National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-02-05

The New York World Of yesterday inter
poses . demurrer or = general denial a. reply
to the statements In the memorial Of Governor
Shepherd TO Congress. Unaccompanied by
either evidence, argument or logic the Worlds
simple assertions will pass for very little In
this community, where occular demonstration
proves to every observer their falsity. But
there is single allegation contained In the
Worlds denial, which Is too ridiculous to be
suffered to pass wholly unnoticed. Says the
World: --...,,.-r-,-- s-7---~,
.sMr Shepherd makes little MISTAKE In calling
attention to the fact, Is complete reiutation o.
cates that fhs trsnssetisn. in real estate IL the
city of Washington have tncrsased from ~ ~ 200
in is70 to el2 lS 800 in 1874 These ngures really
citement and speculation in city lots, fomented BY
the ring operations Of Shepherd and his 1850.
ciates and second, feveriih desire % the part
Of zig e s:ssS. a ss ~ II Rsss
thu sSss sSs his oa spain
tons in real estate a,d in jewslry IN aday tnan
there ordinarily were in ave years yet no one VIII
sx to Of ssaS o. q The
pulsion." ''..s {
The facts Of the case are that no old prop
erty holders are anxious to "sel out" Cat any
price, unless they can get more than double
the prices of 1870 for their improved property,
and about quadruple those prices for that
which is unimproved. II Is true that when the
four million loan was being discussed, in 1871,
some of the old property owners expressed .
desire to sell, in order to get rid Of prospective
taxation. Finding every piece Of property was
taken up eagerly BY persons, perhaps even BY
Shepherd and his associates, who had faith In
the fortune Of the District, they soon ceased
offering, and turned their attention to other
means of delaying the payment of their por-
ton of the taxes. Many of the signers of the
memorial for Investigation are owners of
squares Of unimproved property In the heart Of
the city, which they win neither sell nor i'm
prove. As they viii not put any price upon
such property, within the bounds of reason,
for fear Il will be purchased BY some parties
who will improve It and realize large profits
from the purchase in which the present holders
cannot share, they hold It above the market,
and swear there 70 no healthy sale for IT.
The Punishment of the Jews from
Spain presents no analogy to affairs in this
District. No property-owners here express
any desire to sell out and leave. On the con-
trary, large accessions are constantly being
made to our resident population and Of people
who invest their money in real estate. Per-
haps If the World was little better informed
upon District matters It could see in the names |
Of the memorialists certain men who have
watched the rise Of Governor Shepherd from
boyhood with jealous and envious eyes, and |
who have never failed to interpose obstacles to |
projects for the improvement Of the District
devised by him and his associates" because |
they were not consulted and their old fogy |
notions deferred to in such matters. The pub |
lie life of Governor Shepherd during the last |
ten years has been continuous contest with /
the old money lords of Washington, in
which he has been thus far successful |
by virtue of his energy, wisdom and sagacity.
The real taxpayers-the people-are with him.
The taxes paid by the owners Of improved
property are ultimately paid by the working
classes, who pay the rents and the profits on
the merchandise which they consume. When
this class of taxpayers complain It will be time
for the World to expend its sympathies upon
The poor, tax-ridden people of this District. Mr..
Shepherd and his associates" are among the
largest sellers Of, as well as purchasers of,
property here, and at fair prices. They do not
play the "dog in-the-manger" game, but pur-
sue a policy of purchase, and Improvement,
and resale worthy Of emulation by older, If not
wiser, citizens.