Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1909-08-21
-ENLARGING TIE SIZE OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
IFrom the Detroit Free Press


The city of Washington, having an
eve to the future expansion Of that GEN.
ter. has bethought itself OF the fact that
the District OF Columbia used to be con-
siderably larger than it is at present and
ia agitstug the mater OF its restoration
to the former AGRA.
AS the grade student of geography is
made to realize at some cost 10 labor to
himself, the district originally consisted
Of territory 10 miles square, embrac'
ing 100 square miles. OF this territory
the state OF Maryland In 1890 coded 10
the general government Ga square miles,
including water, and the state of Vir'
GINA ceded sc squsre miles. The Capt.
toll and executive mansion were built on
the north, or Maryland, side Of the Po-
tomsc, which forms the dividing lines
between the two states.
Probably 10 the days before there
we're telephones or automobiles, the ad'
ministrstion of the territory south of the
broad river was attended with inconven-
fence and, besides, the WsshipgtOnians
of that early day may have despaired Of
the struggling city ever filling so great
an sera as 100 square miles. Anyway,
In 1916 the portion Of the district coded
to 1t by Virginia was returned 10 that
state.
At the late special session Congress
man Haynes of California caused slight
stir by introducing bill providing that
the authority of the district should be
extended over the part Of Virginia that
was originally included in the federal
aers.
Many advantages would attend such
a plan. 1t would contribute to the sym"
metricsl development Of the capital city
10 future and, besides, there is south OF
the Potomac large reservation, includ-
ing Arlington cemetery, which Is now
under federal jurisdiction.
However, the amount of taxable prop"
erty In the old Virginia portion of the
district, including the city Of Alexsn-
drIs, has now reached q considerable
total and there was q prospect OF opposi-
ton from Virginiaus who don't want
the tax revenue from it lost to the state.
The bill WAS not reached during the rush
of the special session and now a curious
theory Is advanced that the act Of con-
gress recedng the territory to the state
so years ago was unconstitutional and
that, of course, attempts to regain it for
the district should be instituted in the
courts, and not ia congress.
1t is alleged that President Taft shares
the view as to the illegality of the retro
cession, but we may be sure that this is
simply an unauthorized use Of his name
to give weight to The theory. AS mat
ter Of fact, the only reference ia the fed
, eral constitution on which such theory
could be based Ia found In the clause
which, enumeraiDg the powers of con-
grsss, says 1t shall have authority to
exercise exclusive jurisdiction in all
cases whatsoever over such district (uot
exceeding ten miles square, as may, by
the cessiou OF particular ates aod the
acceptance of congress, become the seat
Of government, and 10 exercise ike su.
thority over all places purchased by the
consent of the legislature of the state in
which the same shall be, for the erection
of forts, magazines, srseOals, dockysrds
aud other ueedful buildings.
There is nothing in this which i'm
| liz thak an0 faFrilOKu Onoo aadod n
the federal government, must remair
federal territory forever, irrespective o.
any desire to surrender 1t to sis original
Jurisdiction. 1t is far-ietched con
struction which would hold that par
of territory coded for use as th'
seat OF government could not be receded
| just as laud coded for forts aud arseusl
aud dockyards and postoffiCe buildiog
has been receded many times when nt
longer desired for the purposes for which
it was originally intended, or whicl
would hold that, II desire to move th
capital farther west should arise, 3
many have predicted IL would arise II
the course of future, the entire 'Distric
of OO,umba might not be r5ceded snt
abandoned as the federal capital.
The district should probably be re
stored to its original size, but The con
sent Of Virginia to the cession seems a
necessary as it wes when special are
was first set apart for the purpose
of the seat OF government
| |