Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-03-19
The Organic Act.

Section IS of Chapter XIX of the Com
piled Statutes in force in the District of
Columbia, being a paragraph of the act
OF Congress approved June II, 1878, reads
as follows:
ITO the extent to which Congress shall
approve of said estimates (of the Commits
sioners of the DistricD Congress shall
appropriate the amount of 80 per centum
thereof and the remaining 80 per centum
of such approved estimates shall be levied
and assessed upon the taxable property
and privileges in said District other than
the property OF the United States and Of
the District of Columbia
This is what is generally known as the
''haif-and-half clause" of the organic act
the partnership agreement between the
United States and the District. 1t was de-
signed by Congress at the time Of its en-
actment and IT was accepted by the resi-
dents of the District, as a pledge Of per-
petual division of expenses, an assump-
ton by the United States of one-half of
the burden of capital maintenance. in
lieu of taxation and In recognition Of the
principle of federal responsibility over the
ten miles square set apart by the Consti-
tuition as a seat of government.
From time to time that agreement has
been violated-never by the District,
which is held tightly in the grip of the
exclusive legislation without repre-
sentation. but by the federal partner.
Little attractions of the letter and the
spirit of the law have been committed by
the appropriations of the Districts funds.
Desired objects of public utility and i'm
provement have been granted, as conces-
sions. payable wholly out OF the local tax
money. without matching with federal
dollars. A small appropriation for the
bathing beach was thus granted, pail
pable. fragrant violation of the partner
ship agreement. just wrong in principle
as though it were asked of the District to
pay all the salary of one of the Commits
sioners.
ITO the extent to which Congress shall
approve Of said estimates Congress shall
appropriate the amount Of so per centum
thereof This means 80 per cent, not
49is or 45 per cent. It means exactly
one-half, and not of part OF the estimates,
but of all of them. one-half Of all the
cost Of maintaining the District. execut-
Ing its necessary permanent improve
ments, paying salaries, providing schools,
safeguarding the health and the morals of
the people and otherwise granting them
an efficient municipal organization. Con-
gress did not in 1878 reserve to itself the
right-beyond the right of absolute re-
peal-to pick and choose, from time to
time, this or that item out Of the whole
mass of estimates for whole-cost imposi-
ton upon the District. There was no
such understanding then, and there is no
warrant now for such procedure. Never
thelesS whole-cost impositions are prac-
ticed and attempted at every session OF
Congress. and these breaches of faith on
81
unchallenged in the House.
The District appropriation bill is now in
conference, referred there a second time
by the House to adjust certain differences
relating to the appropriation for public
municipal Fairgrounds. The Senate wants
the funds allotted to apply to supervision
and the House objects; the House wants
the entire amount to be paid from the
Districts revenues. despite the letter and
spirit of the act of 1878. and the Senate
objects. Under the ruling of the Speaker
the entire amount named, ST.. OO0 must be
appropriated, there being no difference be-
tween the houses as to the sum. Thus
the test comes upon the allotment of the
burden. The formal pledge of the United
States to the District is in the balance
These Fairgrounds are as much part OF
the municipal equipment as the schools
and the police department and fire de-
partment. The fact that they were start
ed by means of private subscriptions is
not a warrant for Congress now to impose
their cost upon the local revenues. They
have been formally recognized as essen
tial features of the health maintaining
functions of the, District government. If
they are appropriated for at all. they
must in justice be financed on the half
and-half basis. Under the ruling of the
Speaker there must be appropriation
Will the House insist upon violating the
law and repudiating its own pledge?