Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-05

United States and the District OF olum-
bia is a Just one as is now admitted, then
the United states is in equity deiltor TO
the District of Columbia as ahoNe
shown.
No Question of Justice.
In the light OF the figures revealed in
that report can any one justly c"ntend
that it was unjust for the government OF
the United States TO assume ana pay
one-half of that debt under the act OF
1878 and subsequent acts upon that sub
ject?
Now as to the debt created by the
board of public works, the people never
authorized and never had the oppoltuH
to authorize any of that debt except the
81, 100000 loan. The residue was contract
ed by the board of public works. APP
pointed by the President and confirmed
by the Senate. over whose acts the peo-
pie of this District exercised no control
and in whose selection they had no voice
Even the Legislative assembly was rot an
elective body, except as to house o. deie-
gates, the governor and the councli nav
ing been appointed by the President and
confirmed by the Senate.
Mr.. Blackburn conceded that the reo-
pie of the District of Columbia We're not
liable for any of this debt in excess OF
the S1O,OOOOO limitation, but he also de-
MED that the United States or AIRY one
was liable for such excess. as he alleged
that it was contracted in defiance of law.
1t will be seen, therefore. that no matter
what view may be taken as to the legality
of the whole or any part of that debt,
the people of the District of Columbia
cannot be justly made liable Tor more
than s4,O0o.OOO thereof. which, added TO
a just proportion of the old debt OF
100000, would make the proper and
equitable share which they should bear
of the total debt of $22,OU0.O0O not more
than So, JOo,C0o, or less than one-third-
10
amounts paid by the government of the
United States and the government nf the
District of Columbia, respectively, to-
ward the expenses of the District since
| 1901, upon the basis of the present Or
panic act would bring the United States
| in debt to the District of Columbia more
than the whole amount of the present
| debt of the District.
In Case of a Refund.
But suppose that Mr.. Johnson should
succeed i'm having d law passed requir-
| ing the District of Columbia to refund
the millions that the United States has
paid ON account of the District debt since
| 1873. of what advantage or benefit would
it be to the United States? 1t could only
be collected by increasing the already
high taxation to which the property in
this District is subjected. or by SO reduc-
ing the expenditures under the half-and-
half plan as to leave surplus III DIS
trict revenues to apply Oh such colossal
debt to the United States. Indeed. It has
recently been suggested by Mr.. BGrland
of the House committee on appropria-
tions, if he has been correctly reported
in the Washington Post, that the District
budget should be reduced proportionately
to that of Kansas City and not to exceed
IS, 600 O00. He regards the present scale
of expenditures. $1..OO0,OOO. as eXtrava-
CANT. OF course, that is a matter for
the judgment of Congress. upon which
the responsibility rests. If Congress in
its wisdom decides to take the needs OF
Kansas City, with its population of
2JO.O0 as the measure of the needs of
seventy square miles in the District of
Columbia, making allowance for the diff
ference in population. but no allowance
for the fact that the street area of Wash
ingtou is double that of Paris that
Washington is the capital of the nation
| of nearly one hundred million people we
shall be obliged to cut our expenditures
down one-third. S4.C00W0. ThA full
result of such a radical change of policy
toward the District. if it is To b" per
manent. is hard to predict but that it
would bring paralysis and stagnat!on to
business and enterprise, retard growth
and development. ard cause great dec inc
in real estate values. resulting i'm imam
cial ruin to thousands of American citi-
! Zens who have acquired homes here,
! seems reasonably certain.
Killing the Goose.
If, on the other hand. our taxes
should be increased unduly. as they
would have to be, to pay the debt
found by Mr.. Johnson to be duo the
United States. the same result would
ensue. and with a large decline i'm
values would come large decrease
in revenues. 1t would be a killing of
the goose that lays the golden egg
Whatever change in policy may be
adopted by Congress toward the Dis
trict, whatever burdens may be put
upon private property in the District
whatever new and untried theories of
government may be put in practice
here, the government of the United
States is responsible under the Con-
Stitution for the expenses of the gov
eminent of the District of Columbia
and whether the debt of the District
be one million OF one hundred mill
lions, only a reasonable amount OF
the expenses can be put upon the peo-
pie without impairing their ability to
pay and defeating the end in view.
Prosperity cannot go hand in hand
with excessive and unreasonable tax
alton: and without prosperity the peo-
pie cannot bear heavy taxation: 30 i'm
pose it would cause distress ana dis
content. After collecting reasona BILE
amount of taxes from the inha tants
of this District in proportion 30 the
privileges, immunities and protection
which they enjoy. and fully equal to
the amount raised by taxation in other
cities enjoying like privileges. the
residue of the expenses of governing
the District must be borne by the
government of the United States. great
or small.
That amount must be determined under
the organic act. by any other act
which may take its place. by the wis
dom and judgment of Congress. If the
Ga pitaI city il TO be maintained uIon the
scale which its founders intended, and
which Congress for thirtythree years has
consistently legsated to continue. Mr..
Borand's declared purpose TO save "A
portion of the money needed for The de-
velopment of the country by cutting down
the District appropriation" cannot be
carried out. 1t is inconceivable that il
should be even attempted. or that the
great body OF the American people de-
sire. or would approve such policy. If
the health. comfort. convenience-to say
nothing of the pride and patriotism-of
the people who come here to reside tenn
norariIv or permanently, are to lac con-
served no such policy is possible.
Election of Senators by People.