Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-18
The Educational Process.

The average person who comes to Wash
ington from the states, either on per-
sonal or a business visit. as individual
tourist or TO attend convention. Is
practically uniformed TO the nature
and history Of the relations between the
National Capital and the federal govern
ment. In most cases a vague idea pre-
walls that Congress runs things" here,
that the President appoints the officials.
the House and Senate make the laws and
Uncle Sam provides half the expenses. In
many eases this creates the impression
that the District is exceptionally for
-tunate and should be envied by all other
American communities. AS a. rule, how
ever, when intelligent explanation Is
given to these people they see the case
IN a different light and recognize the
justice of the federal contribution. and
with a little further enlightenment 1T is
not difficult to demonstrate to them that
instead of being in enviable position
the District deserves the sympathy of
the country.
1t is quite important that a proper view
of the National Capital partnership
should prevail throughout the country
Washington belongs in large measure to
all the people, and its prosperity depends
in a material degree upon the co-opera-
ton of the citizens of the states in the
work of legislating for it. In it's exercise
of exclusive jurisdiction over the Dis
trict Congress has supposedly been ami
mated not merely by consideration of
what the District wants and needs, but
what the country wants. For a great
many years il seemed to be under the
impression that the country did not want
an attractive capital, but WAS content
with a half-fnished. ill-equipped. badly
paved, miserably lighted. insufficiently
safeguarded and altogether unpleasing
seat of government. 1t was not until
after the war. which brought immense
numbers of the people to Washington
and started national currents into action
that caused the country TO take quite a
different view of the federal city, that
Congress began to make amends for it's
past neglect and placed the District upon
a further basis Of administration and
financial support.
The Star believes that the people of
Washington owe duty TO the country as
we'll as TO themselves 10 take the citizens
at large into their confidence TO acquaint
them with the particulars of National
Capital conditions, to make them under
stand why Uncle Sam pays-theoretic-
ally-half the cost of District maintenance
and why it would be impossible for the
local taxpayers TO maintain the present
scale of equipment and administration on
any other basis. II is due TO them to
know the assured results of any amend
ment of the organic act throwing
heavier burden OF calutaI -upkeep upon
the citizens. with certain consequence of
a falling off in the attractiveness of the
District and stoppage of. its develop
ment toward the ideal
The most effective educational work of
this sort could be done right here on the
ground by showing visitors from the
states the physical signs of the utter
impossibilny of continued prosperity and
growth here with the federal contribution
Withdrawn or decreased. If out of every
OF the equity of the Districts present
relationship with the government a
steady gain would be made toward a real
partnership between the United States
and the municipality. Gradually a senti-
ment would be developed in the states
for the proper upkeep of Washington.
finding its assured reflection in the atti-
tude of Congress toward the capital
There would be a marked difference in
the bearing of the House and Senate
toward the District if it We're known that
back in the states thousands of people
were intelligently alert TO the Importance
, of maintaining the organic act in letter
and spirit