Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-22

Senator Southland in 1885. He also adyo-
Gated reimbursement to the District of
whatever ii had expended in the past be-
yond it's just proportion. Congress has
followed only one-half of Senator South
ards advice. If justice requires that the
government should pay certain proper
ton of District expenses now. both Justice
and consistency demand that il should
pay the same proportion of the expenses
of the years of its indiff0rence and neg
lect. \ balance should be struck. and
whatever sum is necessary TO make the
expenditures of the general government
upon the capital equal to those Of its
citizens for the city's life should be cred
tied to the District.
Restating Nation-Capital Account.
While the nation up to 1878 cxacted
ar excessive and oppressive contribu-
tion from the local taxpayers toward
the upbuildinE Of tho capital and since
that date has required ali that could be
equitably demanded. IL has failed to
carry out fully it's own obligations to-
ward the capital, having neg. ected
these obligations for threc-fOurths of
century and not Offering now to re-
fmburse payments mnde Its account
durtHE the season of neglect.
The nation has now returned half way
to the original and appropriate idea of
the federal city. This guardian. who for
full to his trust, now, without making the
slightest restitution for the wrongs of
the past, shares the expenses of the ward
whom he equitab,y bound himself in the
beginning to support, and some men call
II charity! The people of the District are
not subject to this or any other reproach
upon their public spirit, so far as their
relations to the nation concerned.
They have risked life and shed blood in
every national war. They furnished the
N0IIInfaarS MOI
IN excess of their quota in the civil
struggle than any state except one. In
the war with Spain they gave similar evil
dence OF prompt and patriotic energy,
their line regiment of volunteers far eX-
ceedlng their quota in numbers. and
equaiing in discipline and soldiery eff
cheney the best furnished by any state
or the Union. They have paid their pro-
portion OF every national tax, direct and
indirect. They have contributed in pro-
portion to population far more than any
other American community for national
purposes They gave TO the nation the
greater part of the soil of Washington,
an acquisition pronounced by Jefferson
really noble They thus supplied fund
from which most of the original public
buildings were erected. Those that since
then have been constructed at national
expense are offset by attractive homes
aggregating millions of dollars in value
with which they have adorned the city
and swelled its taxable property. Nearly
all the work of street improvement and
capital making for three-fourths of ii
century was done by them. Under this
burden they worked themselves into vir-
tual bankruptcy in 1885,. and i'm re-
creating the city after 1870 the main eX-
pense of the achievement was represent
ed by the grievous debt OF some $50 600,
600. In both cases they took upon them
selves national burdens and were led by
public-sp:Tited motives. the Senate
committee reported in 1895. into expendi-
lures which did not properly belong to
them.
The nations obligation of proportion
ate contribution toward the maintenance
and development of the federal District
is equitable In its nature, based primarily
on the circumstances of the capital orig
and continuous conditions enforcing both
the original and a renewed obligation
upon the nation the untaXed owner of
large fraction of Washington real es-
tate and of over 1908 acres of the uil-
plated portion of the federal District.
The obligation is as just and as binding
today 1t was at the beginning of the
century National recognition of this OBJ
legation is crystalliZed in tie organic act
of 1878. That act should be faithfully and
thoroughly obeyed and sustained, both in
letter and in sririt. 1t should not be at
tackled. directly or Indirectly. openly Oh
insidiously, by threats of wholesale re-
peal or by undermining the law and de-
application to a limited portion of the
federal District. or by multiplying the spirit
of the legislation through numerous eX-
ceptions in enacting laws and making
specific appropriations hostile to its in
tent.
Maintenance intact of the organic act
is not only point of honor with the ma
ton, but is strongly urged by the die
tates of national pride During the period
when the national obligation. tardily rec
ognized by the organic act in 1878. was
neglected, the capital was nationai
shame. a byword and rerroach. Since
the nation has returned even halfway to
it's original obi CATION the capital has be
come an object OF national affection. in
whose attractiyeness and in whose vel
fare the whole American people take
pride. In place of the discreditable, strag
Cling. neglected village of the period OF
national Indifference there has risen tae
capital of today wherein the eye is pleased
by all that both nature and art have done
to adorn the most beautiful city on the
continent. In its honest, economical and
effective municipal government in its as
phalt pavementS. in it's system of shade
trees. in its underground trolley system
of rapid transit. in its broad streets and