Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-06-10

carry out fully Its own obligations
toward the capital, having shamefully
fOurths of q century and not Offering
now to reimburse payments made on its
account during the season Of neglect.
The general government, by the fact Of
planning magnificent capital, covering
large area and characterized by broad
streets, avenues and reservations to an
extent unsuitable for a self-supporting
commercial city, and by founding this
capital in a place comparatively unln-
habited, as we'll as by the terms of the
bargain with the owners OF the SOIL ana
by the declarations of its representatives
at the founding Of the city and after
ward showed An intention to build up
national city at the nations expense, on
d grand scale, irrespective OF the future
population of the District. In connection
with the gift to it of over 20 per cent of
the soil of Washington, in order to sell
lots carved from this gift, the nation prom
Used that Washington should be the per-
manent seat of government, and pre-
tended that this permanent capltai would
be improved at national expense, without
regard to the scanty population that would
be at first attracted to it. Having Sc
cured this magnificent donation and pock-
eted the proceeds from the sale of lots.
the nation utterly failed to meet its
promises. 1t frequently threatened to
remove the capital. which meant, OF
course. the death of Washington. 1t
practically abandoned the work of street
improvement and capital making to the
scanty resident population.
For more than thirty years, during
which period $4,000 had been realized
from the sale of lots pledged for the
benefit OF improvements. its expenditures
upon streets and avenues. which were
it's exclusive property. We're less than
500 per year. and its annual appropria-
tons since that time until a recent period
in the city's history have been widely
varying in amount and at the best made
quate In 1873 the government. which
had in the beginning impiied,y undertaken
TO meet all the expenses of capital MAX
ing, ana then shifted that burden in the
main upon private citizens. decided that
justice required it to pay one-half of the
Districts expenses.
: The nation has now returned half way
to the original and appropriate idea OF
the federal city. This guardian, who for
three fourths of a century was unfaithful
to his trust now, without making the
slightest restitution for the wrongs OF
the past, shares the expenses of the ward
whom he euuitably bound himself in the
beginning 10 support. and some men caii
it charity. The people of the District are
not subject to this or any other reproach
upon their public spirit so far as their
relations TO the nation are concerned.
They have risked life and shed blood III
every national war. they furnished the
first volunteers and supplied mere troops
in excess Of their quota III the civii
struggle than any state except one. In
the war with Spain they gave similar evil
dence of prompt and patriotic energy.
their fine regiment of volunteers TAR eN-
ceeding their quota in numbers. and
eaualing in discipline and soldierly eff
cheney the best furnished by any state
of the Union. They have paid their pro-
portion Of every national tax, direct and
indirect. They have contributed in pro-
portion to population far more than any
other American community for national
purposes. They gave to the nation the
greater part of the soil of Washington,
an acquisition pronounced by jefferson
really noble"
They thus supplied fund from which
most of the original public buildings were
erected. Those that since then have been
constructed at national expense are on
set by attractive homes aggregating mil
lions of dollars in value with which they
have adorned the city and swelled its tax
able property. Nearly all the work OF
street Improvement and capital making
for three-fourths of century was
done by them. From 1880 to 1878. accord
ing to the report of a, Secretary of the
Urea sury they expended $14G0O.OO0 mere
than the United States in this, the
nations task. in addition to s25.O0O,ON
spent on local government schools and
for other municipal purposes. Under this
burden they worked themselves into vir-
tuaI bankruptcy in 1885, and 50 in re-