The Washington times., 1903-11-27
The District Exhibit
at the st. Louis Fair

teresting and Instructive exhibit would
be the local government OF the District.
with the necessary facts and figures for
the past thirty-two years.
In the first place. it would illustrate
so beautifully the application of the
principle on which our independence was
gained and the National Government
was founded, namely, No taxation
without representation
Second. # would show how the great
doctrine Of home rule and the prinei-
pies Of "a government OF the people, by
the people. and for the people" is APP
piled and carried cut in this glorious
republic OF ours This would be espe-
cially interesting to the subjects of the
"effete monarchIes'' of the Old World
who viii attend the fair and might in
dnce immense numbers Of the better
class OF them to en- tgrate TO this glo-
rious land OF the free and home OF the
brave"
This might be REINFORCED by the
statement that the s0O,oo inhabitants OF
the District pay nearly 100000 Of
taxes for local purposes, and more than
three times as much for the support of
the National Government as the aver
age amount paid by fifteen States and
five Territories. and have abso-
lutely no voice in their own govern
ment, either local or national. TO this
should be appended the statement OF
the former chairman OF the Senate Com
mittee on the District, as follows:
People Have No Voice.
THE District of Columbia is an anon
ally among municipal governments
IL is the only place. at least under the
American flag. where the citizens have
no voice in the selection OF the 2len
appointed 10 rule over them nor in the
disposition Of the taxes which the law
compels them to pay"
To make Il more interesting, there
should be added a history of the fraud
ulent tunnel, adopted in violation Of the
act OF Congress. by which the cost OF
the water supply has been Increased
from 0o0oo-for which General Melgs,
who built the original aqueduct. offer
ed TO do the work-to several millions,
and resulting In an increase of the
water rates. and in an ex post facto law
requiring the citizen watertaker to pay
one-halt OF the cost. past present, and
future. OF this United States work, in
which they had no voice, and over which
they had and now have no control. This
should be accompanied with Illustrations
copied from the Official report Of the
joint select committee OF Congress
showing the fraudulent character OF the
work. together with photographs of the
three army engineers under whose su-
gervislon the fraudulent scheme was con-
ceived and executed. Also a photo
graph OF an Engineer Commissioner
with a $500 fast horse; SO harness, lap
ropes, with his monogram on them and
his driver with his gloves. etc. all paid
for out OF the public funds. and who. az
stated in the press dispatches. paid 81.
go out Of the public funds for the har-
ness OF his carriage team. while acting
a. governor Of Havana. Cuba.
Autocratic Rule
To this should be appended the letter
OF the Hon. W. L. Wilson. chairman OF
the District Committee, House of Rep
resentatives. in 1887. giving his views OF
the improperly and injustice OF appoint
ing army officers TO administer the af-
fairs OF the District. Omitting the many
details which might properly be added.
"a very instructive item would be COM
parison OF the Districts best govern
ment in the world" which consists OF
three men who. in violation OF the
theory Of our National Government. are
endowed with both executive and legis-
lative functions. with the power to make
regulations and Rffix penalties in relation
10 all those matters whict come most
directly home TO the citizens, namely.
police regulations. health regulations,
building regulations. and plumbing reg
ulations. and 10 change them at Will.
with the government OF the city Of
Berlin under -aonarchy.
Berlin's Government
Berlin. the third largest city in Eu-
rope, with a population OF 2.000.0 O0 has
a popular local government, IA which all
the officials are selected by the tax
payers; and the total cost OF the city
government IS but SO. 600 900. while the
District of Columbia. In which the eiti-
zens have no voice whatever. with a
population OF less than 300.0oo. o. but
one-seventh as many. the annual budget
amounts 10 almost S1s.O00.O0o. nearly
] three-fourths as much as that of Berlin
I In Berlin the city government costs
/ SO per capita while in the District of
Columbia the cost Is over $40 per caoita,
! % his should be added the debt of
/ The District, which. after twenty-nine
years. has been reduced from ts5 to ST.
! per capita. which is more than three
I times as much as the confined State.
( county and scheol debt OF the United
I states per capita ana Willvh u DSiiB
! increased by the extension OF streets
and other schemes for the benefit Of
1 spectators in suburban property, and
which must be paid by the taxpayers.
/ since Congress refuses 10 pay its share.
! the number OF Taxpayers being far less
/ In proportion tc population than in any
/ other city IN the country, II not in the
I civilized world.
( The Slums of Washington.
| Another subject that would attract at
/ tention would be a series OF photo
! graphs of the slGms. or alleys. 81 the
l National Capital. and the James Creek
/ canal. in which so many persons are
drowned annually, as exhibited by the
/ Superintendent OF Charities. Also pho
/ tographs OF the residents IN these al
/ leys. best taken In the Police Court
/ room and in the basement cells, which
| nearly rival the Back Hole" OF Calcut-
Ia, and Of the 10000 children who do not
attend school. In Berlin every child at
/ tends. and there they have a school
/ board Of LIE
IN Berlin the controlling city govern
unent consists OF Ie6 members. represent
! ing the 3Z6 wards Of the city. one-third
hefpv elected everN sfvfh year This as.