Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-06-13
Senator whyte on District Committee.

When Senator Whyte OF Maryland takes
his seat at the table Of the District COM
mittee he will find an entirely different
proposition before him from that which he
faced when he occupied similar position
thirty years ago. He will find the District
a radically changed community, chiefly in
consequence of the work which he did in
1870-7-s. which resulted in the enactment
of the organic law. Mr. Whyte was a
member OF the joint committee charged
with the duty of providing a new system of
government for the national capital. ana
he approached his task with breadth or
view and a determination to rescue the
federal municipality from its deplorable
plight. His conception of the seat of gov
eminent was n beautiful city, progressive
and attractive. He realized as did few
others at the time that the individual re-
sources of the District would never suffice
TO support such a municipal organization
as the conditions exacted and he advocated
the equal division of the cost of main
tenance between the local taxpayers and
the federal treasury
In these years that have elapsed since Mr.
Whyte unfortunately left the Senate as a
result OF factional opposition the District
has advanced in many respects. 1t has
Increased remarkably in population and In
wealth. 1t has outgrown most of It's old
provincial ways. 1t has become METRO
politan in character. The transition was
not sudden. 1t took some years for the
residents to overcome the inertia of the
decades during which the seat of govern
ment was shamefully neglected by the
United States. But during the latter half
of this period the District has developed as
busy community, with a wide range OF
activities and a keen public spirit, intent
upon making the most of the opportunities
here afforded.
Senator Whyte will find, upon examining
the record, that Congress has not always
respected the bargain OF 1878 in the franz
Ing OF which he had hand 1t has not
always treated the District fairly It has
ignored the half-and-half principle of pay
ment. 1t has refused to spend on the ur-
gent needs all the Districts tax-money
matched by equal sums of federal money
as the statute requires. The surplus of To-
cal revenues thus unlawfully allowed to
accumulate II has spent upon large projects
without contributions from the govern
ment. 1t has thus run the District into
debt. and of recent years 1t has refused
to allow the District to finance It's large
permanent works by the methods usually
aNOPNtd ny communities ana Dy
large business establishments
Thus while the District has recently been
growing In Its equipment in keeping with,
Its character and needs the policy of
financing these works has so sorely taxed
Its resources that 1t has been difficult, and
in some cases impossible, adequately to
provide for the current requirements The
prime mistake of regarding the current In
come as properly to be used to defray ex-
traordinary expenses has brought many
unfortunate conditions in addition to piling
up so-called floating debt to the United
States without provision for its long-term
liquidation.
Senator Whyte should, and doubtless
will, take keen interest In this anomalous
situation. He is a good business man and
a far-seeing statesman. As one of the
trainers of the organic act he probably
realizes the misfortune of its late misn-
depreciation and the urgent necessity Of
holding strictly to its spirit and Its letter.
During the period of his service in the Sen
ate 1t is to be hoped that he will devote
himself as far as his time and strength
will permit to the championship Of the Dis
tricts highest interests, with which he Is
exceptionally familiar.