Evening star., 1902-01-14

REGARDED AS CRISIS
Mr.. Henry E. Davis Discusses Pros
pective Taxation Measures.
CITIZENS SHOULD UNITE IN PROTEST.
Brightwood Association Has Bond
Issue Under Consideration.
PROPOSED LOAN FAVORED
CITIZENS SHOULD UNITE IN PROTEST.
PROPOSED LOAN FAVORED

The Brightwood Citizens Association held
a well-attended meeting at Brightwood Hall
last evening. The principal matter up for
| discussion was the question of ways and
means to meet the deficit existing in the
| District treasury, and provision for raising
| the funds necessary for the growth of the
| city, and to pass upon the action recently
| taken by the joint association Of dele
gates from the different citizens organiza-
| tions throughout the District.
The president, Louis P. Shoemaker, oc-
cupied the chair The matter of the raising
Of the funds was presented by Mr.. Wilton
| j. Lambert, who was chairman of the joint
| meeting of associations. Mr.. Lambert
stated that there was a full discussion Of
| the subject by the delegates. The repre-
sentatives from Brightwood, he said, had
| taken the position that the most expedient
| remedy for the situation would be the is
suing of a term series of bonds upon the
credit of the United States and the Dis
trict of Columbia jointly, One-half of the
| principal and interest to be borne, accord
| ing to the organic act of 1873, by the United
| States, and thereby making the burden of
| the Districts proportion to be borne largely
| by those who will come hereafter and reap
the greatest benefit from the expenditures
proposed.
Mr.. Lambert stated, further, that it was
intended to request the raising Of about
$40, 100000 at the present time. He, how
ever said that as it was urged upon the
delegates that the Commissioners favored
obtaining an advance Of funds from the
United States treasury rather than to raise
money by bond issue, and stood ready to
cooperate with the citizens in an effort to
obtain such advance, the delegates had
thought 1t wise to support the Commission
ers in the request for the proposed loan in
the first instance, using the project Of a
bond issue as an alternative course over
the latter.
After considerable discussion, in which it
was manifest that the association decidedly
favored the bond issue, a resolution was
passed approving the action taken by the
delegates Friday last and authorizing a no.
tice to this effect to be sent by the secre-
tary to the Commissioners and the differ
ent committees and representatives in Con-
greSs.
Improvements Desired.
A resolution was offered by Mr.. r. NJ.
Johnson providing for the widening Of
Brightwood avenue and the esta ablishment
of foot ways thereon, and Mr.. McLaugh-
lin urged upon the association the imme-
date extension of 18th and 14th streets.
Mr.. Gustav H. Kuhn presented a reso-
luton urging upon Congress the granting
of authority to the District to string or
run overhead electric wires east of Rock
creek in the county. This was unani-
mously passed, as was an amendment Of
IeTeu ny MT. LAMBERT TO the erect that a
committee of three be appointed to confer
with the other association east of Rock
creek to the end that similar committees
might be appointed and organized ef-
fort made to obtain the same facilities re-
garding the electric light east of Rock
creek In the county as is afforded on the
west side.
Mr.. Davis Address.
At the conclusion of the business of the
meeting, the president, Louis P. Shoe
maker, in few graceful remarks intro
duced former District Attorney Henry E.
Davis of the Washington bar, who made
an extended talk to the association upon
the conditions which have prevailed in the
District since its establishment in the days
of General Washington. Mr.. Davis traced
the government of the District from the
time it was managed by a superintendent,
who was, in turn, succeeded by the COM
missioner of public buildings and the
mayor and common council and board of
public works. until the present form of
government was put into operation. Mr.
Davis said that in the beginning nc
thought was had by Congress other than
that as the District of Columbia including
the city of Washington, was the seat Of
the United States government, all expenses
of a public character should be paid by the
| United States. He said that subsequently
| when the District became more thickly
populated, it became the custom of Con-
| gress to provide that where the citizens
| Oh the D1StrlCt paved one SIDE OF the street
the United States should pave the other
| side, or pay half Of the entire cost of
same; that the improvements were made
| by the United States not for the benefit
| of the citizens of the District, but for the
| benefit Of the people whom the United
| States employed here and who visited the
| city, and for the benefit of the government
| departments, which, from time to time
were established here.
Regarded Rank Injustice.
| Mr.. Davis further declared that water
| was introduced in the District solely at
| the expense of the United States, not for
| the benefit of the residents of the District,
| but in order to provide for the needs Of the
| government Institutions; that the fire de-
| partment was likewise established at the
| expense OF the government to protect gov
! ernment property, not in the interests Of
| private individuals holding property here
and he contended that owing to the fact
District and It's improvements were the
property Of the United States 1t was rank
injustice to undertake at this late day for
the first time, to suggest taxing the citizens
of the District for the payment of what
Injured to the benefit Of the whole United
States.
Mr.. Davis commented upon the position
recently taken by Chairman Mcmillan of
the District committee in making the sug-
gestion that agricultural land should be
taxed on the ratio with city lots He con-
tended that there was no reason in the
theory that acreage ground should be made
to pay for the maintenance Of the fire de-
partment and police force and such things
as would be Of possible benefit to such
property.
Face to Face With Crisis.
In his DerOra tiOn Mr.. Davis derla rod bo