Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1902-05-03

ing was precisely like that in the reelama-
ton of the channels of scores Of rivers of
far less commercial Importance, and II the
work CHANGED to result beneficially to the
community the cost should not be charged
against it, any more than 1t is ever charged
against the small towns which lie on the
streamlets in the congressional districts, for
which the pork barrel is biennially opened.
The six items which remain are properly
subject to criticism as they stand. During
the years when the District paid no part of
the cost of maintaining the Garfield. Freed
mans and Providence hospitals the 'govern-
ment's contribution was on a broadly lib
eral national basis, much more than twice
the amount which could be eouitably
charged against the people of Washington.
The District, if chargeable at all for any
arrearages, should be taxed only for that
part of the totals which represents what it
should have paid for the care of bona fide
residents of the District. 1t should pay no
part of the cost of caring for the hundreds
of non-r~ ident patients who are sent to the
hospitals while temporarily in this jurisdic-
ton and for whose care the municipality is
not in the least degree responsible. Mr.
Burketts estimates in these particulars are
excessive, as is that relating to the hos
pital for the insane, where many patients
have been nominally credited to the Dis
trict who have had no legal residence here
Mr.. Burkett's figures are largely reduced,
almost eliminated, on examination. To the
extent to which they stand they are SUBJ
Ject to specific offset in items since 1873
in which excess payments were made by
the District. partial account being reprint
ed. by coincidence, in the same issue of the
Record. The items of street extensions,
asgregating 81, 426, 77712, for which the Dis
trict paid exclusively. added to the mis-
cellaneous matters of the same class, $4,000
for the Grand Army encampment and $1,000
for the bathing beach, show a total of
N,ol9,Ud.12 of District payments which
should have been borne equally by the gov
eminent, while to this should be added the
s134.5IS.50, half of the cost of Rock Creek
Park, improperly charged against the Dis
trict, making a grand total of 81 654 800 e.
10 this sum should be added overcharges
in the matter of the water tunnel, and in
the Geological Park as mere annex Of the
National Museum. in extension of the gov
ernment's scientific work and solely under
national control.
The Districts side of the arrearage &C
count, however, does not end with the
of the national capital partnership since
1878. If there is any reason for a state
ment of the amounts which the District
should have paid since 1878 on the half
and-half basis, there is certainly the best
of reason for the inclusion of what the
government should have paid for the main
tenance of the District prior to that date
In 1885 Senator Southland, seeking a rem
ndx fny Gn ri,
acute proposed not only a half-and-half
arrangement, but urged the reimbursement
of the District in the sums the government
should have paid from the beginning. In
1874 this amount was stated at S13, 800, OOO
and in 1878 it assuredly aggregated at least
s15IO0O,ooO. The act of 1878. organizing the
national capital partnership. was a tardy
recognition by Congress of the justice of
governmental participation in the mainte-
nance of the federal city The acts passed
since 1878 charging the District with half
or part of the cost of certain establish
ments, included in Mr. Burkett's list. were
apparently based upon a similar assump-
ton. If there is any justice whatever in
stating arrearages upon the basis of such
enactments, why should there not be equal
justice in stating the far larger arrearage
cause of its neglect of the national capital
during eighty-seven years? If equity de-
mands the payment of back dues in one
case it assuredly demands 1t In the other
If justice requires that the government
should pay a certain proportion Of District
expenses now, both justice and consistency
demand that 1t should pay the same pro-
portion of the expenses of the years of it's
Indifference and harsh treatment bal
ance should be struck, and whatever sum,
whether fifteen or twenty millions, Is
necessary to make the expenditures of the
general government upon the capital equal
to those of its citizens for the eighty-seven
years Of the city's life should be credited to
the District.
1t is to be remembered that in the be-
ginning the general government implicitly
undertook to build up a national city on a
grand scale entirely at national expense
and received donations of land and sold lots
on this understanding