The evening times., 1896-04-25
FIFTY YEARS TOO SOON
Citizens Say Street Extension Is
lot Needed Now.
BURDENS FOR TAXPAYERS
The Inability to Assess Benefits and
the Fact That the People In Gen
erai Win have TO Pay for the
Work Forms a Potent Argument
Against the scheme.

Wednesday in the matter OF the street ex.
tension act, wherein the opinion of Judge
| Cox, which was handed down some time
| ago, was reversed, is the subject OF discus
sion in real estate circles and among those
who have given the subject serious cou.
| sidetat ion.
The lines are plainly dra wn bet ween those
who are pecuniariiy Interested in securing
legislat ion so as to enhance the value of
their holdings aud cause an increase in the
value of their land at the expense of the
public, and those who have the best inter.
ests OF the community iu general at heart
and wish to thwart the INSCRIPTIONS ends
OF the greedy land speculators.
In conversation with The Times, num-
Der OF those who have taken an active in
terest IN the question expressed their views
OF the matter, which Will show the intelli-
gent and unselfish public sentiment.
MI. +. l.. Siddons, whose efforts in be-
half the the general taxpayers are well
known, said:
Il believe that the scheme of street extern
sion, as embodied in the act OF Congress
known as the highway act comes alto
gether too late in the history and develop.
ment of the District OF Columbia. 1t is to
be regretted. of course, that the noble plan
of L'Enfant and his associates was not in
their day made to include the whole Dis
trict. instead, as WAS the fact, of limiting
1t TO the city of Washington.
A LOAD OF DEBT.
1.-THE scheme comes, say, too late, and
If the attempt to put it through succeeds. Il
load OF debt far beyond the claims made
by its advocates will be imposed upon the
taxpayers of this and succeeding genera
tions.
Furthermore, as believe the principle
of assessing benefits is entirely just and in
accordance with correct economic laws,
and as that principle. so far as it is made
to apply TO the act In question, has been
declared unconstitutionalby by the local tribun-
ais, should regret TO see the scheme sue
ceed. and the general taxpayers made to
pay for benefits accruing to Compara-
lively small proportion of them."
Attorney W. F. Mattingly, who has TAX
en- an active part in the discussion OF the
question. stated that while he had not as
yet read the decision in full. he believed in
the assessment of benefits which would
arise by reason or any improvement.
Where the court of appeals held the same
as Judge Cox he did not question their
Judgment. lie did not care to express a
decisive opinion until he had carefully
studied the decision.
Mr.. Loeb of Loeb & Hirsb, who is a large
property holder in the tract OF land under
consideration, takes an entirely rational
and unselfish view OF the question.
a RATIONAL VIEW.
My belief is easily expressed said Mr..
Loeb. The streets which il is proposed TO
open up ana improve will not be needed for
the next fifty years. and it is a shame and
disgrace to tax the people for this purpsoe,
wien there are miles and miles of highways
within the city which require the eXpend-
city streets, and then, in the course of time
If this addition is needed, that will be a
matter for consideration then.
IF IL is done. ho wever, the accrued bene-
fits, by reason Of the opening up of the high
way should most assuredly be deducted from
the amount awarded by virtue of any
damage which may be done TO the portion
OF land taken
Mr. Chaplin Brown held views little
different from the others. He said the
property owners We're satisfied with the
condition OF affairs as they stood before
the question arose. They had their streets
laid out. and the act only created streets
on paper. OF course, IL Congress went
on to make appropriations for grading.
sewers. and the like that would be an
other matter.
He did not think the awards by the
Jury of condemnation had been entirely
Just, as property was sold at the time
the awards were made for 20 per cent
more than they had allowed. AS u whole,
he had no fault TO find with the decision
of Judge Cox. He did not want to see
the public taxed for the benefit of a
few, and thought If nothing was done in
the matter that would be the better
way out Of the difficulty.
MR.. DUNLOP'S OPINION.
Mr.. George T. Dunlop, who is director
on the Board of Trade and one of its com.
mittee on street extension, said that so
much difficulty had arisen over the lie gality
of the law that the proper method of pre-
ccdure now was to ask Congress to pass
an entirely new law, which would include
the salient points in the present one and
correct its faults. The present statute
could be used as lever to ccomplish this
purpose, which, he thought, would prove
much more satisfactory than to attempt
to patch up the old law with all its defects,
This was along the line of the argument he
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