Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-03-09

ownership of this class OF property here.
the government should contribute also in
every one of those states, to -he local COM
munity, on account of its ownership OK
property there.
Special Expenses.
He was interrupted by Mr.. Goldzier Of
Chicago, who asked: rs IL not a fact that
by reason of this being the seat Of govern
ment there are expenses connected In the
municipality that would not exist IL IT were
not the seat of government"
Mr.. De Armond-I will come to that ques-
ton in a moment To resume, / say that
there is precisely the same reason for the
government being taxed upon this Capitol
building, or the government contributing to
the support of the District government here
on account of its ownership and occupancy
of this Capitol building that there is for the
state OF New York contributing to the mu-
nicipality of Albany on account of its own
ership of the capitol building there. or for
the United States contributing TO the reve-
nues of the city of Chicago on account OF
its ownership of the post office building ana
custom house there. 1 maintain that these
things cannot be properly included a por-
ton of the property upon which taxes or
any like contribution should be estimated.
No Reason for Congress TO APpros
pirate Public Money.
Il I.
penditures of this city are those which are
general in other cities, so far as they have
relation to the uses and needs of the peo-
pie who live here, so far as they are ex.
penses incurred for the local community
and not for the general government-to that
extent there is no more reason why Con-
gress should appropriate the public funds
for the benefit of the people of Washington
city than for the benefit of people of any
town or township within the United States.
Let me instance of some such expenditures
carried In this bill. Here is an expenditure
of s9lS, BOG for the support of public schools.
Is there any reason why the government Of
the United States should pay one-half OF
| the expenses Of the public schools OF this
city? Any that does not exist for the pay
ment by the United States of half of the
expenses OF the public schools in any other
city, great or small?
The Governments share.
| i come now to the suggestion made by my
friend from Illinois CAIr. Goldzier). The sug-
gestion is that on account of this city be-
ing the seat Of the government of the Unit
ed States there may be expenses incurred
by the municipality or entailed upon the
municipality that are peculiar TO this place,
| that are not thrown upon communities
where capitols not located. To the ex-
tent that the city's expenses. whatever they
may be, are for the benefit of the United
States, the United States should meet them.
| Here, Mr.. Chairman, in my judgment, we
| find the true test. Wherever the expenses
are for the benefit of the whole country.
are entailed upon this city or District by
reason of the location of the seat OF gov
| eminent here then the general government
should pay. This concede. Mr.. Chairman,
in generosity, for believe in strictness. IL
you come to analyZe IL. the concession need
not be made. The location of the capital IN
this District may make necessary here ex-
penses which would not be necessary IL the
/ capital We're located somewhere else: but
| the government has brought to this city
| wealth and importance-has made the city.
As tn Paving and Sewerage.
| M. Goldzier asked him:
Suppose in this city. as in other cites %
| which 1 know, paving and sewerage was
done by special assessments. Would you
consider ii just that the United States gov
eminent owning so large a share Of the
| property as il does should contribute MOTH
| ing toward the payment OF that expenseT"
| Mr.De Armond.-"Not at all. That is the
kind OF expenditures Of which j say the
| government ought TO bear its portion Now,
| then, that is the right theory, Mr.. Chair
| man, the one suggested by the gentleman
! from Illinois. He and j will find, think.
| that We are not far apart. That IS the
| theory, in my Judgment. upon which this
bill should be framed, ard upon which we
| should legislate We should by no means
assess the District of Columbia taxpayers
| so that he would have TO pay for improve
ments belorging to the United States. or
for the benefit of the people Of the United
States in the improvement Of their proper
| ty. VIII anybody say that the schools and
| other Institutions Of Washington, such az
| are common to all cities, should be main
tanned. in whole or in part by his eonsti;u-
ents or by mine, simply because Washing
| ton is the nations capital?'
The District Debt.
Mr.. De Almond in referring to the public
debt Of the District said:
There hangs over this District Of Colum-
bia this funded debt of Sls.570. 400. accord
ing to the last report of the treasurer Of
the United States, upon which We are pay
ing half the interest annually, and which
| We are gradually and steadily wiping out
| by heavy annual contributions 10 the sink
| ing furd. The appropriation in the bill now
! before US for this particular purpose is over
sl,ooO.ooO 1t is exactly Sl.2l3g419T. one
half OF 1t TO come out Of the Treasury OF
the United States to pay the interest on this
bonded debt of the District of Columbia.
! which was created in large part in the
palmy days of Boss Shepherd and De
Golyer, and to provide a fund for wipinR
out the debt entirely"
| Mr.. Compton.-"Does the gentleman rn-
dertake to say that he would advocate Q
| violation of a contract between the govern
| ment or the United States and the holders
| OF this debt by a refusal on the part CT the
| government TO pay interest on that debt?' d.
Mr.. De Armond.-"No 1 do not say that
| say that the government stands as O
guarantor for this debt. The governments
| guarantee is out, and the government ought
to see that the debt is paid. and that the
| interest is paid; but IL ought TO see that
| the people who owe the debt pay IL. and
| that those who do not owe IL do not lay
| half of it There is a provision I'm the law
| that the government shall pay annually this
accruing interest. and that the amount thus
paid shall be credited on the portion which
| the government contributes TO the District
| OF Columbia; clearly implying. clearly say
| ing, i think that the government merely
advances this money, and that there should
be credited upon whatever contribution the
| government ought to make not half the
amount paid, but the total amount paid on
| account of the interest upon this debt"
The Government Property.
| Mr.. De Almond, continuing said: .sThe
property that the government has for COM
mercial use--if it has any; think Il has
none-the property that the government
puts to commercial use. IL any, ought to
be estimated the same as any other prom
erty, and the United States should CON.
| tribute accordingly. But the property which
is used for governmental purposes ought u
! be absolutely excluded as an element o{
! taxation or tax computation. The othe1
property Of the government the beautiful
parks which adorn the city, these streetr
4 that are paved and made smooth as a hoo6
| for miles and miles, none OF this Is prop