Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1878-03-21
The d; strict Government Bill.

The intelligent exposition of the situation of
District affairs by Representatives Hendee
and Blackburn yesterday in presenting the
bill providing a permanent form of govern
ment for the District of Columbia places the
subject very clearly before the House, and it
would seem that this forciBle showing of the
unfortunate condition of the people here must
curry conviction to the mind of every mem
Der.
Referring to the clause of the bill providing
that the u. 5. government shall bear 50 per
cent. of the expenses of the District, Mr.. Hen
dee pointed out that the United States owns
absolutely * per cent. of the entire area of
this District; and by the appraisal made a
short time since the value OF the property
owned by the government is about s9j, 100000,
and that owned by the District and by the
people of the District st6,OO,OOO When the
new State, War and Navy department build
ings are completed the real value of the prop
erty of the United States in this District will
exceed that belonging to the citizens.
Now while the District government and the
people own about One-half of the property here
and the United States government the other
half, the Constitution has vested Congress
with supreme and absolute control over the
District. Hence, when any appropriation is
made or any tax levied the citizens of the
District have no voice i'm the matter and so
long as they have no voice as to these expendi-
lures, 1t seems very proper that now, after the
debt has been created and its amount is fully
aScertained, the United States should come
forward and agree, as proposed in this bill.
that it will pay its equal share of the expenses
of this government and of the interest upon
this debt which has been created not only for
the purpose of improving the property of the
District and its citizens, but i'm order to benefit
the property of the United States.
In answer to a question by Mr.. Glover,
whether this distribution of 20 per cent. be-
tween the District of Columbia and the
United states is equal and fair in view
OF the probability that the improvements
IN the District of Columbia on the part of
the people will be much greater than on
the part of the federal government,
Mr.. Hendee said he did not see why it should
not be, but change could be made whenever
found necessary. The District expenses at
the present time are made up, for instance, of
the salaries of the District Commissioners and
their clerks and other officers of the fire de-
partment, of the police department, expenses
for the public schools for lighting the streets
and all these expenses must continue forever
and the Government of the United States de-
riveS rs much benefit from these expenditures
AZ the citizens, because its property is pro-
tected in the same way as that OF the citizens,
and hence for all time, unless something new
should occur, the division of 20 per cent is a
wise and fair one. For all time, more or less
improvements and repairs of streets will have
to be made. and for a few years the repair &C
count will be quite large, aud all must be for
the mutual benefit of the United States and
the District
Mr.. Blackburn I'm answer to an enquiry
stated that the % per cent. contribution of the
government covers all the appropriations
usually made by Congress for the support of
the police and other District expenses. There
can be no question, he said, that the people of
the District OF Columbia have a right to de-
mand that some terms should be agreed on
and some basis reached. some settlement had
As to the amount of expenditures to be borne
by the District of Columbia or to be borne
by the Treasury of the United States
There was a necessity of having some basis of
expenditure fixed between the Federal treas
ury and the District treasury. How, he en-
quired. can property holder in the District
of Columbia determine or gauge the value of
his property to day. Can he tell what tax it
will be subjected to as long as he is left the
victim of the within and caprice of Congress?
Session after session Congress makes apprO-
priatiOnS in its own discretion to aid in carry
ing on the necessary expenditures of the gov
cEnhtht Ol lnls DlStrlct- Inc property holder
does not know whether the apprOpria ton
made by Congress will be 10 per cent. or 80 per
cent. of the expenditures of the District.
This condition of things unSettes values in
The District. No value can be attached to a
foot of real estate owned by a property holder
within the limits of the District, because the
purchaser cannot tell what taxation he will be
subjected TO. The people of the District have
right to demand that Congress shall fix this
question permanently and finally. If Con-
gresS does not intend to bear more than 10 per
cent. of the burden of taxation, then say so if
il will bear 20 per cent. of il. then say So But
whatever per cent. the Federal Government is
TO bear should be determined and fixed per-
manently, so that legitimate and permanent
values may be established in this District.
Ii is much to be regretted that action upon
the bill was not obtained to-day, while the
able arguments of the committee were fresh in
the minds of the members but it is to be hoped
that the favorable impression made by them
will not be lost when the House a gain resumes
the consideration of the measure.
The prospect of a European war must not
distract our attention from the impending hos
tilities between Costa Rica and Guatemala.
Both these states are making impressive pre-
paratiOns To annihilate each other; especially
Costa Rica, which has actually purchased a
steamer and fitted her out as a man-Of-war