National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1885-12-05

The relations between the United States
government and the people Of the District
of Columbia are anomalous, differing from
those existing in any other community or
country. The government has complete
control Of the District, and the Congress OF
the United States is also the legislature OF
the District Of Columbia.
The United States owns even now more
than one-half In value of all the real estate
in the District, and the proportion of its
ownership was much larger in the past
than since the rise in values Of real estate
and the erection within the last few years OF
an immense number of valuable private
residences and business houses.
Prior to 1876 Congress voted such sums
from the national treasury for the District
government as the Randalls and Iolmans
of those days saw ct to give. The re-
mainder Of the expenses Of the District was
paid by taxation upon private property and
private citizens.
From the year 1900 to 1876, inclusive,
there was collected from the people OF the
District of Columbia, in direct taxes aud
for licenses, the sum of thirty-six million
dollars, which was expended in carrying
on the District government. In the same
period the United States, owning from
sixty to seventy per cent. of the prop
crty in the District, appropriated for the
government o; the District less than ten
million dollars.
Both those sums were paid out for street
improvement, salaries, police, fire depart
ment, board of health, schools, and the
varied expenses Of the city government.
In addition to this an ascertained debt Of
twenty-one million dollars was created,
besides floating and unascertained debt of
possibly two million more.
These figures added together show an ex-
pendture for the government of the Dis
trict, the improvement Of streets, &C., in
these seyenty-six years OF the sum Of sixty
nine million dollars, Of which amount the
United States paid ten million dollars,
though 1t owned more than half the prop
crty Of the District.
Common decency required that the gov
eminent should pay as much as the taxes
on its property would amount to, If it were
taxed as private property was, and had
common decency controlled the action OF
Congress, instead of the ten millions it did
pay, its share of the expenditures would
have been thirty-four millions five hundred
thousand dollars.
Since 1876 the United States government
has been paying one-half the expenses Of the
District government. This is no more thar
fair, as 1t owns moye than one-half the
| To-, 20 DO ,nt
ought to pay, for the peculiar plan upor
which the city was laid out-by which Il
was TO and has become city worthy to b.
the capital of the great republic-makes II
the most expensive Of cities TO properly
police and improve.
But the people of the District would bt
well satisfied If Congress would repair tn,
injustice committed by its predecessor
from $500 to 1876, in refusing to pay the
governments proportion Of the expendi
lures during those years.
This could be easily and properly done
The bonded debt of the District amounts Il
twenty.one million dollars Let this Con
gross assume that debt. The annual in
terest thus saved to the District revenue
could be used to further beautify and i'm
prove the city. The payment Of. this deb
by the national government would nearl
cqualize its expenditures for the govern
ment of the District, with the expenditure
made by the citizens for the same purpose
1t would be an act Of justice. The peopl
OF the United States are not penurious, an
do not expect the inhabitants Of the Dis
trict OF Columbia to pay out of their pocl
cts for the care of the buildings and pror
erty which belong to all the people. Ca
the representatives Of the people rise to a
appreciation of this factg