Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-29


Not much progress was made yesterday by
the House in the consideration of the bill for
the government of the District. In one sense
the tendency of the debate was discOuraging
as developing opposition from most of the
speakers to different features of the bill, and
a diversity of opinion upon the question of
District government that does not look prom
iSing for an agreement upon any measure i'm
the limited time Congress can give to District
matters. On the other hand, there is encOur-
agement in the fact that all who took part i'm
the debate conceded the necessity that Con-
greSs should take some action i'm regard to the
unfortunate condition of the people of the Dis
trict Even Mr.. Townsend, of Illinois, who
while recognizing the crushing nature of the
burdens upon this community, seemed unac-
c0uDtably disposed to oppose the adoption of
the feature of the bill tightening these bur
dens, stated that he was not opposed to fixing
an equitable proportion of taxation to be paid
by the general government. but he was
not able to say at this time what is a
fair proportion. The people of the Dis
trict had hoped that with his previous
residence here, and the very full showing that
has been made to Congress by the citizens
committee of the nature of District indebted
EeSs, the portion incurred by government
agents, the proportion of real property owned
decide in his mind what the equitable proper
ton of eX, enses to be borne by each should
beI-eertainly thathe would not anita gOniZe the
adjustment adopted unanimously by the Dis
tr1ct committee after giving the subject the
most thorough consideration. However. he
showed so much intelligence in discussing the
general features of the bill that we doubt not
he will on a thorough examination of the
equity provision conclude that it deserves his
support The plain truth is that bankruptcy
StareS the people of the District in the face if
this measure of relief is not adopted: and this
fact must excuse them for feeling sensitive
when its passage is endangered by opposition
from quarters where they had expected a
thoughtful appreciation of their unhappy con-
ditiOn.
MI ClafliRin the debate stated the situation
here with point in saying that 1.-THE United
states must pay One-half of the expenses of
this District or the people here must repudi-
ate. and he cited, by way of fOrcibie illustra-
ton. the fact that the great state of Virginia
stands today considering whether it will pay
its public debt. which only amounts to
Sa.WN11, while the people of this District
are already Saddled with a debt of S25. 900 900
When it is added that the bulk of this debt
was incurred by the agents of the government
in improving the capital city: that the United
States OWNS absolutely 10 per cent of the en-
tire area OfthiS District, and that by the last
government appraisalth value of government
property was about one half, land is now above
One-halfl that of all property in the District:
that this half of government property pays no
taxes whatever: and that the enormous load of
taxation for District expenses and improve
ments, the support of the fire department pO-
lice, schools, lighting and sweeping the streets,
&c. has borne down upon the tax payers to
the extent that more than twO-fifths of the en-
tire real estate belonging to citizens has been
sold for taxeS,-when these additional facts
are cited. the reason is stated in nutshell
why the provision of the bill fixing 50 per cent
a. the proportion of government contribution
for these expenses is equitable and lust