the District of
Columbia was the only jurisdiction to
which the United States Treasury had
contributed. We have assembled the
facts as to gifts of land and money
made to the states and territories in
which the District of Columbia has not
shared. Briefly, grants of public lands
have been made amounting to 186,524,723.18
acres to the states and territories,
besides nearly as much more in
railroad land grants, which also benefited
the states and territories. The
United States has also given to the
states and territories a percentage of
the funds arising from the sales of
public lands within their boundaries
amounting, to June 30, 1914, to $16,324,910.04.
These grants of land and
money were made for public education
and public improvements.
"Under the so-called Morrill acts appropriations
of money for education in
agriculture and the mechanic arts were
made, amounting, in 1915, to $36,302,000
for agriculture and mechanic arts, and
to $27,376,861.19 for agricultural experiment
stations. Congress gave to the
states under the act of January 1, 1837,
all the surplus in the United States
Treasury except $5,000,000, which
amounted to $28,101,644.91, as 'deposits,'
which have never been recalled.
"Under the Smith-Lever act of May
1914, $480,000 has been paid for co-operative
agricultural extension work in the
RtntAH n nrl thft amount will hp InrrpanpH
each year until in 1923 it will amount to
$4,580,000, after which there will be the
permanent annual appropriation of that
amount.
"The District of Columbia shared in
none of the gifts or appropriations mentioned.
"Of the expenditures for the improvement
of rivers and harbors up to June
30, 1913, namely, $364,539,506.27, those in
the District of Columbia amounted to
$721,618.19.
Money for National Parks.
I "An interesting exhibit Is that of the
appropriations of land and money for
national parks in the states, which, up
to 1914, amounted to an acreage of
4,479,760.25, and an expenditure of
$4,755,000.73, coupled with the statement
in the annual report of the Secretary of
the Interior that in the year 1913 the
total number of visitors in all the parks
was 251,703. This is believed to be very
much less than the average number of
visjtors annually from the states to the
parks in the District of Columbia. The
inhabitants of the states in which the
national parks are found pay no more
toward their maintenance, per capita,
than the inhabitants of the District of
Columbia.
"The District residents, as we show in
our brief, have contributed their full
share of all national taxes, and more of
those taxes whose revenues can be definitely
ascertained, than the people of a
large number of the states, although it |
is notorious that this is not a manufacturing,
commercial or wealthy city. i
"In view? of the reflections sometimes j
made upon the public spirit and patriotism
of District residents, we have
mentioned the fact of their voluntary
gifts in response to all national appeals,
and their contribution of troops
beyond their quota in the civil war
and in the Spanish war.
No Under Taxing1 Here.
"Although the act of Congress does
not require the Joint select committee
to pass upon the question of assessment
and taxation in the District of
Columbia, we felt it to be necessary to
show that the people of the District
were not under' assessed or Under
taxed, but stood comparison well with
the other cities in this country in this
respect. This was done in a brief and
accompanying tables, by elaborate
comparisons drawn from the official
bulletins of the census bureau showing
that Washington compared favorably
with all other cities, when examined
even ujider standards of comparison
that were not reasonable and fair to it.
We supplement these statements, which
were summarized in the brief, with the
results of inquiries made here and in
other cities by our subcommittee on
assessment and taxation, comparing
actual sales of real property with assessments,
which conrm the deductions
drawn from the census reports.
We also show that as to the District of
Columbia the assessor has tabulated
Bale* aggregating over $54,000,000
which our committee, comparing with
the assessment, shows make the assessment
73.00 per cent instead of the
supposed 66 2-8 per cent. In view of
the fact that these assessments were
made in 1918-14. our committee believes
that an assessment on actual
value, as of today, would be much
nearer 100 per cent. While, for lack of
time and money, our subcommittee was|
not able to secure reports of a large
number of sales in any other city, it i
procured about a thousand typical
cases in twenty citiea Difficult let*
were experienced in procuring information
as to the property assessed
lowest in those cities, so that the resulting
figures are probably less favorable
to Washington than if fuller information
could have been had. Still,
they show that in thirteen of the
twenty cities the city taxes are lower
than in Washington, and when city,
county and state taxes are all included.
without making the equitable
deductions for county and state benefits
not enjoyed here, still there are
five cities whose taxes are lower than
or the same as in the District of Columbia.
