Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1892-03-04
Representative William Grant Otis, Farmers


Alliance member from Kansas, cannot under
stand Why the people living in the District Of
Columbia should not bear the same burdens
that are borne by people in every other section
asd thinks il wholly indefensible that we should
pay ons-hsR Of the taxes Of this District
4 few other new Representatives and new
Senators, especially third party men, have con-
fssssd the same lack Of understanding. Repre-
Sensitive Otis condenses his views Of the matter
IN the statement that IL the national capital
we're Transferred TO some western town GAO
acres Of land would be donated to the
Uovsrnmsnk and not . cent Of taxes would
svsr b collected from it # il very likely that
Topsks or any other western town would back
up this broad-saugs proposition But suppose
that the capital had been located long
ago ct TOPEKA and suppose that the
government had ousted the Topekaites
from control Of their own affairs. and by con-
stitutionai enactment had placed exclusive
power Of legislation over ten miles square In
eluding Topeka In the national Con-
gfss. Suppose that instead OF $40 acres
ths whole site Of Topeka had been trans
fsrrsd by the owners to u s. commission
srs, and only . fraction OF their lots
lad been dssded back to them. Suppose that
sn effect the property owners had donated five
ssvsnths Of the site o. the capital city. Sup
psss that The government on the strength of
these donations and its exclusive control
lad implicitly undertaken 10 build up
orsditabls national city at its own
expense, irrespective Of the feeble resident
pspulstisn. Suppose j. had planned and laid
cot . magnificent capital on the site Of
Topeka, with avenues l60 feet wide, numer-
Gus parking reservations, projected stat
49, fountains aud other Embellishments,
70 b perfected by the nation. Sup
pose that after thls gobbling mp Topeka
md selling lots on the strength Of Its implied
undertaking that this city of the nation should
- fosssrsd % veil a. controlled by the nation,
The government had at first neglected through
poverty and afterwards in effect repu-
dated its capital obligations Suppose
that the work Of carrying out the magnificent
plan Of the capital had been thrown upon the
small, unrepresented, and deceived population
ef Topeka, and that these people had twice
bankrupted themselves in Q desperate effort
10 perform the nations task. Suppose that
after this outrageous and disgraceful
treatment for three-fourths of q century the
republic had repented and done imperfect and
tardy justice by resumiDg half way Its violated
obligations toward the capital Suppose
that without making the slightest compensation
for the wrongs OF the past it agreed as half
owner Of the local property which needed to
- policed, and severed, and watered, and
paved, and lighted, and protected from fire, TO
meet ons-haK Of these municipal expenses.
Suppose that this arrangement continued for q
few years and Topeka began to develop under
Hha drst in AZ and inc traa tu1a m had
received into beautiful city of which the ma
tion that owned and controlled it might well be
proud Finally suppose that in the year 1892
In the capital at Topeka a representative Of
$he Washington districtof Maryland, made
Congressman by mysterious dispensation of
Providence in the shape of a series of failures
OF the Potomac corn and tobacco crops, should
uperd himself in the House and demand why
She people of Topeka should not bear their
own burdens, why his suffering constit-
usnss should pay anything toward
. national capital, and offer GO
sores of Potomac swamp lands if the capital
we're transferred to the failing corn-helds Of
his district In this event Mr.. Otis, as Tope-
Katie, would have the same opinion
of the farmers representative from the
banks OF the Potomac that we OF
Warrington are now compelled to entertain
concerning him, and those who stand with
him in neglecting to master the history
Of their country and its capital, while
ssrving as sole legislators for the lat
tsr under the constitutional provision.
This is no fancy sketch. The facts suggested
are part of the history o! Washington, which,
By the way, would furnish interesting and in
sructivs reading for any Of our legislators
Who honestly desire enlightenment concerning
Ne relations Of the republic and its capital.