Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-07-06
II vonld be misfortune which the people o.

II vonld be misfortune which the people Of
the whole country would feel Is much Is the
residents Of Wellington II in providing plans
for the sxssndon Of the capital city beyond its
present boundaries, Congress adopted . policy
less liberal than that which controlled the
founders of the city. In recent debates in Con-
gress uttersnces have been made indicating
either an ignorance Of the history Of the capital
city or disposition 10 ignore the just obliss-
lions Of the federal government respecting the
District Of Columbia. II seems to be assumed
by the speakers in question that Warrington il
IN the position Of "a city that, already large and
growing and established in prosperity, had in
vited the national government 10 make its homo
within fl gates. Such community might well
afford to offer a. an inducement complete ex-
emption Of the national government from taxa
ton. The development Of the capital city
would be dependent entirely upon local inter
ests. Such. however, IL not the case with WASH
ington. The trainers Of the government wisely
chose 10 found city that would be the nations
own, that could be planned on a suitable scale,
and developed by Congress, rs the needs Of the
city demanded, under the authority Of that ex-
elusive legislative control provided for in the
Constitution. When Congress approved plan
laying out q city Of the grandest pro-
portions. with broad streets, avenues and
reservations, taking up 81 per cent
Of the whole area, il was not intended
or believed that the few people then living on
the site which had become, in name at least,
the city Of Washington should be charged with
the cost of working ont the magnificent plan.
There was an implied contract, then, requiring
A. II L.
ut any rate, of the great cost involved in build
ing upon such q pretentious foundation. In the
years following the establishment of the city
the government was too poor to undertake to
discharge its obligations to the city, and it was
not until 1878 that it tardily acknowledged the
Just claim against 1t BY assuming to bear from
that time half the expenses of the District gov
eminent. Contrary to the principle then rec
ognized, the recent conference agreement on
the street extension bin requires the cost of the
work Of extending the city to be charged
wholly upon the people Of the District Mr..
Blount's proposition went even further, and If
agreed to would repudiate all obligation that
might be supposed to rest upon the govern
ment to share the expense of future improve
ments made upon the streets, avenues or reser-
boundaries Of the present city. One who has
the welfare of the capital at heart, and this is
matter that appeals not to residents of Wash
ington alone, but to the whole country, cannot
fail to offer an earnest protest against this
to have the government now
abandon entirely the work of developing the
capital to the people of the city, whose re-
sources would not be adequate to the task of
continuing the development of the city on the
national scale, established when it was believed
the plan then made would be carried out at
national expense. The beauty resulting from
the original plan Of the city would be married,
and the millions already expended in develop
ing that plan would be in part wasted, if pro-
vision is not made now insuring the growth Of
the capital in harmony with it, or if the blunder
is made Of leaving the new portion Of the city
to be fashioned according to local needs and
local resources