The morning times., 1896-05-14

leupiateo PRESENT Arrangement.
The bill pending in Congress, designated
as House bill No. 444S, which, by it's
title, in intended to repeal all provisions
of the law for the pa yment by the United
States of one-half OF the appropriations
for the District, and which was REFER ed
TO the Commissioners for their considera-
ton and report, was returned to Chair
man Babcock yesterday, with the unani-
nous recommendation OF the board for
adverse action.
In summing up their reasons for this
recommendation, the Commissioners say:
The District of Columbia asks from Con-
gresS only justice, not favors. Its people
make no appeal to sympathy, nor TO pride,
but, strong in the equity of their case, they
invoke for 1T the impartial judgment OF
~ enlightened Congress.
If IL is said that no other city has
half It's expense paid by eXtraneous aid, ii
is answered that no other city has to main
tain magnificent Capital, fit to be the
political metropolis of 70 100000 of peo-
pie. Ii its financial system is anomalous, its
situation and its obligations are equally
anoma lous. The only child of the Nation
as Senator SouLhard styled 1t sixty years
ago, 1t was never so worthy as now, of
its illustrious parentage.
The exclusive legislation of the Ameri-
can Congress surely entails upon that
body grave responsibility, and all that
is asked is. that the relative rights and
obligations Of the District and the govern
ment may be discussed and decided in the
forum of reason, and by the welLsettled
principles of constitutional law"
CITE THE AUTHORITY:
The report covers twenty y-five type
written pages, and is an exhaustive pres.
nP hn tcrri rictfg ha
Commissioners in.roduce the discussion by
a citation of that clause in the Constitution
which provides that Congress shall have
power Ito exercise exclusive legsla ton
In all cases whatsoever over such District,
not exceeding ten miles square, as may,
by cession OF particular States and the
acceptance OF Congress, become the seat
OF government of the United States
This power, the Commissioners say, was
conferred upon Congress for it's own pro-
lection, and that the legislative and
executive functions OF the government
could be carried on without molestatiop.
During the Revolution, Congress was res
peatedly compelled to change its place
OF meeting by the approach OF the British
troops. In June, 1888, it was obliged TO
leave Philadelphia by demonstration of a
body OF the dissa tisfied soldiers OF the Rev.
olution, aud as the city and State author
tiles acknowledge their Inability to afford
the necessary protection, the trainers OF
the Constitution saw the necessity for
giving to Congress absolute control of the
future Capital, wherever it might be To-
Gated.
1t is not necessary to go into a detailed
statement as to how the National Cap
ital came TO be located where it is. 1t
was finally. by compromise, located
here July 16. 1890.
WAsHINGTONs BARGAIN.
resident Washington entered into
bargain with the nineteen owners OF the
land mostly covered with forest trees,
and with but few residents, by hich they
decided their lands in trust to two trustees,
with an agreement that he should select
so much as he saw fit. should lay it out
as he choose. that all land taken for
streets, avenues and alleys should be
free gift TO the United States government,
that the land selected for public reserva-
tions for public buildings, parks, etc,
should be paid for at $66.66 per acre.
that the balance should be laid out into
squares and lots, to be divided equally be-
tween the original proprietors and the
government.
The land taken and its apportionment
was: Total number of acres for the city,
Gill; donated to the United States for
avenues streets and alleys, 3.606 acres.
donated to the United States. 10, 136
building lots. or 9S2 acres; bought by
the United states for public buildings and
use, 541 acres; total number OF acres
taken by the United States. 5,129; 10,136
lots decided back to former owners, in
acres, 9S2.
As the 541 acres for public buildings and
reservations were required to bepaid for out
of the first proceeds of the lots donated
to the government it Will lie seen that
OF the gill acres. 5,129, or five-sixths OF
the whole, were a gift to the government,
and that consequently the very ground
upon which the Capitol, the Executive
Mansion, and all the original department
farthing.
Senator Southard, in report dated
February 8, 1885, said:
1T appears that the people of the United
States have paid nothing for all their public
lots, nor for the property in the streets.
They procured them, and now own them
without the expenditure of a single dollar.i
THE PLAN OF THE CITY.
The city was designed Us the capital of a
great nation-one III which every citizen
| OF the nation was to have an interest, and
| in which all would have a national pride.
With that idea it was laid out ON mag
| nificent plan and scale. OF the 6, iii acres,
| 3,606 are occupied by its streets, avenues
| and alleys, or more than "a per cent of its
entire area. There Is no city in the world
| in which anywhere near so large q proper
ton OF its area is thus occupied.
1t was the work OF the Uniteu states gov
eumcnt FORTS own use. Thatsucb was the
general understanding is shown by the
| following from the Philadelphia Herald
| of January 4, 1875:
ITO found a city for the purpose Of
| making it The depository OF the acts Of
| the union, and the sanctuary of the avs
which must one day rule all North America,
| is u grand and comprehensive idea which
| has already become, with propriety, the
object of public respect. The city of
| Washington, considered under such i'm
| portant points of view could not be cal
! culated on a small scale; the extent and
! disposition of its avenues and public squares
should all correspond with the magnitude
| of the objects for which it was intended,
| and we need only cast our eyes upon the
| situation and plan of the city to recognize
i'll them the comprehensive genius of the
| President, to whom the direction of the
business has been committed by Congress. ~
This fact was officially confirmed by
| Senator Southard in his aforesaid report
| in which he says that the District was
1.-The creation of the Union for its own
purposes the plan of which was formed
By the public authorities; the dimensions
| OF the streets determined by them with
out interference by the Inhabitants or re.
gard to their particular interest or con-
venience" "a plan calculated fol
the magnificent capital of a great nation,
but oppressive from it's very dimensions
and arrangements to the inha bitants. il
its execution to considerable extent to
be thrown upon them.
DUTY OF THE GOVERNMENT.
The official records sio W beyond question
that the government understood cIearl,
that it, and not the citizens, of whom al
| that time there Were but few hundrad