"The subcommittee also submitted
statements showing the percentage of
taxes paid to the gross rental value in
* ?- ?i? -? !?. anKUn* tk. llmffa.
IWOI11J-DI* V,1 UVU, BUUjVVk t.V ???? " *~
tions due to the difficulty In getting
accurate and typical information,
which puts Washington at a disadvantage
in the comparison, but the result
shows that Washington's percentage Is
12.03 per cent as against 15.lt per cent
the general average of the cases reported
from the twenty-si* cities.
"This committee also submitted a detailed
statement of the statements and
plats of the assessor of the District,
and whioh supports the conclusions
drawn from it by our subcommittee,
and whioh we present to the Joint
select committee.
"Included in the assessor's statements
is one of the approximate value of
property exempt from taxation in the
District of Columbia, estimating that
of the United States government at
2839,947,270, and that of the District
of Columbia at 117.728,189, and of all
property, 8394,888,409.
Flan of Taxation Assumed.
"We assume that according to the
principle which Mr. Underwood laid
down in his speech which we have
quoted. Congress will not tax the District
residents simply for the sake of
taxing them, but only for the purpose
of raising the necessary revenue for
local purposes, and that If necessary
taxation will be reduced rather than
steadily increased, as has been the case,
regardless of the appropriations, so
that it Is now estimated that there
will be unappropriated revenues of the
District of Columbia in the United
States Treasury at the close of the
present fiscal year amounting to |lf500,000.
Either all the District revenues
should be appropriated under the halfand-half
plan, as is necessary to meet
the increasing needs of the District of
Columbia, or local taxation should be
reduced so as to prevent surpluses
from accumulating in the national
Treasury, though raised by taxation for
local purposes.
"The repeal of the limitation in the
act of March 3, 1909, on the estimates
of the Commissioners to double the
amount of the estimated District revenues
Is desirable In order that unused
District revenues in the national Treasury
may be Included in the estimates.
"We assume also that Congress will
not provide new forms of taxation simply
for the sake of novelty if the existing
forms of taxation are fair and
not burdensome, and provide the necessary
revenue.
"To show that even under the present
adequate taxation and the proper
increase with the increase of population
and just assessment of increased
values the District revenues alone
could only half develop or maintain
the nation's city, we would remind the
committee of the many needs for the
physical and moral progress of the
s>or?i + <il mVi I ?Vi ha va h. A n nr.aran hv
?* ?'" J/i vb???V? "/
the District Commissioners and other
authorities and not acted upon by Congress,
together with others which have
not been made, amounting to over $10,limitation
of the estimates or for other
reasons. We present a specific statement
of the estimates during the past
fifteen years by the District Commissioners
for which appropriations have
not ben made, amounting to over $10,000,000,
besides the detailed statement
in the brief of a number of objects requiring
early appropriations. We present
in support of the statement in the
brief as to what other countries do
for their national capitals detailed reports
and studies made from official
sources, showing how much more some
of these governments, notably those of
Brazil and Argentina, have done for
their capitals than the United States
has done for Washington.
Method in Other Capitals.
"We show, also, that the other national
governments encourage industrial
and commercial enterprises, resulting
in large wealth, and therefore
a large basis for taxation; and also
that the people of the other national
capitals have the same proportionate
representation in the national legislatures,
and therefore the same proportionate
voice in the taxation and appropriations
for the national capitals.
Dear Madam;
In buying new furniture a pei
just what they want, whereas you
with any design of tapestry, veh
select, springs fixed, stuffed and 1
will look like new.
We are now making a soeci;
of $9.75 for a five-piece parior !
holstered with tapestry or
stuffed and springs fixed, and
refinished like new.
Slip Covers made for five
no matter how large the pieces a
$5.98 and up.
We will be pleased to send
our representatives to see you ar
you an estimate on work withoi
obligation to you whatever.
ALL WORK GUARANTEE
BY THOUSANDS OK 8ATISFIE
Communicate with us earl
above extraordinary bargains.
Very truly yours,
I Phone, write or cell. America.
Man win bring samples. 627 I
"Banisfc
Boys' Shoes ? Nature-Sh
Men's Sox ? Fiber-Silk i
Arthur Burt (
. <
as the people of the rest of their oountrles.
"We point out that there is nothln;;
in the half-and-half plan affecting the
appropriation by the national government
of Its own money for national
buildings or memorials or other national
objects In the District of Columbia.
