Evening star., 1902-02-15

mon with other residents here ought to be
taxed for that purpose, and ought to share
In the benefits Of the expenditures
All expenses, therefore, which look to the
advancement OF the capital Of the United
States. as such. ought to be borne by the
United States, and all rights of the United
States ought to be protected primarily and
at all events, especially those rights which
relate to the war power, the post ONCE
and transportation; since in these particu-
lars every citizen of the United States Is
equally entitled to those national rights In
cluded under "the common defense and
general welfare;'' and the people Of the
District cannot, In the nature OF things,
have separate or peculiar interests. Rail-
ways fall under the control Of Congress by
reason OF the power to regulate commerce,
as well as the general welfare and common
defense powers. I believe that within the
District of Columbia they should be re-
garded as military roads and owned exclu-
sively by Congress. l do not believe that
Congress should allow any railroad COM
pany to own the bridges or other ap-
proaches Of the capital. believe that Con-
gress should. at the national expense, build
union depot, bridge the Potomac and do
whatever else may be deemed necessary
from the military. postal or commercial
point Of view to improve the facilities OF
travel and trade. as well as military op-
eratiOns. AS citizen Of the United States
1 don't like the idea Of putting a single
private corporation in a position to par
alyZe the government at Its own pleasure
AS a resident of Washington l do not like
welfare OF the nation, except In proportion
as such taxes are paid by all other citizens
Of the United States. The discrimination
seems to me unjust and unconstitutional.
The proposition to authorize the issuance
Of bonds for local improvements stands on
different ground. Certainly our people
should be allowed to raise money for pure
ly local purposes. II they see fit to do so.
This is their separate matter, and the ma
ton should not coerce them one way or
another. 1t is customary in most OF the
states for the people of a municipality to
settle such questions by a popular vote.
This plebiscitary method is coeval and CO.
elementary with the representative princi-
pie in our federal system and in those con-
federacies which preceded 1t. 1t was adopt
ed In forming the united colonies Of New
England in 1913. 1t also appears In the pro-
visions of the non-!mportation agreement,
the only ordinance of the congress Of 1774,
in the articles of confederation of 1111. in
the federal Constitution of 1859, in the act
of Congress of $500 concerning the north
west territory, in the joint resolution for
the annexation of Texas in 1915. in the act
Of Congress retroceding Alexandria county
to Virginia in 1916, in the Clay compromise
respecting the organization and admission
of New Mexico and Utah In 1859. and in the
KansaS-NebraSka act of 1854. The whfg
and democratic parties were both commit
ted to it alternately in reference TO the ex-
tension to slavery. the prohibitionists and
the republicans have both adopted and
spread 1t in state and local affairs. In the
last edition Of the American and English
Encyclopedia Of Law hundreds Of cases are
cited from the decisions of the state courts,
approving the method in county. township,
city, village and school district matters in
volving taxation and expenditure. The Su-
preme Court Of the United States has ap-
proved it in two cases at least one involv-
ing a subscription to the stock of a rail-
road company by Knox county, Ind, and
another Of the same nature by Jefferson
vile, Ind.
II the plebiscite is proper where the peo-
VII. TeDrpSpnfpd in the lppiSl1-
tive body, which imposes a tax or author
ICES the issuance of bonds, much more
would it be where they are not repre-
sented Indeed. there is no other prac-
t;cable method here for ascertaining their
wishes And l believe that If this whole
matter OF local taxation and public i'm
provement were referred to the residents
OF this District they would settle 1t by
majority vote more satisfactorily than 1t
can be settled in any other way. The
people want magnificent city and are all
willing to be taxed for the attainment of
that object; but the majority are opposed
to exemptions and Determinations in favor
Of certain classes and corporations !
have good reason to believe that large
aiority favor the taxation OF all property
IN the District except that owned by the
national and municipal governments. / be-
lieve that they want a fair distribution of
the proceeds Of taxation among the differ
ent sections of the city, and would make
that part of any scheme of taxation and
administration which might be adopted by
them At present there is a sad lack of
impartiality In the apportionment of i'm
provements. l live on Sth street northeast.
under the very shadow of the Capitol, and
yet the street in front of my house is un-
paved, and has for twenty years been in
worse condition than any country road in
Massachusetts,. I have paid taxes all those
years for the benefit Of others living in
the northwest section. A plebiscite would
correct such crying injustice as this. More
over. part of my taxes are annually ap-
piled to the upbuilding of religious insttu-
tons which pay no taxes, and whose in
fluences are destructive of the rights of
conscience to which the Constitution guar
antees protection. l feel prosecuted in con-
science. as we'll as plundered in purse, by
the present arbitrary system. and l know
that there many thousands Of others
who feel as l do about It. II religious
persecution by means Of unjust taxation is
a ground Of discomfort, II ought to be re-
moved, or at least the prosecuted people
ought to have chance to remove it, il they
are really in the majority.
In conclusion, let me sum up my conten-
tions
l. I believe that the government should
own all railroads and bridges in the Dis
trict, and let the use Of them to particular
companies for fair consideration
2. l believe that Congress ought to build
a union depot suitable to the purposes and
in harmony wIlh the original design Of
Washington city, and that 1t should build
suitable bridges.
3. I believe that no tax should be laid
or bend debt incurred by the District
until the proposition has been submitted to
the people, as such propositions are submit
ted in the states. JOSIAH MILLARD.