The Washington times., 1902-04-02
PRAISES PUBLIC SPIRIT SHOWN
National Government Scored
for Lack of Appro-
priationS.
SPEECH OF Mr.. TOWNSEND
Facetious Remarks on Natures Work
in Rock Creek Park, as Helped by
Local Jailbirds-Resolution Adopted.

Public-spirited interest in Washington
was manifested last night at a meeting
of the Columbia Heights Citizens A5socia-
tion. when Commissioner Macfarland, the
guest of honor, delivered an address in
which he claimed that the devotion of the
citizens of the District of Columbia has
not been duly appreciated by the Nation
al Government. Other workers for the
common good of the District took part in
general discussion of local affairs. A
banquet concluded the patriotic meeting.
A resolution offered by Wilton ]. Lam
bert. OF the Brightwood Citizens Asso-
citation, providing for the formation in
the District of Columbia of a National
Society for the ACKNOWLEDGMENT of Wash
ingIon, such as other citizens associa-
tions have adopted, was passed. The res
olution stated that lit is the firm belief
of the members of this association that
the people of this country are in favor
of extensive national improvements and
desire to see Washington made what II
ought to be as the Capital City of this
great country, properly at national ex-
pense; that the people of this nation will
not advocate that the land owners of the
District of Columbia should be required
to pay more than their just proportion
for Federal improvement. 1. e., the rela-
tionship that 100000 would bear to So
1000; that they are imbued with the
spirit of fairness as well as Justice and
consequently. opposed to a levy of tax
alton for national purposes upon the
10000 property owners of the District of
Columbia to a burdensoine extent which
must follow If improvements of national
character, such as general street extern
sion plans and the suggestions of the
Parking Commission. are TO fall as a bur-
den upon the few land owners of the Dis
trict of Columbia"
Commissioner Macfarland was intro
duced, and spoke of the necessities of
Washington and the treatment deserved
from Congress. After thanking the asso-
citation for its courtesy to him and prais-
ing its members for taking a public-spir-
tied interest in the affairs of the Dis
Irict, which, be said. the Commissioners
thoroughly appreciated. he continued:
Mr.. Macfarland's Remarks.
Il fear that the patriotic devotion OF
the residents of the National Capital to
its uD-building is not as generally ap-
preciated as it ought to be. From the
time that the original residents gave the
National Government 20 per cent of the
area of the city of Washington the citi-
zens of the District, although they own
less than half OF its real estate, have con-
tributed more to the advancement of the
National Capital than all the rest of the
citizens of the country put together 1t
is a matter of history. il is a matter of
arithmetic. that for the first seventy
eight years the people of the District paid
the bills of the National Capitals man
agement and development.
out of the &, Geo, $50 realized by the
National Government from the sale of
lots donated by the original proprietors
with small grants from Maryland and
Virginia. the poverty-stricken National
Government built the White House, the
Capitol, and other carly national build
ings. and improved their surroundings. AS
the Senate and House District Commit
tees reported in 1886, the National Gov
ernment was deeply the debtor of the
patriotic citizens of the District of CO.
lumbia. That debt went on increasing
until 1873. when, for the first time, the
National Government began TO do its
proper part in the District of Columbia.
Congress Owes Debt.
'But It has never paid its arrears. and
still owes seventy eight years of debt
Since the compact of 1873 the National
Government has generally fulfilled its OBJ
legations to the National Capital as the
representative of the American people
whose pride in that Capital has constantly
increased. At the same time. the people
OF the District have continued to do their
full share. They are ready to dc all that
can properly be required of them. But
they ought not 10 be required to pay one
half of appropriations for national OBJ
jects, nor ought they to be required, con-
trary to the sound practice followed
everywhere else. to pay for extraordinary
municipal improvements like the filtra-
iion plant out OF current revenues.
The National Government will only
fulfill the desire Of the American people
by expending the national money gener-
ously upon national buildings and parks
in the National Capital. Through the
customs and internal revenue, the citizens
of the District contribute to these objects
proportionately with citizens elsewhere
They are ready TO pay whatever taxes are
necessary. besides to meet one-half cf
the District expenses, although they own
less than half of its real estate and to
pfoNIde SINKING fund and interest foT
the gradual payment of the cost OF much
needed and extraordinary improvements
which will benefit all the future"
Mr.. Louis i. Shoemaker advocated the
establishment of place of amusement
for District of Columbia residents, and
discussed Rock Greek Park. He spoke at
length upon the general plan Of beautif-
cation Of the city.
In discussing the same question z. B.
Townsend, president of the Mount Pleas
ant Citizens Association said that
Washington already has a great park sys-
TEN.
Rock Creek Park.
"We have" he said. many hundreds of |
little parks scattered all through the city,
and then we have the Zoo. We have Rock
Creek Park, and have had it for many
years. The future is well cared for. for !
the convenience of its inhabitants and for |
the welfare and pleasur. of all the peo-
pie. The Almighty did much in the Rock |
Creek Park. II you just let it alone. |
making Il few roads. which are gradually |
being constructed, you cannot improve |
much upon nature. and II will not be !
ecessary for a decade TO make muck OF |
Expenditure in that splendid park
= There is just one thought expressed |
n rein. with which We can fully agree,
I'D that is the Almighty did much in
the Rock Creek Park We have no ono |
else TO thank, for surely Congress las