Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-05-14


from foreign capitalists, which 1t was UNI
able to pay. and in 1885 appealed to Con-
gress for relief.
The Senate report on this subject says:
1.-THE committee are of the opinion that
the government was bound by every prin-
ciple of equity, right and justice, to pay q
proportion of the expHnse incurred upon
this subject. equal to the amount of the
property which is held and which was to
be increased in value and benefited by it,
and this would have been greatly more
than one-half. If the streets are its prop
erty, and to be regarded as altogether UNI
der it's control, 1t is not easy to perceive
why it should call upon or permit others
to keep that property in order; and If the
streets are to be regarded as the Joint con-
venience of the government and the in
habitants, the expense of maintaining them
should be joint, and in proportion to their
respective interests"
Amounts Expended,
That this was not done is shown by the
records. In their first report to Congress
for 1872 the board of public works say:
'The total amount expended by the gen.
eral government for the improvement of
our streets and avenues since 1902 Is ST.
All, 2SS31. During this period the amount
expended by the city of Washington for
this purpose was $13,921. 1918, showing AN
excess in favor of the city government and
citizens of 300, 1854. In other words
up to this time QS7:) the citizens have paid
80 per cent and the government 10 per
cent. If we add the amount paid by the
city of Georgetown and Of the county of
Washington (Which Congress has since
combined with the city under one govern
menD for the improvement of streets and
roadWays during the past seventy years.
it will aggregate about $2,OOO.OOO more"
1t was in view of the foregoing facts
about which there is not and cannot be
any question, that Congress in 1878, after
thorough investigation of the whole sub
Ject, adopted the present law, by which it
agreed that:
ITO the extent to which Congress shall
approve OF said estimates, Congress shall
appropriate the amount Of 80 per centum
thereof; and the remaining 50 per centum
of such approved estimates shall be levied
and assessed upon the taxable property and
privileges in said District other than the
property of the United States and of the
District of Columbia" Gu. S. Statutes at
Large, vol. ~, page 1O4)
A Fair Adjustment.
This, in view Of the circumstances, was
considered a fair adjustment, and espe-
cially liberal to the United States govern
ment. in view of the fact that the I'M
taxed property of the United States in the
District. exclusive Of streets, avenues and
alleys, amounts to s19S,U5S, 139, while that
of the citizens is but $l91, 417SO4 In adj
dition to this. there is of District of CO.
lumbia property (Which really belongs to
tHe united StateS), ana Is also EXEMPT. 81
6I',S2O and of other property exempt So
44Go29, thus aking a total of untaxed
property of $211. 157,9SS. An excess of non
taxable property Of So 74O. 1874.
And this excess of non-taXable Droperty
Is being constantly increased by the pur-
chase and condemnation of taxable prop
erty for the use Of the general and Dis
trict governments, and the dedication of
property 10 religious, charitable and re-
formatOry uses.
IF the United States paid taxes on its
properly at the same rate that citizens do
on theirs, as is done by the German gov
eminent in its national capital it would
amount to considerably more than il now
appropriates. To be strictly Just the gov
eminent ought to pay its half from the be-
ginning, and. If it were to do that. it would
eXtlngulSh the present District debt nearly
All of which was created by officers of the
United States government, acting under au-
thorlty of Congress. and not by the citi-
Zens of the District. The fact that the
nation. which at the beginning took title
by glft to five-SixthS of the area OF the ma
tional capital. still owns more than half In
value of the real estate of the District
irrespective of the streets of which it holds
the absolute fee. and the fact that Congress
still exercises the power of exclusive legis-
lat1on over the entire District conferred
upon 1t by the Constitution. combine TO
raise fresh and present obligation on the
part of the nation in respect of its capital
Independent of. and in addition to- the
equity arising from national acts and rep
o
District. To change the act of 1878, as
proposed by this bill. would be a clear re-
pudfation of both the equitable and legal
obligations assumed by the nation in re-
gard to its national capital. This we can
not believe Congress will do.
Results of Reputation.
"a reputation Of the national obligations
in respect to the nations city would re-
suit either in discredtaDle capital, poor
ly sustained by reasonable taxation upon
local resources, or in the virtual confisca-
ton of local property through excessive
taxation.
The six millions expended annually upon
the capital are not enough to meet the
current reasonable and increasing munich
pal needs. The three millions contributed
by the local taxpayers would be inadequate
to sustain the national capital it now
exists, or to keep it in line of natural de-
Velopment. One million of the three would
be absorbed in interest and sinking fund
upon the heavy debt: the greater part of
another million is demanded for the
schools. the District having no public land
grant to help it like those enjoyed by many
of the states. The remaining million would
have to meet such expenses as maintenance
of the police, fire and health departments
the construction and maintenance of mu-
nicipal public works. the support and main
tenance of charitable and reformatory in
situations, the cleaning of streets, and the
general cost of administration, and how
they would be met may be imagined, when
it is remembered that over $!,I00,OOo are
now expended upon these objects, and that
the present appropria tions are inadequate
In respect to many of them.
The District as Taxpayer.
1.-The District has shared in every ma
tional tax and undergone special national
burdens. Since the enactment of the in
ternal revenue law in 1862 the District has
paid to the United States government under
such law duties to the amount of $7,S15,
S3O.SO, and of customs duties during the
last ten years sJJ7, 100.
THE latter figures, it should be added,
represented only the actual amount receiv-
ed from duties at the custom house in
Georgetown the port of entry of the Dis
trict of Columbia. 1t is estimated that
only about per cent Of the goods i'm
ported into the District pass through the
Georgetown custom house, the remaining
% per cent coming through other ports,
at which, of course, the duties are Levied
Tie Commissioners show that sixteen
states and five territories in 1898 paid less
internal revenue taxes than the District,
and that the per capita contribution of
the District of Columbia is greater than
that of Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado. Del
aware, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas,