The morning times., 1896-05-14
RLEs SHOE HOUSES.
03O-932 18th st. N. w.
1914-I9IS Ta! Ave. n. w.
233 I,a. Ave. S. z.


| good gravel road.from the new. bridge on
the Rock Creek ialong Pennsylvania and
New Jersey avenues to the Eastern Branch,
as the most important objects for insuring
the destinies of the city which can be under
| taken"
IL was so understood at home aud abroad.
The first two sales of lots were extern
sively advertised in England, and Thomas
Law and other Englishmen were among
the purchasers. The general belief was
that the United States would bear all
the expenses OF the new city.
In speaking of the grants made by the
citizens to the general government, the
Supreme Court says:
1.-The grants were made for the fonn-
dation of a Federal city, and the public,
faith was necessarily pledged, when the
grants were accepted, to found such a
city. The very agreement to found a city
was OF itself most valuable consideration
for these grants. On the other hand.
ii must have been obvious that Congress
must forever have an interest to protect
and aid the city. The city was designed
to last in perpetuty, capitola immabile
saxum." Van Ness ct ux. VS.. the city
and the u s., Peters, 62.
The obligation thus created, owing to
the condition Of the government at that
| time, was not carried out by the govern
ment as agreed
A VOLUNTARY ACT.
AS the government had not the means
to push the work and as the city fund
| had been used up or lost, the citizens, of
their own accord, under authority OF Con-
gress, began to improve the streets and
avenues; and for that purpose not only
taxed themselves, but he city also borrowed
money from foreign capitalists, which
it was unable to pay, and in 1885 appealed
! to Congress for relief.
in the Senate report on this subject, after
a full review OF all the circumstances, the
report says:
1.-The committee deem it proper, in the
first place, to state, that in the investiga ton
| of the causes which have led to the en-
| barrassed condition OF the city, they have
| not found reason to rebuke and condemn
| the impTudence or extravaganza of the
Inhabitants and the city authorities to the
extent which they had anticipated. They
| have, II is believed, in some instances been
| misled into expenditures which did not
| appropriately belong to them but che views
| by which they Were governed were of a
| liberal aud public-spirited- chara cter. Sach
| has been the fact in relation to the streets.
The committee are of the opinion that
the government was bound by every prin-
| ciple of equity right, and justice, to pay
proportion OF the expense incurred upOn
| this subject, equal TO the amount of the
| property which is held, and which was
10 be increased in value aud benefited by
it, and this would have 80 greatly more
| than one-half. If .the13reets are its
| property, and TO be regarded as al
| together under it's control, it is not easy
| 10 perceive why il should call upon or
| permit others TO keep that property in
| order; and If the streets are TO be re-
| garded as the joint convenience of the
! government aud The Inhabitants, the ex-
pense OF maintaining them should be Joint
| and in proportion to their respective inter
| ests.''
| DID A SMALL. SHARE
That this was not done i S shown BY the
records. In their sfirst report TO Congress
| for 1872, the board OF public works, say:
The total amount expended by the
! general government for the Improvement
| of our streets and avenues since 1902, is
| ST., ,421 ,2SS.91.
| During this period the amount ex-
| pended by the City of Washington for this
purpose was $13921, 1915, showing an
| excess in favor of the city government a nd
citizens, of S12, 800 ,47S S4. In other
| words, up to this time, (1S73) the citizens
| have paid 90 per cent, and the government
| 10 per cent.
1T we add the amount paid by the CITY
! Of Georgetown, and of the county of
Washington (Which Congress has since
| tO'hDilieu NiNii S4iN SINS uHueE one govern
ment), for the improvement of streets and
| roadways during the past seventy years, it
! will aggregate about So .000.Oo more
1t was in view of the foregoing facts
| about which there is not aud cannot be
any question, that Congress In 1878, after
| thorough Investigation of the whole SUBJ
ject, adopted the present law, by which it
| agreed that:
ITO the extent to which Congress shall
] a oP pC utnc III
| appropriate the amount OF fifty per centun
thereof; and the remaining fifty 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 aud of
the District OF Columbia.'( u. s., Statues at
| Large, Vol. 20, Page 104)
This, in view OF the circumstances was
| considered fair adiustme ent and especial
ly liberal to the United States Government.
| in view OF the fact that the unta xed prop-
erty of the United States in the District.
exclusive of streets, avenues and aHeys,
amounts to S19S ,05s,139. while that Of
the citizens is but $191, ,417.S04. In ad.
dtion TO this, there is of District of Co.
lumbia property (Which really belongs to
the United StateS) aud Is also exempt. So, =
$50 $50, and of other property exempt SO ).
446 6,o29, thus making total of untaxed
property, $211,157 1888. An excess of
non-taxable property of $19,740,1S4.
And this excess of non- taxable property
| is being constantly increased by the pur-
( chase and condemnation of taxable prop
erty for the use of the general aud District
governme uts, and the dedication of prop
erty to religious, charitable, and refor-
matory uses
ITS SHARE NOT. EQUAL.
| If the United States paid taxes on its
| nrpnPrtv at the ,te oiti q
do on theirs, as is done by the German
governmen in i is national capital, 4
would amount to considerably more than
it now appropriates. To be strictly .1us
the government ought To pay it's half from
the be ginning, and, IL It were to do that,
It would extinguisf the present District
debt. nearly all of which was created by
officers OF the United States government
acting under authority Of Congress, and
not by the citize rs of the District.
Tochange the act OF 1873, as proposed by
this bill, would be clear repudiation of
both the equitable and legal obligations
assumed by the alton in regard to its
National Capital. 4 This we cannot believe
Congress will do.
repudiation Of national obligations in
| respect to the natioas city would result
sustained by reasona bic taxation ,Ipor
local resources, on i'm the virtual confisca
ton Gf local property through excessi ye
taxation.
The SIX million xpended annually upol
the capital are not senough to meet, til,
current reasonable and increasing municipa
: needs. The three millions contributed b.
the local tax payers would be mad equat
to sustain the national capital as 1t nov
exists. or to keep IT In line of natura
development One afnillion of the tbre
wouldsbe absorbed In interest and .sinkin,