Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1904-03-31
Tie Cost of Capital Making.

A letter from Mr. Louis p, Shoemaker to
The Star printed today, emphasizes the
fact that the suburban street extensions, of
which Congress insists the District snail
pay all the cost. on the national scale,
being part of the grand scheme OF capitai
making according to the original plans Oh
the founders. Mr.. Shoemaker appropriately
notes that the burden thus placed upon the
local shoulders is far heavier than would
have been the case had the citizens been
permitted to work out their own needs in
tier own way, using only their own money
for that purpose. But Congress decides
what streets shall be EXTENDED, what their
widths and lengths shall be. and holding
the District to the strictly national system
of extension insists. without warrant OF law
or equity. that the District shall assume the
fun burden of this proper partnership
outlay.
The disposition now prevailing in Con-
gress to advance systematically the work
of true capital making is based in very
large degree upon the Districts ability to
meet its share of the cost under the terms
of the organic act. There are two phases of
this great task, the provision of the strictly
federal utilities. such as buildings needed
for the legislative and executive works,
f-I the development and maintenance of
TIE ieueIdi a
scale The latter is, to the extent of so per
cent the function of the taxpayers of
;, ashington. Congress would make third
class, of WORKS, to be paid for solely by the
people of Washington. There is no warrant
whatever for this third class of improve
ments There are no funds for their execu-
ton and no specific direction by the law of
i. e creation of such a fund.
The temporary abandonment by Congress
of the iniquitous whole-cost street extension
policy led many Washingtonians to believe
fGt the tide had turned and that there
would follow the formal adoption of the true
principle of street extension according to
the organic act. There was hope in some
o. .rters that when this was done, beng vir-
tually an acknowledgment of an error by
Congress. laws migh, be passed recouping
the L. strict for the sums improperly ex-
torted from il for the execution of the
whole-cost laws. Such reimbursement
would go far toward wiping out the floating
d. 1t for permanent works which is now
seriously -.barrassing the District in its
efforts to do it's share toward proper capital
maintenance.
The original excuse for the imposition OF
the whole cost of suburban street extension
upon the District was that We had the
money in hand. a surplus Illegally accumu-
lated No such excuse now exists for the
e -nactment of that vicious principle in the
nenSing bills. Not only has the surplus
baen wiped cut of existence through the
operation of these highway acts. but the
District has been made debtor to the
federal government in a very large sum.
Now that the District has suffered so Sc
verely in both the improper application OF
its illegal surplus and the attempt to make
the current revenues bear the burden of
5Aeeting the cost of great permanent works.
the House District committee would COM
pete the record of unfairness toward the
pitaI city by undertaking in this its hour
of financial distress to revert to the out
7. ,ous violation of the partnership agree
ment which the Senate had finally stamped
with it's disapproval.