Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-13
Ignorance of the Law.

Yesterday the House of Representatives
resolved itself into a common council
for the District of Columbia under clause
IL of section of article I of the Consti-
tuition of the United States. In that ca
pacity it spent all of the afternoon in
the passage of enc BILL measure which
in its own merits required no such eX-
penditure of time, especially in view of
the fact that more important propositions
were on the calendar awaiting action.
Yet when one examines the Congressional
Record of yesterdays proceedings in the
House it becomes plain that the time thus
spent on the inheritance tax bill by the
lower branch of the Districts legislature
was not wasted. 1t permitted an education
al process which may have been of value
in rendering palmer TO the members of
the House the present statutory relations
between the District of Columbia and
the general government.
After reading this Record it is plain
that few members of the House OF Rep
resentatives really understand why Con-
.ress appropriates in theory a federal
dollar for every District tax dollar 10
make up the fund from which the capital
municipality is annually maintained. Evil
IDENTIFY that is subject that the ma
iority of members regard as negligible.
They have never perhaps heard of what
is frequently referred to in Washington
as the organic act" the act of June II.
1878. They have presumably never read
section r. of chapter 10 of the Compiled
Statutes in force in the District of Co
lumbia. compiled by William Stone Albert
and Benjamin G. Lovejoy, published at.
the government printing Office in 1894.
Every member of the House who reads
yesterdays Record should forthwith turn
10 page 2o4 of that volume and read there
The statute which prescribes the manner
in which District appropriations shall
be made by Congress.
With d wider understanding of the or
sanic act there would be no such pas
sages as those which occurred frequently
in the course of yesterdays debate, when
members displayed absolute ignorance OF
the fiscal relations between the District
and the general government. Here is one,
Tor instance:
Mr.. Cullop-Do I understand the gen
tleman to say there Is a statute that re-
qureS the national government to ap-
propriate an equal amount to that which
is raised by taxation on District of Co
iumbia property?
Mr.. Campbell-It has been the custom
for forty years or more for the federal
Treasury to pay one-half, of the money
appropriated for the support OF the Dis
irict government.
Mr.. Cullop-But that is not the law; it
il a mere practice.
Mr.. Campbell-It is the law.
Here is another such exchange, indicat-
ing that members were participating in
the debate without concept of the fun
damental principle of financial legisla-
ton for the District of Columbia:
MIR. Mann-Congress provides how
much the District of Columbia shall
raise by taxation. regardless of the ap-
preparation bill. That has nothing to do
with 1t. That is the law by itself. Ifav-
it. and under the organic act doubles the
amount and pays one-haf of it out of
the federal Treasury.
Mr.. Sherley-In point Of fact it may,
but II does not have to do SO.
Mr.. Mann-It does not have to obey
the law?
Mr.. Sherley-The law does not re-
Guire It.
Mr.. Mann-The organic act is to the
extent that Congress can make con-
tract with the District: and of course
t.ey are not partners. as they say in the
report of the Commissioners, at all; but
TO the extent that Congress obeys that
agreement we agree to pay one-half out
of the general Treasury. We do not need
to do it. and We can repeal the law any
time we like
The Star would respectfully suggest
that. valuable as yesterdays course of
instruction in the House may have been,
there is better way for members of
Congress to learn the truth regarding the
District of Columbia. which the Consti
tuition makers regarded with such
careful consideration that they specifcal-
" took it out of the category Of states
and gave il into the exclusive care OF
the federal legislature. The Star has
been endeavoring for years to make
plaIn, not merely TO new members, but to
veterans In Congress as WELL the precise
character of the District-federal rela-
tionship, and il has often wished that
Congress would adopt a permanent rule
setting apart one full day at the begin
ming of each session. with compulsion of
attendance. for the delivery of lecture
or address or lesson. or whatever ii may
be called. by the most competent member
of that body. for the purpose of enlighten-
ing the Districts legislators as to their
responsibilities toward the seat of gov
ernment. Then perhaps there would be
no more such spectacles as that of yes
terday, with members of the House con-
Tossing their ignorance of the statutory
reason why Congress annually appropri-
ates federal money for the maintenance