Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-10-20
How the Organic Act Is Menaced.

Attention Is urgently called to an ar
ticle which appears in the news columns
OF today's issue OF The Star, based upon
the best authority, which sets forth in
outline and with some particulars the pro-
gram that is proposed by those who are
in charge of the District appropriation
bill to be followed at the next session
of Congress.
While there is little probability of a
successful attack upon the organic act
by means of specific and separate 1egis-
lation, certain to be vigorously resisted
in the Senate even IL it should pass the
p House there is the greatest danger of
further entertainments upon II by way
Of the appropriation bill. This danger
The Star has repeatedly noted, having in
the past resisted as strongly as possible
similar violations OF the partnership
agreement in the framing of particular
=. items of the budget. For an example.
q there was the provision for Fairgrounds
maintenance. thrown recently exclusively
upon tie District revenues, without the
slightest warrant in law or on precedent
Now it is proposed. leaving the organic
act to stand unchanged, to separate the
public schools entirely from the other
items OF municipal maintenance. and by
: the inclusion of simple phrase in the
. appropriation bill to throw upon the
District the entire burden for the educa
tional system, involving an additional
demand upon the local tax revenues of at
least 81, 100000.
And again il is proposed to readjust
the police and fremens pension system
by turning into the federal Treasury all
the dog taxes and Police Court fines
= which are now turned into this fund and
d requiring the District to supply from it's
own revenues the deficit left after an
: assessment of 81 a month upon the two
departments
In addition to saddling the District
with burdensome whole-cost charges
squarely violative of the organic act,
those who are not content with the pres
ent relationship would go further and
impose upon the District half the cost of
the office of public buildings and grounds,
half the expenses of the Treasury audit
ing of District expenditures-to be fol-
lowed perhaps later by taxing the Dis
trict for half the cost of the office of
controller of the Treasury-and finally
half the cost of the inauguration ex-
penses.
o. 1t has been declared to be unwise to
! call attention TO the prospect that an at
tdch IS 10 De made next winter upon
the organic act. The Star has been criti-
cised for endeavoring to acquaint the
people Of Washington with this assured
a peril 1t still holds. however, to the be-
lief that Ii is the poorest OF policies TO
close the eyes TO dangers that, confronted
IN time, may be ayerted. There is hard
work ahead of the District citizens who
want the organic act preserved They
must prepare themselves Tor a vigorous
campaign, not merely of protest but of
education, to make sure that all members
OF the House and Senate have a COM
prehensive. clear understanding OF why
u the organic act was passed and why it
must be maintained in full integrity if
the district of Columbia is to stand
before the country as worthy of the
American government.
Kindly words relating to the organic
act itself will not make less sinister the
design 10 shift, by appropriation bill
legislation, heavy fiscal responsibilities
upon the District. There is no possible
doubt OF the purpose to write into the
next appropriation bill paragraphs that
: II enacted into law, will impose a bur-
den OF nearly 100000 additional on
the local tax revenues, causing either a
heavy Increase in taxation or a strangu-
lating economy in all branches of the
District government and all projects of
public Improvement.