Evening star., 1913-12-28
The Districts Claim on Uncle Sam.

Whenever the Districts relations with
thc federal government are brought
under discussion the suggestion is ad-
vanced that the half-and-half arrange
ulent effected in 1873 through con-
OCCASIONAL enactment is a modern idea,
foreign to the original National Capt.
tai concept. and that the District of
today is enjoying benefits in the form
OF federal contributions to its mafnte-
nance for which there is no warrant
in history. This is far from the fact
~ the very outset there was an under
standing of national sharing in the cost
Of capital upkeep. As the Southard
committee reported in 1885 to the Sem
ate. neither the government nor the
proprietors contemplated that the
whole or even large part of the bur-
den should be thrown upon the inhabi-
tants of the city. Indeed when the
terms Of the land transaction which
marked the laying of the capital foun-
datious are examined impartially it be-
comes evident that in neglecting until
1873 the federal obligation in the
premises the United States was in gross
default which in an individual would
have justified the invocation of the
courts for redress.
The governments failure TO comply
with the initial understanding and to
meet its requirements toward the peo-
pie OF the District was q constant sub
teCt OF complaint in the early days.
Long before the affairs of the capital
municipality reached a crisis in 1886
the citizens had voiced themselves in
eXpostulation and petition. but yain1y
Local records contain numerous evil
dsnces Of the fact that the District
looked upon the United States as a
virtual defaulter in respect to the capi-
making bargain. From these rec
ords has now been drawn a paper writ
ten in 1914 by John Carroll Brent inti-
mately identified with the Districts
affairs and a close student of its his
tory. which is reproduced in another
part OF The Star today This State
inent Of the Districts claims for the
assumption by the government of it's
proper share of the capital maintenance
cost applies with remarkable appropri-
atcn'ss TO the present situation 1t
might almost have been written a week
ago. as protest against a disturbance
Ct the existing financial relations be-
tween the United States and the Dis
trict The people of Washington were
'htu pcfHS scored as menQlCdntS and
suitors for national charity and sup
port Mr.. Brent presented facts to
show how false and libelous'' was the
charge of mendicancy, and how in truth
~ was the government. and not the
District that should bear the odium of
that Indictment. as regards the sup
port OF the nations city. created for
ITS purpose and maintained. despite the
initial arrangement practically wholly
al the cost Of the local taxpayers.
Those who now are disposed to open
the archives of the federal-District fiscal
relations, to the end of mulcting the
Washingtonian of today in a million dol
lars which Uncle Sam once paid in the
light of his own Interpretation of the
equities, should read this article by Mr..
Brent, and should then go back and
read the Southland report and then earlier
Papers. until the records themselves Of
the capital-founding transaction are
reached They will then. If Of a just
disposition. realize that, so far from be-
ing now a creditor of the District, the
United States is in truth in the Dis
tFict's debt to the extent, 1t has been
figured. OF at least $16.OO0.OOO. The Dis
trict will not protest against a reopen
ing of the books. provided they are
turned back to the first page.