Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-07

That portion Of the bond-issue bill which
provides for the immediate completion of
the comprehensive plan Of sewering the
city. to which both Washington and Con-
gress are committed, and a beginning upon
which has already been made. should and
doubtless will receive the hearty support of
all Washingtonians- The effect will be to
increase notably in the near future the
healthfuiness OF the city, while through the
bond issue the expense Of the improvement
VIII be shared. as 1t should be. by a future
generation which will also profit by the
great public work. Such an undertaking Is
more economically accomplished at a single
stroke. so to speak. than when spread over
term of years and completed by piecemeal
The time is especially favorable for float
ing the bonds to advantage: labor is plenti-
full and the benefits from the work given
to the unemployed. will, 1t Is hoped, never
be greater or more keenly appreciated. Our
sewer system must be reconstructed at
some time in the near future: a bond issue
will clearly be necessary for the economical
completion of the work: and no time Is
better than the present for urging this i'm
provenent. so beneficial and necessary to
every resident Of Washington, whether tenn
pcrary or permanent.
The extension, substantially. of the plan Of
streets Of the present capital over the new
city which Is springing up outside OF the
existing nominal boundaries Is directed by
a law now on the statute book and will be
q necessity OF the future greater Washing
ton. which IS to cover the entire District.
The proposition of the bond-issue bill on
this point strongly interests the local tax
payer in that IL proposes a correction of the
street extension act. which relieved the
United States from all expense in connec-
ton with improvements outside of the
ancient limits of the city. and divided the
cost between the owners of abutting prop
erty and the individual taxpayers OF the
entire District The government owns in
suburban Washington several thousand
acres Of property, which is increased in
value by every house erected in its vicinity
and by every new road or street which
makes any part OF it more accessible.
1t Is unreasonable that in the developm emit
Of this region the national government,
which is SO 5arge a property owner and
beneficiary. should pay no part of the cost
while the individual property owner within
the limits Of the city, who owns no suburb
an property whatever. and who directly
profits not at all by this development is
compelled to pay so large a percentage Of
the cost. Why should the only Washington
property owner who is exempt from this ex-
pense be that one who is also the largest
owner of suburban land, to wit: the ma
tional government? One who lives In Wash
ington and owns no suburban property con-
tributes in his taxes to suburban develop
ment because being a Washington property
owner. he is also a District property owner,
and District taxation ought to be expended
equitably in all parts of the District. Uncle
Sam is proper contributor to county devel-
opment on precisely the same grouni; with
the additional reason, in his case that he
Is also a large suburban property owner.
and. as such, a direct beneficiary of such
improvements.
A crusade for the correction of this law
will doubtless enlist every District tax
payer. Very many. however, will vigorous
ly and justly protest against the expen-
diture of any large sum of money in street
extension on the unjust basis of the ex-
isting law. The wisest policy of the city
would seem to be to make a vigorous effort
to accomplish this change in the law. and
II by any mischance the attempt should be
temporarily unsuccessful to postpone the
street extension project to a more con-
Ing the cftys energies upon the project of
q bond issue for completing the sewerage
system, In respect to which reasonable con-
troversy will be reduced to a minimum
and which may speedily become law