Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-28

| bound by every principle of equal right
and justice to pay proportion OF the
/ expense in this matter equal to the
amount of property which it held, and
which was to be increased in value ana
| benefited by it, and this would nave
been greatly more than one-half. mat
1t was anticipated, at the date OF the
i contract, that the property acquired Dy
| government would become Immensely
productive, enabling it to secure per-
| feet accommodation for itself. and IN
| sure considerable surplus to the CITY
| TO be employed in its improvement the
city ought not therefore. to be regarded
| as lnexcuSaby importunate when II asks
! for their alienation. That the city may
have gone further in this matter tnan
| the necessities or convenience OF the
| government may for the time being nave
| required. but the expenditures were mace
| with the generous purpose of increasing
| the public accommodation and render
| ing the capital of the country what IL
| ought TO be, as well as to augment the
property held by individuals. and by the
! government itself. and the improvements
which it has made have greatly enhanc-
| ed both. That in several states OF the
/ Union, where the government hoioS land
| ed estate, it has paid taxes on II, "hlle
4 in the city of Washington IT mas not
| That, although in the acts of incorpora-
| ton which gave the city partial control
| and regulation over the streets tnere Is
| no exemption of the property or the gov
eminent from taxdtlOH. lIeIeUs itdSiHS
| it to be inferred that Congress did not
| intend that it should be exempted, but
| that it should be equally subject to those
burdens necessary for the common bene-
| fit of the whole, the corporate authorf-
ties, with prudence and proprlety, ab-
stained from levying taxes upon it, and
| laid the whole weight upon that part or
the property which belonged to indlvld-
uals That the only appropriation wnich
appears to have been made exclusively
f<,,- liz, hot n
canal which unites the Potomac and
Eastern branch. and yet even this was
concern originally belonging to the gov
eminent which it directed and over
which its commissioners had control both
as to it's location and execution Inc
committee united in a recommendation
that Congress should transfer their pri-
vate buildings lots to the city, making
thus all taxable alike.
Interests InseparabIe.
The report concludes with this i'm
pressive language: In the investigation
of the subject committed to them, and
of the relief proposed, the committee have
been unable to separate the interests
of the District from the interests of the
United States. They regard it as the
child of the Union-as the creation of the
Union for its own purposes. The design
of the Constitution and its founders was
to create residence for the government
where it should have absolute and un-
limited control In accomplishing their
object, the Union undertook the guar
dianship of the District, depriving its in
habitants of the right of self-govern-
ment and of the elective franchise, and
made them dependent upon The will or
the representatives of the states, to
whom alone they can look for relief.
But the committee do not propose, in
the present instance, to offer to the SEN
ate a project for the relief of the en-
barrassments by which this city is now
afflicted, which will call upon the Union
for the expenditure of any of the treas
ure which has been drawn from the
pockets of it's citizens. but only for
part of the funds which were obtained
by the agreement to locate the seat of
government here, and which are not nee
essary to repenish the treasury of ma
ton. rich, free from debt and competent
to the most abundant provision for the
accommodation of its public authorities.
If the facts and conclusions, thus sue
cinctly stated. do not clearly establish
the positions that the people of this Dis
trict have a peculiar and strong claim
upon the protection and liberality OF the
government; that SO far but very small
modicum of the notice and aid to which
they have so just right has been their
lot and great injustice done by accuS-
ing them of being importunate suitors
and mendicants. then human language
l1uSt ne weak ana uHlntelHslDle, lUuctu,
and I have read and construed the sta
tistics relating to the affairs OF these
ten miles square, and the opinions of the
committee from which / have quoted.
with mind blinded by Partially and
prejudice. But such is not the case.
A History of Neglect.
1 defy any person. at all open to reason
and conviction or free from prejudice,
70. he of ,cb inf
ton as has been accumulated on the
subject without being struck by the
fact that the metropolis of the Union
has had unfair play; that its history is
with slight exceptions but the narrative
of unkind and unmerited congressional
neglect. or positive hostility and insult
and a heavy balance is yet due upon
account between it and the public au
thorities, who seem to be so careless
and Indifferent, to speak most charita-
bly, in a matter which appeals most par
| ticularly to their sympathies, consciences
and feelings. Would that the District
had ever such friends as Campbell of
South Carolina, Pratt of New York. Bay
ard of Delaware, Causin of Maryland
and Chiffon of Virginia.! Then would
the public be spared the painful spectacle
of seeing a suffering community trif1ed
| with. insulted and rebuffed by selfish pol
iticians when they ask for charters for
| their banks. improvements the public
grounds and buildings. repairs for their
dusty and WORKOUT streets and avenues.
and appropriations for humane and char
| liable institutions. Then would the good
old spirit of the fathers of the republic
/ be once more evoked to bless and cheer
US in our disfranchised and helpless con-
dition; and the city which Washington
| founded and so dearly loved and cher
ished-which a jefferson, an Adams, a
Madison and Monroe watched over
and cared for-once again lift its bowed
| head from the melancholy attitude of a
| mourner, and be rewarded for years OF
i trouble and neglect by return of that
1 friendly and liberal legislation and gov
| eminent protection to which 1t has been
/ so long a stranger.