Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-16

more; and only recently that state (Which
retained possession of her public lands until
1850, when she sold them to the general gov
ernmeno has had erected a magnificent cap
ital building in exchange for 3,OOOOO0 acres
of her public lands, while the local govern
ment Of the national capital occupies a rent
ed building, erected a ware house for
sash, doors and lumber. simply because
Congress refuses to let IL erect building
for its public Offices out of its own rev.
enues!
Now. all this is in addition to the &c.,
100000 acres granted for railroads, canals
and other internal Improvements in the
several states and territories.
Under the operation of these various acts
Mr.. Neirs state-Arkansas-had received
down to 1883
Acres
OF saline lands. OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 46.0S0
OF swamp lands. Observation-Disclosures. S652 4L3
For common schools. $50, 400
For State iversity.................. 460S0
A total ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS .431, o93
And IL the pending bill reported by Mr.
McRae becomes a law, as IL should and
doubtless will be, Arkansas will receive
$50, AGO acres more for common schools.
As Mr.. Neil has in no manner indicated
opposition to this policy as applied TO the
states and territories. / must infer that it
meets with his approval If 1t be right and
proper as applied to the states and terrific
ries, then why ask. is It hot equally right
and proper to apply II to the District OF Co.
iumbia? II not, why not?
II Arkansas, why Not the Districts
Are we not, as citizens Of the nation, sub
jected to all the duties and burdens borne
by citizens of the states and territories I?
Why, then, should We not share equally
with them in the benefits. at least SO lar as
the public schools are concerned?
/ As matter Of fact the official records
show that we paid our special war tax in
full and at once, which Arkansas did not
do-that we furnished more than two men
for every one furnished by Arkansas In the
effort to save the Union. and that We pay
far more for the support Of the United
States government than does the entire
state of Arkansas.
| During the past year We paid almost two
and fifth times as much as did the state
of Arkansas-tne report of the commissioner
of internal revenue being for Arkansas.
s102, 5o3.3 30. and for the District OF Columbia,
Does Mr.. Neil know what has been con-
tributed by the general government for
educational purposes in the District Of Co.
lumbia? If not, let me tell him.
Although the act of 1886 provided that the
District should have its pro rata share Of
the money distributed. IL never received a
cent Il has never had an acre of the pub
/ lie lands, either for educational or any
other purpose. When the Blair educational
bill was pending in the Senate. and which
included the District, the latter was ex-
cluded by a special amendment; and when
I
the agricultural and mechanical schools in
| the states, was pending in the House they
declined to include the District In brief
the only thing the government has ever
done for education in the District prior to
1878 was TO donate to the Georgetown Col
/ lege in 1893, and to the Columbian Univer-
sity in 1896. city lots valued at $4,000 for
each, but these were lots donated to the
government by the original proprfetors Of
the land-citizens Of the District
The above facts ali of which are matters
| of official record, ought to be a sufficient an
swer to the first part of your statement
AS to the latter part, that Mr.. Neil ought
| to pay for the education of his children IL
brought into the District, ii is sufficient to
say that no member or Senator does or
ever has, although many of them send their
children to our schools, as is right and
proper.
More than that. IL any child of Mr.. Neil
attends any public school, state university
or any agricultural or mechanical college or
school supported In whole or in part by the
public lands or money donated to the states
whether In Arkansas or elsewhere, the rest
of the country contributes to its education
| Now, why in Arkansas and not here? Is
not the national capital a part of the coun-
try as we'll as Arkansas? The fact that
Congress has deprived the citizens of the
to which both political parties solemniy
pledged themselves in their national plat
| forms, can afford no reason why the ctti-
zens of the District should be treated difrer-
territories in the matter of public schools.
The Claims of the District.
But there are other. very many other rea-
sons why the general government should
contribute to the support of public schools
/ In the District Let me state a few of them
First Because. as already shown we have
no public school fund. and therefore the
schools have to be supported and school
houses erected entirely from the annual
revenues of the District.
Second. Because the United States pron-
erty in the District. amounting to much
more than the property of the citizens, is
and always has been exempt from taxation
thereny reducing to that extent our means
of raising revenue The assessed value of
United states property thus exempt is $685.
OoSl39 while the total of taxable property
| is but S19l, All, SO4.
Third. Because Congress, by its laws is
constantly exempting still more from taxa
ton, thus continually decreasing our means
/ or raising revenue. The total value of ALI
property, public and private. as shown by
the assessors statement, being S4O2 575 Ig2
| of which there is subject to taxation bur
$l9l, All ,S04, or in the ratio of 40 IS per cent
of non-taxable to 41.55 per cent taxable the
latter wholly the property of the citizens
ana the corporations chartered by Com
gress.
| Fourth. Because the United States rov-
eminent, in its effort to preserve the Union
efought mere and left on our hands. in ad-
/
| thousands OF the manumitted slaves whom
the laws OF yours and the other slave states
made II a felony for any one to even each
| them to read, and for whose educat ton a
law OF Congress requires us. very properly
to expend as much per capita as for our
own children, although not one in a hun
dred of them contributes one cent TO the
District revenues
| Fifth. Because Congress by its law i'm
poses penalty of $40 on each parert or
guardian who fails to send each child OF
school age to school twelve weeks each
year, and at the same time refuses or ne
elects to appropriate from our own revenues
sufficient to provide the necessary school
facilities-so much so, that in 1856 after
doubling them up into half day schools even
up to the fourth grade, We had 5000 more
children on the school roll than there were
school seats In the District, And at the
same time. as Congress by its law seizes Ali
our taxes and deposits them in the United
States Treasury, We cannot build a school
house or employ a teacher with our own
| taxes even!
Sixth. Because the 1900 employees of the
United States government, together with
the 3oG members, lightweight Senators and
all the other government officials the grea
bulk OF whom are non-residents but few of
whom own property or pay taxes in the
District, send their children free to the pub
lie schcols-those of them who have their
families here-as is right and proper
Seventh. Because of all the children now
hint