National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-04-22

blhNth Huu NGIIlJOIlto--
n '''''''''''''' 6nSSpi9 acres
For agricultural colleees'...'''..' VdvO,OU
T,nl for educational purposes... igUOg,i3 acres.
For Railroads.&c.. ........,,.l .lOJ,OliVi
Donations to settlers in territories
florida. da.,.................. l,Sl7
oregon ..,..,. .@,JVbioI
NeH MtNiCU..,'.......... gUlOl
Washington lefTitUry.... 2gO,2lb
------- 2,sisS93 acres.
Total, al,.....,.."......,...... 251,3j2,s26 acres.
This at - % per acre amounts to S206,6S
2S2 III reality its value to tho states and
railroad companies is many times that
amount, as the states have sold their school
lands AZ prices ranging all the way from IL .25
to SlCO per acre, while the railroads are
realizing like amounts from their enormous
donations.
only recently saw the statement that the
school lands OF Nebraska would sell to-day for
S25,0OQ,00O. IL received 2,102,0l4 acres in
1864 aud Colorado 3,1lJ,jjJ acres in 1875.
Besides this, in 1886 congress divided among
the states $2s, ,Gli.9l in money, which
greatly aided thoir public schools. Again.
by act of Sept. j, leil. congress distributed
among the states Of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois,
Alabama, Missouri. Mississippi, Louisiana,
Arkansas, aud Michigan tho sum oil $780,
25s.2O.
Now what has il dono for tho district in
that respecty Absolutely nothing. 1t has
never given IL an acre of land nor q dullar Of
money for school purposes. AS in the present
educational bill il has excluded the district
from all share in the above mentioned be.
quests. On the contrary, it brought here
during the war and left on our hands large
mass Of fleeing slaves, without education or
the means of living, and then passed a law
requiring us To cSpcnd the same amount per
capita FOR their educat on us for that Of our
nm ~ r1
OF all tho school children in the district arc
colored, and their parents, of course, con-
tribute hut little TO tho district funds. One.
third Of the remaining two-thirds are tho
children of clerks and other govern
ment employees, mostly non.resdonts.
who retain thoir residence in tho states and
90 home TO vote, aud who under the civil SER
vice law requiring the appointces to be ap.
pointcd among the states, will do So more than
ever hereafter. But even this is not all. By
act Of June 2j, 1854, congress made school
attendance hero compulsory enGh parent or
guardian being required to gNe[ativ,ehildren
10 school at least twelve weeF ~NeS nn,ear, six
of which must be consecutive, = rN+tf . pen.
atty Of SO, and yet there nre put about half
as many school seats as children of school
age. To-day thore are about forty halliday
schools, because there are not buildings
enough to accommodate the children Of school
age. Besides, as ID perfectly proper, many
our public schools.
In the winter OF 1852 our largest school
building, the Jefferson, was burned. We re-
ccived from the insurance some tifty-odd
thousand dollars, which the comptroller de-
cided must be paid into the United States
treasury as 4 part of the district revenues.
We were anxious to restore tho building in
time for the next school term, but as tho
money had gone into the treasury there
was no way to get IL out except by an appro-
pr!ation; and when we asked to have II in
Guided in the deficiency bill, so as not to
have to wait for the regular appropriation
bill, which would make it too late, prom-
nent members fought it bitterly, and made it
the text for abusing US like piCkpockets.
One member, from New York, said that
By wining and dining members OF the district
committee and others the people Of the district,
after years Of laboriOus festivities augherl have
now succeeded in fastening themselves as !eeches
on our treasury Tor one.half OF all that is paid
here ior lights, police, debt, schooling, and what
not
Another from Texas said:
Congress IL charged with the duty Of legisa
ting for tie District OF Columbia. and so is the
les slatpre Of enc state charged with the duty Of
legislation for each state but the fact that con. con-
populaton OF The District OF Columbia. II
saacsion. Ws 9rs 1t We Fs% are 10 % furnish % It viii viii
wafer as We now 10 ian erIor), then upon
Inc SANe RUE AllI according 70 the same pnllOsO
ply and by the same logic We should pay one
half Of the board of the people OF the district
And he wound up by saying;
fought this bill for the government Of the Dis
tiict of Columbia when IL wnsunder consideration
have fought IL " every session since and. unless
lose my reason. expect 10 nght u on account O
its fraud and inju,ticG 80 long as am homo cd
with seat Oh this Moor.
Said member from Indiana:
do not know what other gentlemen may be
willing TO do Dut ly vote NOT one dollar shall
ever be paid by my CufpNtuers for the purpose
of building up institutions here Of purely loca
interest VIII eli ought 10 bG built up aud main.
tanned by the people OF tho district as such insti
Sn; STs 9S E MG Sd M HIstT escaHn t,
duty Of educating rs children?
And on the strength OF these statements
the correspondent OF the Chicago Tribune, in
its issue OF May H. lse2. stated that "thC
schools of the district are supported by the
bounty Of the general government for the
solo benefit Of residents"
Please hear in mind tho fact that this
school building was built entirely by the tax
payers Of the district long before the United
States assumed any part Of the expenses OF
the district, and that all we asked waS
permission TO use our own insurance money
10 rebuild it,
do not forget tho manly utterAnccs OF
many noble men on tho floor of both house
aud senate in reply, but taking these things
all together and reviewing this treatment oi
the district by the general government from
Its foundation to the present time, think all
fair minded men must agree that It has been
anything but "paternRl," aud that the nation
hes no ground for charging this, its foster
child, with having been ruined by oyel
kindness AT tho hands of congress.
In 1873 congress adopted the present plan
by which il appropriates annually an amount
equal to the amount OF taxes actually col
lected, for the following roasoDs;
l. Because it is the nations capital and the
government iS itself responsible for its OK
tensiyo and expensive plan, which no com
munity would have adopted, because it would
he i'm possible for any ordinary community Il
Improve or support such plan. According
TO the commissioners report for 1883 Their
are 23O miles Of streets, varying from 90 T.
100 feet wide, of which over ~ miles ar
still totally unimproyed," beside lO3 mile
OF county roads.
2. Because the great bulk OF the land wa
donated to tho government to make tho i'm
provements with, aud 1t used 1t for another
purpose aud for its own bonoht.
8. Because it owns one'half OF all the Drop