Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-08
TO ACT NOW
Local Residents Should De-
fend the Organic Act.
DELAY MAY BE HARMFUL
Views of A. Leftwich Sinclair on
Partnership Agreement.
DISTRICT AND UNITED STATES
Relations Explained in Report to
Senate in 1888 by Senator
Southard.

SOuCnarQ.
Declaring that a wrong should be re-
sisted at it's inception A. Leftwich Sim
clair. special counsel for the District and
member Of the special committee of the
Chamber Of Commerce appointed to con-
slider means of defeating any effort to
repeal the organic law. said. last night.
that the people of the District should
bestir themselves in regard to the matter.
THE organic act of 1878. which the Su-
preme Court of the United States has
very properly called the constitution of
the District of Columbia should remain
inviolate, especially that part of the act
which requires the United States to pay
one-half of the Districts expenses" said
Mr.. Sinclair.
Il believe 1t will remain inviolate. but
the contemplated attack upon it should
be resisted, and resisted with the utmost
vigor. and the sooner the people of the
District bestir themselves the better. A
wrong should be resisted at its incep-
tion."
Partnership Relations Explained.
No better exposition of the relations
between the federal government and
the District of Columbia, as intended
by the originators Of the plan for
federal District. in which should be
located the National Capital. 1t Is
claimed. can be found than that con-
tanned in a report made to the Senate
in 1885 by Senator Southard or new
Jersey, chairman of the committee on
the District Of Columbia In that DAY
n
citizens of Washington and George
ton asking aid from the government
in the embarrassements which had been
brought upon them in their attempts
to carry out the development OF the
National Capital along the lines laid
out by the founders of the city had
been referred to the District COM
mittee Senator Southard In his re-
port, which. by the way. earnestly al
vised the Senate to contribute lioeraiiy
in the support OF tHe OlStTict' Sdio III
part as follows:
"The expenditures upon the streets
under these circumstances has un-
questionably. been one OF the princlpal
causes Of embarrassment OF the city.
The committee believes 1t is one which
ought not to have been thrown upon
the citizens to the extent to which 1t has
been. They found this opinion upon
the early history Of the city, the object
of the nation In Its establishment and
the contracts JIduC Oy SitO
for the land which it possesses within
Its limits.
Dimcult Problem Presented.
''It is we'll known that the selection of
the seat of government was one of the
most aRitating and difficult problems
which divided the councils of the coun-
trv under the confederation. as we'll as
after the present Constitution went into
effect. Numerous places were proposed.
considered and voted for; but the pre-
yailing sense of Congress was that the
place which should be selected should
not be a populous city. but some spot
where the arrangements for the govern
ment and the regulation of the territory
might be entirely under its control.
THE present seat of government was
eventually selected, and the location
made upon several plantations, upon
which there was not one building or
other Improvement for public accommo-
dation and use. This fact illustrates the
purpose Of the government at that day.
The selection was produced by several
first, its geographical po-
sition between the north and south: sec
ond. the access from 1t to the ocean;
third, its distance In the interior ana
toward the west.
Congress Given Exclusive Control.
THE object Of having a permanent
seat Of government is indicated in the
Constitution itself. which provides that
Congress shall exercise exclusive legis
lation In all cases whatsoever over such
district as may by cession of particular
states and the acceptance of Congress
become the seat of government of the
United States To accomplish this OBJ
ject the District was ceded by the states
of Maryland and Virginia, possession
taken by Congress and the land to be
occupied by the government purchased
by written contracts with the owners of
the soil.
THE plan Of the city was formed by the
public authorities; the dimensions of the
streets determined by them. without in
reference on the part OF the inhabitants,
or regard to their particular interest or
convenience. 1t is a plan calculated for
the magnificent capital of a. great ma
ton; but oppressive from its very di-
mension and arrangements to the inhab
itants, If the execution of any consider
able Is to be thrown upon them.
mo people who anticipated the exc
cution and subsequent support OF 1t out
of their own funds would ever have
dreamed of forming such a plan. 1t
would have been the most consummate
folly. At that period neither the govern
ment nor the proprietors contemplated
that the whole or even a large proper
ton Of the burden should be thrown upon
the Inhabitants of the city.
Assertion Amply Sustained.
This assertion is amply sustained by
two considerations:
I'm the first place the contract between
the government and the owners of the
land gave to the former a large extent
of the public lots. sufficient for all the
edifices and improvements which 1t con-
venience should require; and in addition
thereto one-half OF all the building lots
within the limits Of the city; thus max
ing the nation itself an equal owner Of
ali the private property and equally in
terested for the benefit of this private
property in all the improvements which
might be made.
I'm the next place. the government as
sumed, and from that day to the present.
has claimed and exercised entire and alb
solute control over all the streets Of the
city, so that the inhabitants or the cor
porate authorities have no power either
to enlarge or diminish them, nor to open
or close them: but the authority In these
respects has been exercised at all times
by Congress. 1t has even closed one Of the
streets and sold the ground which formed
q part Of 1t.
'aThe committee regards the District as
the child OF the Union, as the creation Of
the Union for its own purposes. The
design Of the Constitution and its found