The assessor of the District estimates
the value of the government
buildings and the monuments in the
District of Columbia at $140,964,075,
which probably represents the greater
part of the expenditure here for national
objects, and appropriations of a
similar character are to be expected
from time to time, regardless of the
national contributions to the municipal
expenses.
"We express the belief, both as to
municipal and national objects, that
the Intelligent, patriotic people of the
country expect and desire that the national
government shall deal liberally
with the National Capital. We believe
maw mrj w mil iv vu uc wormy 01 tne
republic, and would not tolerate any
known deficiency in its facilities or
services which rendered It Inferior in
that respect in the eyes of the country
and of the world.
"The interest and pride of the country
in its capital were notably shown at
the celebration of the centenary of
the National Capital December 12. 1900.
when twenty-two states were represented
by their governors and all the
states by their senators and representatives,
as well as the President of
the United States, and when the pubUc
addresses at the White House and the
Capitol reflected that interest and
pride. The most recent exhibition of
it was last month at the meeting of
the national encampment of the Grand
Army of the Republic celebrating the
fiftieth anniversary of the grand review
at the close of the civil war. The
President of the United States told the
veterans and their friends that th*y
needed no welcome to Washington, because
it was their own capital city.
They showed their appreciation of this
sentiment and also of the marvelous
transformation of the city since 1S65.
which was well depicted to them in the
address of the president of the board
of Commissioners of the District of
Columbia. Apparently they had no
other feeling than that of satisfaction
with what had been done to improve
their capital city, and no other desire
than to see Its progress continue and
increase. We believe that this continued
progress is possible only under
a definite, fixed, regular contribution
by the United States to the expenses
of the government of the District of
Columbia, which should be not less
than one-half, as at present."
ALEXANDRIA CITIZENS TO
HOLD SANITATION MEETING
Subject to Be Discussed at Courthouse
Under Auspices of County
Medical Society.
A sanitation meeting Is scheduled for
Alexandria Court House at 8 o'clock tonight.
Among the speakers announced
are Representative C. C. Carlin, Dr.
William C. Woodward of the Washington
health office, Surgeon L. L. Lumiden,
in charge of rural sanitation for
the United States public health servioe,
and R. P. Hough, superintendent of
construction at Fort Myer.
A sanitary survey of Alexandria county
was proposed by Dr. Hugh Collins,
president of the citizens' association at
Fort Myer Heights, six months ago. It
was sent with approval to the County
Civic Federation and by that central
body to the county health board with
recommendation that the survey be requested
by the state board of health.
This movement is progressing and at
the same time the county health board.
Drs. H. C. Corbett. Ralph Quick and A.
C. Yates, Is asking the supervisors to
employ a county health officer at a salary
which will enable him to give his
whole time to the work. The County
Medical Society, under whose auspices
the meeting tonight has been called by
its secretary. Dr. R. N. Sutton of Ballston.
seeks a public discussion of the
whole subject for the educative effect
on citizens.
Mr. Carlin will speak on the general
subject of sanitation. Dr. Woodward
on "Relations of the District and Alexandria
County," Or. Lumsden on "Necessity
of Sanitary Prophylaxis," and
Mr. Hough will read a paper on "Construction
and Operation of the Septie
Tank."
Forty-Hours Devotion Begun.
Celebration of solemn high mass in
St. Dominic's Church at 11 o'clock yesterday
marked the beginning of the
iui ij ~iivui a ucYuuwi ai trie tnurcn.
The celebrant was Rev. George I. ConIon,
who also preached the sermon. The
solemnities began with a procession of
children, after which the devotions
continued until 7:30 o'clock last night.
At 8 o'clock this morning a mass of
peace was celebrated, and the high
mass of reposition is to be celebrated
at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning. A
feature of tomorrow's ceremonies is to
be a procession of members of the Holy
Name Society.
October 25, 1915.
rson often has difficulty in finding
r old furniture can be upholstered
ret, silk or leather that you may
the woodwork polished so that it
il offer
frames
V, WHICH WE CAN PROVE
D CUSTOMERS.
y and take advantage of the
n Upholstering Co.
St. N.W.?Phone Main 8139
#
years of EXPERIENCE
ROGRESS surely give
er" Shoes a place among
sf Today. 6.50 to 8.00. ,
ape last ? 300 fo
ind Silk ? 25c and 50c.
3o., 1343
.1
i