Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-03
ARE AROUSED
Lining Up Against Repeal of
the Organic Act.
BLOW AT NATIONAL CAPITAL
Belief Expressed That Congress Will
Not Consent to Change.
WILL RETARD DEVELOPMENT
Proposed Abolition of Partnership
/. Agreement Between Federal and
District Governments
Denounced.

Washington residents are lining I'D
solidly to defeat the expectant attempt
at the coming session of Congress to re-
peal that portion of the organic act of
the District by which the federal govern
ment pays one-half of the expenses of
the National Capital. =.
The announcement in The Star that
strong forces in Congress were plan
ming to bring about this change in ap-
propriating for the District stirred up
a storm of criticism and protest which
has rarely been equaled in this city.
Business men, professional men in
every walk of life here. are vigorous
today in their resentment of a propo-
sition which would, they say. bring
about return of the dark days which
the capital experienced before the en-
actment of the organic act of 1878.
Doubt If Congress Will Consent.
1t is the belief of many of the men in
terviewed by The Star today that Con-
gress will not consent to the proposed dis
solution Of the compact which the federal
government entered into with the resi-
dents of the District when their civil
rights, SO far as expanding the money
which they contributed in taxes is con-
cerned, was taken from them 1t is in
conceivable, they say, that Congress will
break this compact
There may be members of Congress
who would favor this proposition. but
do not believe that the fair-minded sen.
ators and representatives, once they hao
looked carefully into the questions in
vOlved, would vote to break this agree
ment of years standing with the District
of Columbia" said Capt. James F. Oys-
ter, president of the board of education
or Of ha har -
meroe.
You cannot quote me too strongly in
opposition to such a plan.' continued
Capt. Oyster. THAT this attempt to do
away with the half and half principle of
appropriating for the District and set a
fixed sum to be contributed each year by
the federal government to the support of
the National Capital. has been foreseen
by me for some time. The proposition
should be fought Immediately and decis.
lively. 1t should be settled once for all
II that is possible.
Ruinous to National Capital.
ITO do away with the half-and-hal
principle would he ruineus to the Dis
trict of Columbia. The National Capt.
tai cannot develop IL it is to depend
| upon revenue raised from the taxation
| OF the citizens of the District. The
cost of developing a capital city along
! the lines laid down by the government
| in the past is enormous
1t is incredible that any sane person
should imagine that city with popula
ton OF approximately 1000, a grea;
| part of whom are civil employees of the
| government. who are underpaid as il is
| and with comparatively small business
interests, could pay for the great per-
J manent improvements which should be
| made here. and which are required II
| this city Is to continue to be the boast
| of the nation.
| THE citizens are already paying one
half of the cost of the great permanent
| improvements which are being made
here because this is the National Capt.
tai l believe that they are paying too
great share of. the cost. They have
no say whatever in the expenditure of
the money raised from them by. taxa
ton And now 1t is proposed to make
them contribute a still larger share Of
the expenses and yet have no share in
the spending of the money.
If such plan went into effect. what
| inducement would there be for persons to
| move to Washington? The taxes would
| be so heavy that no one would want to
come here. Without immigration from
other parts of the country and other
| countries. how is Washington to grow to
| be the great city of the nation?''
| Chamber of Commerce on Record.
Capt. Oyster said that the Chamber
| of Commerce had already gone on rec
| ord a number of times as being utter
| ly opposed TO any infringement Of the
| half and half principle of appropriate
| ing for the District.
| AZ have no doubt" he said, that the
chamber will join in this fight against
| a change in the law with all it's ener-
| gy The matter will probably come up
| for discussion at the meeting of the
board of directors of the chamber to-
| morrow night"
| The Board Of Trade. the Federation OF
| Citizens Associations and all the indi
! yidual citizens associations are also get.
| ting in line for the coming campaign
! against the proposed change in the or
| ganic law of the District. Gen. George
| H. Harries, president of the Board OF
| Trade was emphatic in his opposition tc
any infringement OF the half-and- hall
principle
| washington could not continue to de.
| veiop," said Gen. Harries. III this plan
| were put through. And il 1t could no,
| go ahead the city would probably dror
| back.
THE government originally owned fve-
seventies Of the land in the District of
tColumbia 1t owns probably more than