New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-03-16
CONGRESS- DOESN'T PLAY FAIh
AT LEAST THAT is WHAT DISTRICT of
COLUMBIA PEOPLE THINK

fBY TELEGRAPH TO THE Tfb''H'i
Washington. March l5.-The annual dispute a.
to whether or not the General Government s"a'
bear its share Of the public expenses u
District Of Columbia is again exciting a''e"'
There are few men In every Congress VIII
tend that tho entire burden or these eNpe
Of every description should be borne by ,"e 'aN
payers OF the District. despite the fact 'ha' ''.
sderaby more than one-half OF the proper! -
the District Is owned by the government a".
Is therefore not taxable and the further 1act
that at the National Capital an unusua"! 'a'ee
rroporton of the population consists CT per-
sons who are legal residents OF the se'e'"'
States. and who pay no taxes In Washington
although they enjoy the benefits OF the puo"0
schools as we'll as Of all the other INSTITUTIONS
and agencies Of every description which are
maintained at public expense for the oehe"'
and protection OF the property Owners who pay
the taxes.
Under existing law onehalf Of the expehdi-
lures on account OF the District Of Columbia ~
paid out OF tie National Treasury. and the re-
n. ainder out of funds derived from local taxa
ton. fines. penalties etc Every year for
number OF years past the attempt TO shoulder
the entire burden upon me taxpayers OF inc
Federal District has been renewed. ana as OH"
defeated In Congress. 1t was done TINS yea'
when the District Appropriation bill was pe""'"e
In the House OF Representatives since 'hen d"
attempt to toist the entire expense OF es'ap'''"
ing and maintaining one necessary purhc ihs''
tuition upon the local taxpayers has been par
TALLY successful. T.
For wears the lack Of a free public Library III
WASHINGTON has been keenly realized ana ueep'!
felt 1t Is true that there are many ana ''
aud exceedingly valuable collections OF ooo"' !"
Washington. but all Of them ere Virtuah' ''"0
cefsible except to comparatively lie" Pe''
Books may be drawn from the Library OF CON
grcss for home reading and study Dy 'e""'o''
and Representatives. the officers OF the 'e""''
and House Of Representatives. the members a"'
oncers Of The supreme Court and other courts
in the District the higher officers In the ExecatVe
denartments and Of the Army and Navy. IL Is
also practicable for n person to draw books from
Tho Library for home reading by leaving
n-onev deposit with the Librarian. but that
prlvilege is now temporarily suspended on ac-
count of the removal of the Library to It's ne"
building In several Of the departments an"
bureaus there are also libraries the DOCKS HUI"
which may be drawn for home readihg os NV
officials and employees Of those departments anu
bureaus In Georgetown there is free pupi''
library Of reference established and endowed by
he
he seen that the National Capital. with its popu-
lation Of nearly 100000 is do.tltute Of free pup
lie circulating library for the benefit Of all It's
people.
Publc-spirited residents Of Washington have
hoe, irving for several years to lay the iounda-
ZION Of such = library and have succeeded by
private efforts and individual subscriptions ana
contributions Of money and books In forming inc
Son At Il
nrov,ding for the establishment and maintenance
~ n free public library and that one-halt the cost
choud no maid out OF the revenues ~ the district
and the remainder out Of the National Treasury
Whom this bill WAS under consideration In inc
Uouse 81 Representatives last Monday. MT POW
or. Of Vermont offered an amendment pro'id'nE
that all the expenses on account OF the "p'A''
should be borne by the District OF Co'u'h"'a
After a warm discussion the aTendmeh' "'s
a6on,ed-less than onc-third Of the members DO
ing presen,-and the bill was sent 10 co"''''''
tee on conference.
Mr. Powers and tho other representatives. WI"
advocated his amendment have been suh)ec'ea
some pretty harsh and severe er'u'is" !" '"'
Washington newspapers on account Oh '''' AZ
tItude The Evening star" especially having Or
voted several vigorous editorials To the sup)''''
Among OF her things II has recalled IN" fact 'h''
the original projectors Of the land upon which
the National Capitol is built gave h'e-seVeh'"s o'
/, che aides the streets and avenues, to the GENERA
co,or,r,ent and Welded the right OF self-goVern-
man, IN the understanding and implied agree
,.r, ,ba, the Nation was 10 build here at us own
o~ne,se q magnificent capital. reim6ursing ITSELF
IN mart from the proceeds o. the sales OF the lois
given TO 1t.
the star says What have the local tax
ant r!h
,ho d.ve,onment Of the Nations city? For
three -fourths OF century they were cohpe"e'
., .ssur,e practically the entire burden OF capt.
tal-making. the Nation shamelessiy Vio'a',"s
I'D r.g,ectine the obligations which II had In
Cured In 1878 the amount OF the contributor
NJ the resident taxpayers toward the expenses
OF the capital was fixed by law al ohe-ha'i '"e
total amount the Nation tardily ana 'haue-
ouately fulfilling Its original agreement
Tho Same paper editorially resents the as
sertion that the people OF the Distr'o' VI "
,umbia do not pay their due proportion of taxes
for the support OF both the m"h'o'p"' anu
National Government 1t Is pointed out that
the recoipts OF Internal revenue In the DIS
trio, are twelve times as great as those OF YER
mont. eleven times as great as those OF Arizona.
Mississippi or North Dakota. nine times az
great as those OF Idaho more than twice as
much as those OF Arkansas. Montana OREGON
or Washington. and so on continuing. Nv
S,ar" savs: THE asse ssed and taxed fraction
Of washington 10 less than one-half OF the en-,
fire area. the Government owning the exempted
remainder II appears that this haif OF .ns
capital Is assessed at more than seven tines
tho value of all Omaha. more than three tmcS
the value Of all Indianapolis. % per cent NOR
than the value Of all the great city or CieNeia'u
and nearly as much under It's 1885 aasessmen, as
Ch,caco With its vast area. more than million
inhabitants and it's numerous and cosby pui'u
inps and fine residences Wasnngtons asrrssen
v.iue was sl23 600 900 In 1890 and $l6ooooooo III
fsoa and Chicago was s17O. 900 In 1890
SHORTAGES IN POSTMASTERS' ACCOUNTS
wa.b,ngton March i5-Chief Postofice Inspector
Wheeler received n telegram to-day from inspectors
Sutton and Reed, In Kansas city. Kan r'pot'"k
an apparent shortage OF $500 postal funds FRANK
Mates the postmaster. committed SUICIDE 'nS
morning at o'clock shooting himself through inc