Evening star., 1898-06-06

street Extension at Local Expense.
The House District committee in reporting
favorabIy bill for the extension OF 11th
street entirely at the Districts expense re-
ferred to the fact that the House had re-
Gently voted to re peal the highway act the
iitimation being that a reason or justifiea
tion was thereby furnished for the commit
tees action.
The people of the District asked Congress
to amend or repeal the highway act for
the very purpose of ridding the capital of
an injurious discrimination against that
part of the city which happens to lie out
side the boundaries of the original Wash
irgt9n. An appeal was made to our legis-
latLre to refrain from the obvious injus-
tice of extending the grand national street
plan of the capital exclusively at local ex
ponse. 1t demonstrated that this
course would be outrageously unfair and
uI.endurably oppressive.
Apparently in response to this petition
the House voted to repeal the highway act
which planned a comprehensive scheme of
street extension entirely at the cost of the
District How can this action which in ef-
feet disapproves reputation of the half
ard half principle in reference to the ex-
tension of Wasbington's streets collectively
be viewed as sustaining the abandonment
OF that principle in the extension of the
same streets individually and separately?
In every possible way the people of Wash
irgton have protested against the proposed
imposition whether the street extensions
are presented one at time or in a bunch
The Board of Trade has repeatedly and
formally declared that proportionate contri-
button by the United States under the act
of 1878 is q vital feature of sueh extensions.
llp xtrhi lob
all on the proposed grand and national
scale. Its latest declaration on the gen.
eral subject is contained in a resolution,
unanimously adopted on the 9th of January
of this year, follows:
Resolved, That in the opinion of the
Board of Trade it is the duty of the District
ofncidls and citizens generally not to pro-
pose or give assent publicly or privately to
appropriations being made for any munich
pal purposes other than those made in ac-
cordance with the act of June H. 1878; and
that II should be made manifest TO Con-
eresS' whenever necessary, in an earnest
and unmistakable but respectful manner
that appropriations made otherwise are not
desirable OF acceptable
The C1tizens' Central Committee in its
original resolutions attached primary i'm
pcrtance to the preservation of the hall
and half principle and recently approved
the repeal of the highway act on the same
stated ground
IL Is hardly conceivable that any indiyid-
ual citizens who taxpayers oppose a
general extension of streets exclusively at
local expense would favor or even assent
to an abandonment of the half and half
principle in the extension OF some particu-
tar street in which they are pecuniarily in
terested. This would be such a low and
1f1uhe
to be anticipated.
But If any such citizens should suggest
to a committee of Congress that their de-
Votion to the half and half principle exists
only when their taxes are to be spent for
the benefit of the community In genera,
and that they are willing or anxious to re-
pudlate and betray this principle in particu-
lar instances, provided the local money is
IN such cases appropriated in a manner in
hicated by and personally beneficial to
them. their representations discredited in
the very utterance, should not receive the
slightest consideration from anybody.
In the partnership of capital-makine
Congress is the active and this community,
Is the silent partner. putting up it's share
of the money, but having no voice in the
management of the partnership concerns
lnder these circumstances in dealing with
the firms affairs, the active partner ought
clearly to be extremely considerable of the
WISHES and interests of his silent asso-
clate In the matter of street extension.
however. the active partner has shown
some disposition to enter upon distinc-
lively partnership project on . grand scale,
behtting the partnership. and to meet the
cost Of the project entirely from the money
contributed by the silent partner. in spite
Of the latter's reasonable protest against
this palpable breach of trust.