Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-02-10

taxpayers Of the District to do as much as
the entire nation of s0O0O,000 (Which al
ready owns a good deal more than one half
OF all the property in the DISTRICT for the
support of the local government and the
proper Improvement and development of
the nations capital. 1t never was the IN
tention that they should be required to do
IL, ana 1t Is not possible for them to do il for
any length of time in the future as the dis
proportion grows constantly greater. Some
other arrangement must be made sooner OF
later, and it ought to be done now.
VI All the plans suggested, that of Sena
Tor Hoar made in the Senate on the 9th Of
March last would appear to be the most
reasonable and equitable. After saying
that IT was very important matter, and
that he had had occasion to consider it,
he said:
1T seems to me there is just one simple
principle that ought to be applied to the
residents of the District of Columbia We
should ascertain the average rate of taxa
ton in well-ordered American cities, wheth-
er 1t be 81 on the thousand, or $40 on the
thousand, or SO on the thousand, or what
ever sum, and then apply that to the per-
sonal property and real estate of every
resident here.
When that Is done with such exemp-
lions as experience suggests in all like
cases, the government should pay the rest
OF the reasonable expenses of this Dis
trict. l do not think that having one-half
paid by the District and one-half paid by
the government has any scientific merit
whatever. There is nothing in reason why
1t should be one-half rather than thirds
or three-fourths. The government is a
great property owner here, and the credit
of the city of Washington is the credit of
the nation. 1t is the national capital and
it is the great national interest to have
well-ordered and beautiful and well-orna-
mented and arranged city here.
Federal Property Exempt.
''The complaint that the government pays
part of the taxes seems to me to have
no foundation in reason whatever The
people here do not govern their own city; it
is governed by the government The public
property here is enormous in amount 1t
seems to me that that is the only fair and
know of.
Let man who comes here to dwell
pay what he would pay in Providence, r.
l., or in Dubuque, Iowa, which, without
Knowing anything about it, 1 am sure are
well-ordered cities. because 1 know some
thing of the character Of their eminent citi-
zens. When he has done that let the gov
eminent pay the rest of the bills and spend
money as lavishly or as economically as it
may see fit
think that every person who has given
the subject attention and study, who has
examined the early records and learned the
circumstances and conditions under which
the Capitol was located here, and the OBJ
Ject that Congress and the states had in
setting aside the ten miles square as the
seat Of the national government, will agree
with the senator on that point Such a plan
would settle the matter for all time and put
an end forever to the contentious, bicker-
ings. hearings and personal influences with
which the committees in both houses are
pestered at every session. Why then should
there not be appointed a joint committee
OF the House and Senate to investigate the
whole subject during the recess, and pre-
pare suitable bill at the next session. 1t
seems to me that that would be a very
proper thing to do. and certainly more for
the interest Of the nation than Of the citi-
zens OF the District. All that the citizens
ask Is that justice be done, and that this
great nation ought to be ready and willing
. to do with its own citizens, and especially
SO where the nation itself has so much at
stake in the matter. w, c. DODGE