Evening star., 1902-01-24
. CATALOGUES MAILED ON
fa2S-5t-7k

ing lots of the city. thus making the ma
tion itself an equal owner OF all the prf-
vate property and equally interested for the
benefit Of this private property in all the
improvements which might be made. The
government assumed, and from that day to
the present has claimed and exercised. en-
tire and absolute control over all the streets
Of the city, so that the Inhabitants, or the
corporate authorities, have no power either
to enlarge or diminish them. nor to open
or close them.
"It could not have entered into the con-
temptation Of any one at the date Of the
contract. nor can it now be regarded as
either reasonable or just, that the city
should bear the expense Of streets the prop
erty and control Of which was so absolutely
in the government, and more than one-half
of the land adjacent to which belonged to
1t, and must be increased in value by their
improvement. The committee are Of opin-
ion that the government was bound by
every principle Of equal right and Justice to
pay a proportion Of the expense incurred
on this subject equal to the amount Of the
property which 1t held, and which was to be
increased in value and benefited by 1t, and
this would have been greatly more than
one-half."
But this the government~did not do, for
down to 1872 the whole amount appropri-
ated by the government for street improve
ments was. but 81. .s21 ,2ss. 81, while during
the same period the citizens expended for
the same purpose Sl3, ,021, 767. Is, besides the
entire expense Of the local government
1t should be borne in mind that, while
owning more than half of all the property
(now $10.000.O00 more than half, the gov
ernment does not and never did, pay a
cent OF taxes on its property. In Berlin the
German government pays taxes at the same
and there they have a local government
elected by the taxpaying citizens, they hav-
ing each one or more votes in proportion to
the amount Of taxes they pay.
or To = &hA
ton of the expenses Of the District. and,
while 1t has given to the states and terrific
ries $35, ,0OO, 900 in cash from the treasury and
some $50 100000 acres Of the public lands
OF which 1OO.0OO,OOO acres were for public
schools and state universities, besides $20,-
OOO per annum to each state In addition to
the 100000 acres previously donated for
the agricultural and mechanical colleges, It
has never given to the District q dollar of
money nor an acre of land for schools or
any other purpose.
AS a result the District has no school
tund and In order to provide school build
lngs and support the schools nearly 20O0,-
600 Is required, which consumes more than
one-fourth Of the entire revenue, Including
the amount paid by the general govern
ment; and even now there are not sufficient
schools. as shown by the fact that today
there are $50 halliday schools Of which 60
are In the third grade IA in the fourth and
in the fifth grade! AS nine-tenths Of the
children never go beyond the fifth grade 1t
VIII be seen that the great mass Of them
have but very limited opportunity to ac-
quire even common school education
1t should further be borne in mind that
one-third Of the population are colored. q
large portion Of whom were slaves brought
here during or soon after the war and their
children, and the bulk Of whom, Of course,
pay no taxes. Besides these, there are a.
wv persons in the government service,
many Of whom pay no taxes. With a pop-
ulation OF nearly 100000 in the District. ac-
cording to the assessors report there are
but 41,O4o taxpayers, a less number in pro-
portion to population than in any city in
the Union; and that includes all who own
shanty, and the small homes Of the me-
chanlcs Notwithstanding all these draw
backs. according to the auditors report the
citizens in 1901 paid almost five millions,
the exact amount being 81 954 214 81, for To-
cal purposes. In addition to that the Dis
trict paid for the support of the United
States government $3.50 9S698, or nearly
three and q half times as much as the
average amount paid by any one of four
teen states and five territories; and while
these have twenty-eight senator's, thirty
three members and delegates in Congress
to look after their interests, the District,
with population much larger than several
OF these states. has not even a delegate!
l think 1t must be apparent to any one
who will take the trouble to investigate the
subject and ascertain the facts that the
citizens Of the District have done, and are
now doing, their full share and more In
stead Of increasing our taxes simple Justice
requires that Congress should make good
Its share from the beginning to 1875 and
should pay its full half since, as by that
act 1t solemnly agreed to do. AS to the
street extensions, which are the cause of the
present deficiency. Congress should either
pay its one-half or else it ought not to au-
thorize them. If these street extensions
are necessary for the proper DEVELOPMENT of
the nations capital. then surely the nation
should bear its portion Of the cost. II they
arsnot necessary for that purpose. but, as
some contend. for the special benefit of the
syndicates and SPECTATORS in suburban real
estate. then it is unjust to do it at the
expense Of the taxpayers in the city proper.
who, as shown by the assessors report, paw
nearly seven-eighths OF all the taxes.
The revenues Of the District are sorely
needed for other purposes-for more
schools. more police. more fire engines and
for sewers and street improvements within
the CITY, where people reside and have
paid taxes for many years past. and where
for the want Of means they cannot be had.
w. c. DODGE.