Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-02-05
PRAISES CIVIC PRIDE
Mr.. mcfarland Tells of Free
Service by Local Men.
PROGRESS OF DISTRICT
Commissioner West Likens It to
Great Corporation.
DIVIDENDS PAID TO CITIZENS
Maj Sylvester Points Out Need OF
Greater Police Force-Banquet of
Citizens Association.
DIVIDENDS PAID TO CITIZENS

1--WE have forty citizens associations
recorded at the District building. These
associations range in membership from
under % to over go 1t is estimated
that the total membership is LOO
said District Commissioner mcfarland,
addressing the members of the North
Washington Citizens Association at the
annual banquet of the organization last
night at the Riggs House. About 10
covers were laid and speeches were
made on the progress of the District oy
commissioners Mcfarland and West
Mai. Sylvester. Miss Grace Thomas
Lewis NJ. Miller, clerk of the House
District committee, and DIR. Tindall,
secretary to the Commissioners. Presi-
dent Edwin A. Mess was the toastmas-
ter.
Civic Pride of the People.
"The Board of Trade and Chamber of
Commerce number over 1000 different
individuals" continued Mr.. Mcfarland.
."These are not all the civic organ1za-
lions Of the District. They prove, how
ever. that in proportion to the popula-
ton more men are engaged In civlc
service without money compensation
than anywhere else within within ,n my sno and
more civic pride here than even we ap-
preciate For seventy-eight years the
District people maintained the Ma
tional capital, even when they stag
gered under the burden. Since 1878, In
the period of great progress and in
creasing expenditure. they have pald
half the expense. while all the rest of
their fellow countrymen have PAID the
other half. Last year the National
capital maintenance cost us about siI
ner A0ital, and our fellow countrymen
seven cents per capita
Full Share of National Burden.
Resides this we have paid our full
share in internal and tariff taxes to the
federal Treasury: in every national war
We have contributed more than cur quota
of volunteers. and in every national ca
lamity more than our quota of subschip-
lions. Our outdoor charitable relief sys-
TEN is entirely maintained out of our
pockets, and number OF our charitable
institutions do not receive one dollar of
public money.
1--WE Commissioners. who from the Dis
trict building can see all that is going
on, are proud of the public-spfrited men
and women who are contributing SO large
~ to the progress of the National CAPT
tablished, never were its prospects more
brilliant We are working on compre-
hensive plans with the cordial co-opera-
ton of all patriotic Americans to make
this in all respects the most perfect
capital.
l.. j. Matthews. member of the associa-
ton. arose and asked If it would be out OF
order to ask a question. Upon being as
sured it would not, he said: III 1t be
true as. of course, it must be. what
the speaker says about the satisfactory
manner in which the citizens of the Dis
trict have met their requirements. will the
necessary to raise the taXes?
Commissioner Mcfarland replied:
There is no reason. l am happy to say
"a Great Corporation
Commissioner West took a new point
of view in discussing local affairs.
The government of the District of Co.
lumba is. in fact. great corporation
he remarked. THE board of control OF
this corporation is the Congress of the
United States, because Congress deter.
mines the sources of revenue and the
amount and character of the eXpendi.
lures. The District Commissioners con.
stitHte the executive committee.
Citizens Are Stockholders.
The largest stakeholder in this cor.
poration. holding one-half of the stock
is the United States. The members OF
this association. together with all the
citizens of the District of Columbia, are
also stockholders. Your dividends are
returned to you, not In actual cash, but
i'm police and fire protection. new pave
ments and sewers, clean and well paved
ihoroughfares. freedom from contag iou.
disease educational facilities, and thu
thousand and one things that make exist
ence comfortable and safe.
within the past six or seven years We
have put no less than s17,OOO0OO into
what might be called the permanent i'm
provement of our plant. More than 81,
un,oO0 have been expended for a new