Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-04-07

s.
couraging review Mr.. Cannon gave at the
Tune OF the present and future of WASH
lngton, and his attitude for curta iIment in
d matter which affects not alone the tax
payers and residents of the capital but
the people Of the entire nation as well.
These taxpayers and a few prominent
ciuzens and property owners quoted below
state that 1t Is ineonceivable why Con-
sress as body, and the committee of an
preparations Of the House as a whole an
pear TO class Washington as a simple mn
nieipaiity like that Of an ordinary CITY. for
getIuI, they assert, that this city is the
1t is asserted and the feeling is the same
among the small property holders as well
as the large, is in a peculiarly helpless con-
dition as regards finances and resources
congress, they say, instead Of holding
back should come forward with outstretch-
ed hands rendering the national co-opera-
tion which is sought; and the nation as
such. should uphold it's own end as contra
distinguished from that of the District
In discussing the. matter, which, he said,
was one OF the most important local Dues
uons winch has as yet confronted the peo-
pie. MIR. c. j. Bell, president of the Ameri-
can Security and Trust Company. said:
Mr.. Bells Views.
Il consider the position taken by The
Star in its recent editorial regarding the
remarks Of the chairman of the House an
preparation committee fairly and equitably
voices the sentiments OF the citizens and
property holders of Washington
While have the utmost respeet for Mr.
cannon cannot agree with him. and feel
that he has taken, perhaps unwittingly,
too narrow view Of very broad question.
l have no doubt that if the question of re-
pealing the organic act were placed before
the people at large in the country it would
De almost unanimously voted down; that
they would hold that Washington being the
capital OF the nation belongs largely to
the nation. and that the federal govern
ment should deal most literally with it's
citizens.
"One fact seems to be lost sight of. name
~, that IN actual value the property owned
by the federal government exceeds the tax
able property owned by our citizens and
as our country grows this difference will
become greater every year in favor of the
government. The addition of new govern
ment buildings requiring the purchase of
new ground acts In two ways: it increases
the governments share and at the same
time diminishes the amount of taxable
property belonging TO citizens. / cannot
conceive upon what fair basis the argument
Is made that, the government should go
as far as the District and no further In
my opinion there is every reason why the
government should lead in the making of
improvements in the capital Of the country
We have in the past few years been saddled
unjustly with very large debts, of which
the government should have paid one-half
/ have always held that street extension
should not be borne entirely by taxpayers
especially now that the government is the
owner of outside lands used for govern
ment purposes, such as the National OBJ
servatory and the property bought by the
bureau of weights and standards. There
ought not to be ene law for the city and
another for the District
While financial condition . at the
present moment does not appear favorable
there are good reasons why we now face a
deficit in revenues instead of having a sur
nj nf mi al ho
extension charged entirely against the Dist
riot, the cost OF water works and parks
should be borne equally by the District and
government and ought not to be charged
against the revenues of any one year.
These are improvements for the use Of
future generations and. the cost should be
spread over term of years"
Congress Just to Itself and District.
Another well-knonn and heavy taxpayer
said:
IF the members of the House of Repre-
septatives wish the eastern front of the
Capitol extended according to the original
plan, as Mr.. Cannon stated, and a large
new and costly office building for their own
use erected to the south of the Capitol and
connected Herewith by a tunnell by all
means let them enact the necessary measure
to that end and Washington, as body will
rise up en- masSe and approve of their ac-
tion; don't delay or discuss the question,
D.ctrict nor throughout the country will
begrudge Congress all the house room and
official quarters 1t may require, Or money
spent upon improving the Capitol. The
question of paying their private secretaries
$3.50 per month as proposed, is q matter of
economy upon which some may agree to
dlsagree, but no enc viii disagree upon the
first proposition. A question of improve
ments and public buildings Is not ques-
ton of similar economy. but one which has
t" do with the transaction of the business
oil great government and the adornment
of a great city, its capital But Congress
should not stop there. There Is urgent need
of other public buildings in Washington
Let Congress at once pass bills for their
erection. Surely, IL Congress in it's wisdom
may appropriate SCI 00O, 600 In a lump sum.
sum of Stupendous magnitude, for the
Improvement of the rivers and the harbors
OF the nation, and to be expended In a
single session, it ray with equal propriety
appropriate few begsariy millions for it's
own use In washington, and for the i'm
piovement of the national capital, and none
VIII say nay, but on the contrary, will ap-
plaud.
such anomalies place the taxpayers and
the residents OF Washington at a decided
disadvantage, and must necessarily hold
up Congress as a body to comment and
criticism before the nation, as. in fact.
the press dispatches and notices in The
Star already evidence. Great national i'm
provements in Washington should be done.
substantially. by the nation, and paid for
py the nations funds; let the District 8
share of the expense be applied toward
legitimate and usual municipal expenses
and the ordinary and regular functions
OF a municipality. In any event. the cir
cumseribed attitude, very much unexpect-
ed at this session. toward the District.
| already sufferer by an unjust and unfair
unloading upon its financial resources of
an Indebtedness which did not belong to
1t. is almost inexplicable and entirely ir-
reconciiable with the, .iberality displayed
by that body in other directions as re-
CARDS appropriations for public purposes
None question the honesty Of purpose
OF Mr.. Cannon, but 1t is felt that he has
merely failed to grasp the times 10 which
he lives. he apparently Judging the capi-
tai of the greatest nation on esei tn from
the limited standpoint OF the requirements
or an interior town which might have its
state capitol in its center He does the
people at large, whom he thus narrowly
represents. the gravest injustice. These
are progressive times. and II Is a reiec-
ton upon us as a country IL our national
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