The Washington herald., 1906-11-19
NO PUBLIC FUND FOR CASINO.
The Necessities First, Then the Lux
uries, Says Mr.. Dodge.
Editor Washington Herald:

The Necessities First, Then the Lux
uries, Says Mr.. Dodge.
Editor Washington Herald:
/ l notice in the city press a proposition
for the establishment OF a golf ground
or rather two Of them. one for the whites
and another for the colored-with a casino
or clubhouse. with attendants. &c. in
/ Rock Greek Park; and in discussing this
matter one Of the papers says:
TO these ends whatever is attempted
should be based upon liberal apprOpria-
ton of public funds, sufficient to erect a
casino Of attractive plan and adequate
proportions, and with a generous allow
ance for attendants"
1 see no objection to the park being
used as a golf ground, or for other rec
reation purposes, though it is a rather
expensive playground. When it was pro-
posed to purchase 1t originally we were
assured that it would not cost the tax
payers a cent-that It was TO be a national
park, and that as such it would be paid
for by the general government. My ex-
perience convinced me that such would
not be the case. and In my open letter."
published in 1856. 1 said that If done at
all, the District would have to pay one
half its cost; that 1t was idle to expect
or talk Of any other result"
And so it proved. Ii cost about 81. 400 600
one-half Of which was paid by the Dis
trict, the owners being paid IN cash eight
and one-third times what the land was as
sessed at! Nor was that all, for the act
required the adjoining property TO be as
SOS for g.
now done for the opening Of streets, and
yet not one cent was ever so assessed
As, however, # has been bought and
paid for, 1 see no objection 10 its being
used as a golf ground or other sports, OF
a character that will not interfere with
its use by the general public, Of whom
the golf players constitute very small
fraction.
! do, however, see very serious objection
10 the expenditure OF a cent Of the public
funds for the erection of a casino or any
similar purpose. Here We are with debt
Of over $l4.O00,0OO. over so per capita, or
more than four times that of Delaware or
Virginia. the sinking fund calling fOrnearly
a million per annum. And this has been
Increased during the last three years be
tween two and three millions by advances
from the Treasury. on which we have 20
pay per cent interest. To meet this and
other pressing needs our assessments have
been largely increased in not d few in
stances on property the income from
which is less now than II was fifteen, or
even twenty, years ago.
Our water tax has been increased twice /
within the past twenty years, the last in
crease for the present year being much
greater than ever before.
TEan .rv4tr. s~a~fafr. q rraaly r,aee4e Hs
the Commissioners do not refuse the petit
tions Of citizens for sewers and street i'm
prOyements. because of lack Of funds
TO do the work. To comply with the re-
qUirements OF the compulsory school law
passed by Congress at the last session, /
and sustain the schools We have-Of which
a large number are halliday schools. even
up 10 the fourth and fifth grades. there
being no fewer than 56e IN ly02 and 2S7 in
l05-the board Of education recently sub /
mitted its estimate of $500 fCO. and this
the Commissioners have reduced 10 81
so S02 or almost a million, because Of
lack Of funds
The increase Of typhoid fever. notwith-
standing the filtration Of the water, shows /
beyond question the necessity for sanitary
improvements. such as sewers and aban- /
dOnment Of the box privies Of which, ac-
Itluiils ~ TIC cl0lEllttAL u Ltit MtQildl
Society before the Senate Committee in /
1894. there were 1882. of which no fewer /
than S953 were in the city proper. For /
years many Of these were leaky boxes, /
saturatinE~the soil with their contents and /
generating typhoid and other germs, /
which the flies carry everywhere. Surely, /
these are matters of far more Importance I
to the mass OF our citizens than either /
golf links or casinos.
l submit that with this brief statement /
OF the facts, which no one can truthfuIIy 4
deny. we are in no condition 70 use one [
cent Of the public funds for the purpose /
proposed. II these gentlemen Of elegant T.
leisure want casino or clubhouse for I
their special use, let them build it them 1
selves and pay taxes on IL, as we citizens /
nave to do on our property. The rule IN /
this and al similar matters should be: The /
necessities first. and the luxuries after
the necessities are supplied
a. nnEBEE