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

fourth editorial article urging a square
deal for Washington. specifically in
relation to Uncle Sans stale million
dollar claim for interest advances on
. - bonds in 1s767s.
~ demanding the whole instead of
ouc-baIf Of this alleged debt Uncle Sam
violates the 1878 law and the practice
under this law for thirty-fve years.
If this particular installment of the
$50 bonds. interest or principal is paid
solely from District revenues, prece
dent viii he set. and entering wedge
will lie inserted. tending to the over
throw Of the half-and-half principle
~ the organic act. to national repudia-
ton IT responsibility in respect to
cithcr principal interest of any of
the 5.65 bonds, and perhaps TO the COM
pulsory refunding of what the United
states has paid on these bonds since
1873
After 1878 Uncle Sam was bound to
pay one-half of any such claim as
this. when its validity was established;
So the maximum OF Uncle Sans bill
on this account against the District in
1913 is half million. instead of a
million.
But Uncle Sam should not collect one
cent from the District in 1913 on ac-
count of any transactions of 1851.
Nh pre-existing claims and equities.
whether for or against the District
were merged, offset, discharged and
Cancelled in the bankruptcy settlement
of 1873 Uncle Sam and the District
have treated this debt as thus can
celed for thirty-five years. 1t has been
treated as thus settled or wiped out by
every Congress and every national
executive administration since 1878 1t
specifically treated as thus settled
hy the Treasury Department in 1886
when the possibility of making such a
claim for tae United States was pointed
out to the controller of the Treasury.
IL direct legal proof of this cancella-
ton and settlement be lacking after the
lapse of thirty-five years, Uncle Sam
should not in unmanly fashion plead his
exemption from the statute of limitations
in order to take advantage of this loss
or evidence. Moreover. the advances
were made by Uncle Sans agent. the
Secretary of the Treasury, under condi-
tons which rendered them unlawful.
Compulsory reimbursement thirty-five
years later i'll strict conformity with the
terms of the law ought not to be re-
quired except in respect to advances
made III strict conformity with the law.
Both equity and legal technicality sug-
gest to Uncle Sam that he should not
press this claim.
If Congress of today is to do what it
thinks Congress of 1878 ought to have
done or would have done if it had acted
at ALL il will confiscate less than half of
this million from the District revenues
Md in view of the fact that failure TO
District money of the seventies for
the payment of this interest was entirely
the fault of the nation through its Sec
rotary of the Treasury the taxpayers of
today. who are not responsible in any
way for ms blunder or neglect or viola
tion OF law, and who have not profited
by it. should not on this account be de
prived of any of their current revenues
which they need to maintain and develop
the National Capital The money is need
ed for schools and police and public i'm
Provements. for the upbuilding of the city
physically, mentally and morally.
If. however, old claims and equities prior
10 1919 are 10 be revived in favor of the
United States. then in consistency and
fairness they must also he revived in fa-
vor Of Washington. The old equitable
claim of the District against the nation
which reyives if the bankruptcy settle
mont pf lNtS l. IeOIcftu amounts 10 more
than Sl6.o0o.o0o and the Districts resur-
Teeted claim is to that of Uncle Sam as
1G 10 I. If the organic act is to be ripped
up and the account between nation and
capital restated Washington urges in all
seriousness and with deadly earnestness
that the nation is indebted to ii in equity
IN the sum of S15,ooo,0oo
Consideration of this claim of 1864
carries one back TO the time of the Old
Washington which has been displaced by
the New Washington. developed under the
beneiicent operation of the organic act of
1873. One gets from a study of this local
history making epoch between 1874 and
1873 a clearer insight into the true rela-
tons Of nation and capital, past, present
and future.
The nations obligation OF proportionate
contribution toward the maintenance and
development Of the federal District is
equitable III its nature. based primarily
on the circumstances of the capitals orig
jnaI creation, and secondarily on present
and continuous conditions enforcing both
The original and renewed obligation upon
The nation as the untaxed owner of a
large fraction Of Washington's real estate
and of over 3,0o0 acres OF the unplatted
portion OF the federal District. The obli-
cation IL a. just and as binding today as
il was at the beginning OF the century.
National recognition of this obligation is
cryStallized in the organic act of 1875.
That stct should be faithfully and thor
oughly obeyed and sustained, both in let
Ter and IL spirit IL should not be at
tackled. directly indirectly, openly or
insidoUsly. by threats of wholesale repeal
e. by undermining the law and destroying
il pecemeal as by confirming its applica-
ton to a limited portion of the federal
District. or by multiplying the spirit of the
legislation through numerous exceptions
In enacting laws and making specific APP
propriations hostile to its intent.
Maintenance intact of the organic act is
not only a point of honor with the ma
lion. but is strongly urged by the dictates
Of national pride. During the peTiod
when the national obligation, tardily rec
oguized by the organic act in 1873. wa,
neglected, the capital was a nationa
shame. a byword and reproach. Since thu
nation has returned even halfway to it.
original litigation the capital has become
an object of ational affection, in who's