The Washington times., 1902-02-12
CITIZENS DISCUSS
NEEDS OF DISTRICT
Mt. Pleasant Declares Against
Further Taxation.
NATION SHOULD SHARE BURDEN
Present System of Making Improve
menfs Once More Denounced rs
Unjust-Land for Parks DoubIy
Paid FOr-Trnnsfer system Talked
Over.

The Mount Pleasant Citizens Associa
ton installed its new president, Col E. b
Townsend last night, and he presided a
the meeting. The association has beer
without a president since the opening O.
its fiscal year. beginning with September
Mr.. Thomas Blagden had been chosen
president. but for personal reasons de.
clined to serve. Colonel Townsend was
elected a month ago.
Upon taking up the duties of office as
president Colonel Townsend delivered an
address which was cordially received by
the association. He stated that he ac-
cepted the honor. conferred upon him
with some misgiving, but that he had I'M
dertaken it and would use his best en-
deavors to serve the association
Sacrifice n Citizens Duty.
Colonel Townsend referred to the citi-
zens association as q place in which
much hard work must be done at a great
sacrifice of time and business. He said
that no warrant on the treasury awaits
the issue of the work, and there are nc
emoluments of office. He said that in this
work the people Of Washington are sadly
handicapped as compared with other
municipalities; that in the peculiar part
nership between the United States Gov
eminent and the municipality the people
OF the Capital are as 800, 900 to SO, 900. 600
In that comparison, Colonel Townsend
said the interest of the District is too
infnitesimal to be fairly considered The
hay
ton of local affairs. and no right save
that of petition. The citizen of Wash
ington has the right to pay taxes and to
prepare for a residence in the Eternal
City, where the streets are paved with
gold and taxes are unknown. but notwith-
standing their insignificance. they are ex-
pected to bear an equal share in the ex-
pense of the concern in which the sO,-
100000 hold majority of the stock and
have absolute control
improvements Add Double burden,
Colonel Townsend complained of the
arrangement, and spoke at length of the
practice OF the Government in taking
more and more land all the while for
public purposes, thus decreasing the area
OF the taxable property. With every ac-
erection of public space. such as Rock
Creek Park, the Municipal Hospital site,
and other tracts, the people of the Dis
trict must pay for one-half the cost OF
the land and the Improvement. besides
bearing perpetually the resulting increas
of taxation
considerable part OF the evening was
taken up in the discussion of the extern
sion Of Sixteenth Street The matter
was brought to the attention OF the as
ISOLATION by a resolution offered by Mr.
L. p. Shoemaker, calling upon the Dis
trict Commissioners to take action at
once IN the acceptance of the awards of
the jury Of condemnation.
sixteenth Street Extension.
The question was discussed by Mr.
Shoemaker and by Messrs. Chaplin Brown
and B. ". Holman. Mr.. Brown spoke very
earnestly, reviewing the course of events
in this now famous improvement, through
all the 'tortuous years of it's progress -
Mr.. Brown declared that the Commission
ers We're not only authorized to act in the
matter. but that it was their duty to act
at once and relieve tie property owners
aionB tue line OF sixteenth street from
the hardships which have rested upon
them for the past five years.
Mr.. Shoemaker's resolution was amend
ed, and a committee, consisting of Colo
mel Townsend and Messrs Brown. Holman
Blagden, and Shoemaker was appointed
to present the resolution to the Commits
siOners, and to lay before them certain
facts and arguments looking to urgency
of action on the part of the board.
On the question of taxation, Mr.. Shoe