Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-04
PLANS FOR REFUND
Continued From First Page

Continued From First Page
They take the stand that, although the
chairman of the House District commit
tee and number of other members oi
the House may approve of substitntihs
fixed sum aa the federal government
share of the appropriations for the LIE
trict, a great number of the congressman
are heartily in favor of having the Ma
tional Capital develop into q great anu
beautiful city. which it cannot do unless
the government pays its fair share.
Engineer Commissioner Judson, potl
Yesterday and today. declined to give 70
The star a statement of his views o''
the subject.
Regarded as Great Injustice.
81 do not believe that such plan
would meet the approval OF the people
at large throughout the country, SAID
Charles ]. Bell to a reporter for the
Star today. referring to the proposit'on
that the half -and- half principle be done
AWAY with. IF such plan as has been
suggested should be adopted, II "ouio
nut Washington back years In Its oe.
velopment ANY future development
would he along much smaller lines nee
essarilv. than those which have peen
city of the population and wealth vi
Washington could not hope successiuis
to pay for the great permanent lfnpIos,
ments which are still to be MADE ~
out the financial assistance OF the ieuo a.
government. A.,
"A great injustice would be done tus
citizens of Washington II this proposeu
plan should go through concluded M''
Bell.
Although faith is expressed by Wash
ingtOnfans i'm tho fairness of Congress In
its relation toward the National Capitai,
active steps to lodge vigorous proteS1,S,
against a change in the organic law VIII
be taken. e
Believes Congress Will Be Fair.
Arthur c. Moses, vice president OF the
Board of Trade, said today:
II am. not afraid, even if Chairman
Johnson of the House District committee
is fathering this proposition to change
the law regarding appropriations for the
District. and put a heavier burden upon
the citizens of the District. L believe IN
the fairness of Congress toward the Dis
trict. e.,
nothing from the federal government Tor
long time it's time that 1t became
known and that change was MADE. but
if the federal government mas Deen 81
ting the worth of its money since the
which the government pays one-haii Oh
the expenses of the National Capitai'
there is no reason for change Let
have fair look at the matter ana set'ie
it now. Personally, / do not believe that
the District has been getting something
for nothing and l do not believe that
the citizens of the nation think so, either.
.'Washington is the National capita J.
Every citizen of the city could snould
and does take a proper pride in It, Hun
!. 80 nd
TO enjoy the beauties and improvements
which have been made here, largely az
the expense, too, of the residents OF
Washington.
President Taft's Utterances.
Fortunately President Taft takes
this view of the matter, judging from
his past utterances. He believes that
the National Capital should have the
proper support of the entire country;
that it is a city belonging TO the peo-
pie of the north, south. east and west
as we'll as to the residents OF the DIS
trict of Columbia.
"The organic law of the District has
operated with great success during the
last thirty or forty years. 1t mas
provided the best government we nave
ever had.
.Of course, the residents of the Dis
decides to give them. We have no
vote and no actual voice in the de-
termination of the fate of the DIS
trict so far as legislation is con-
cerned. But I believe that the great
majority of the members OF congress
believe in giving US fair deal
perhaps an appropriation of S6OO.OOO
each year as the governments snare OF
the expenses Of the National Cap'tal
would be fair amount for 1t to pay.
Ia t~,yx t., nf
amount appropriated last year. But II
any such sum is provided for by law. IL
should be with the understanding that it
be not lessened in future years.
Mr.. Moses attention was called 10 the
fact that one Congress cannot bind the
action of any future Congress and that
considerable danger lies in that fact. The
power of the present Congress TO change
the organic act of 1878, which has been
considered a binding compact between the
federal government and the District of
Columbia, is evidence of this.
Commerce Chamber to Act.
Tonight at s o'clock the board of direc-
tors of the Chamber of Commerce will
meet and it is expected that suggestions
will be made at that time as to the
proper course which should be pursued
by that organization to combat the pro-
posed change in the organic law.
An attempt was made by The Star to
obtain from Representative Ben Johnson
of entucky, chairman of the District
committee of the House. statement as
to his views in regard to the matter of
changing the method of appropriatlng for
the District. A telegram sent to Mr..
Johnson at his Bardstown. KY, home
was not delivered. however, and 1T was
reported he had left there.
Members Of the House District COM
mittee are on record in the past as dis
approving of any infringement or change
in the organic la wof the District, so far
as appropriations are concerned. They
believe the government should pay its
share toward the development of the
capital Representative Oidfield of Ar
kansas several times expressed himself
as being unalterably opposed to such a
change. Representative Lobeck Of Oma-
ha, Neb. who has had a wide experience
In the municipal affairs of his home city,
is also believed to be opposed to change.
When the BILL which was later to be-
come the organic law of the District was
under consideration in the House In 1878
two amendments were offered, one redue-
ing the share of the government was to
pay in the expenses Of the District to %
per cent and another to 40 per cent.
Roth of these amendments We're over